By Lucca Bey

A couple classes ago, we had some very special visitors from the Embassy of Japan who gave us an interactive lesson about Japanese history, geography and culture. As they were giving the presentation and we were playing a fun game of truth or false, I was really surprised by how much we actually knew about Japan as a class. For example, they quizzed us about products that came from Japan that we see in our everyday DC, such as metro cars, cameras, and of course, video game systems. You see, when you learn something, you absorb the information, of course, but you don’t really grasp the magnitude of how much you’ve learned because of how abstract knowledge is as a concept until it’s laid out in front of you, and honestly, the visit from the Embassy of Japan did just that. Even the representatives from the Embassy of Japan were pleasantly surprised with our knowledge of things about Japan that weren’t inherently Japanese language related, and I’ve got to admit, it was definitely a boost to our confidence.

Aside from the more formal part of the Embassy’s visit, we also got to make these adorable (albeit very complicated) origami Olympic medals, to go along with the Olympic motif, since the Olympics are being held in Japan this year! We even got the privilege of seeing one of 100 models of the Japanese Olympic torch. Fun fact: If you look at it from the top side, it’s shaped like a cherry blossom, which besides being Japan’s most celebrated flower, also has ties to our very own Washington, DC! The experience within itself was such an educational, fun, and informative experience. Japanese Plus is so thankful for them taking the time out of their day for us!