Visiting the elementary school was by far the most fun activity this week. Most of the time classes in Japan are really shy, but every once in a while I get a really energetic group excited to learn from me. They also gave me an amazing gift before I left.
I read an article in Japanese for my language class about study abroad programs. I would really like to read some books that have come out at home but that is hard to do in Japan, so mostly I try to read free books online. I read the first few chapters of a book called "Street of Eternal Happiness" about a journalist's time in Shanghai, China.
On Thursday, I went to Aikido practice. Aikido is a Japanese martial art used to defend, while not harming an attacker too much. It involves a lot of throws and joint locks, and putting ourselves in a safe position even when faced with multiple opponents. We also practice with weapons: wooden swords (bokken) and short staffs (jou).
