Mrs. Akiko, a homemaker in the suburbs of Kyoto, always felt shy when meeting her new neighbors from America. The language barrier meant she could only smile and nod. Determined to change, she joined OVFRIENDS with a simple goal: to practice speaking English.
She joined a group called “Kitchen Stories.” Every day, she would post a photo of the meal she cooked and write a few simple descriptive sentences in English.
One day, she posted a picture of Japanese curry and received a comment from Margaret, an English woman with a small garden behind her house. Margaret asked for the recipe. Their conversation started from there, revolving not only around cooking but also about growing vegetables and little daily habits.
Through a screen, two women from two different cultures found a shared kitchen where they exchanged warmth and beloved recipes.