I got lost on the way home yesterday! It was the first time walking home by myself, and I took a wrong turn and 10 minutes later realized I didn't know where I was. It was awful. The streets here don't have signs and don't go in straight lines. They don't actually make much sense. Finally after wandering around in the scorching heat I stumbled upon the correct street. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found the right street, I might have been permanently lost in Japan.

Kaiten Sushi last night was lots of fun. We were the only people in the restaurant for most of the time and there were 4 chefs, we were were all joking around setting up pictures and talking about fish. The conversations were actually very simple so I understood what everyone was saying, which is unusual anymore. After Kaiten Sushi we went home and had a party, I of course had no idea this was happening until people starting walking in the door. There were several children and we did Hanabi (Fireworks) in the driveway and then ate watermelon in the Tatami room. the kids all wanted me to teach them English, so I spent a lot of time naming body parts and furniture, but they were so cute.

Today after class we grabbed lunch at the fish market. I got a karoki. They are fried and mine was stuffed with pumpkin and was delicious. Then we went to a gold leafing place and learned how to gold leaf things. We all got to make chopsticks which was difficult but a lot of fun. We get the chopsticks back on Friday! Tonight we are going to my Oba-chan's (Grandmother's) house for dinner. I'm not sure why, bu tI don't understand a lot of what happens here.

"Friends don't allow friends to [flout] international law." --William Schultz, executive director of Amnesty International USA