Your Japanese word of the week is...

"hairu" which means "to enter/join". And this can mean to physically enter something like a building, to join a class, or to sign-up/join a group. For example, if I'm late for a karate class, I warm-up on the side and then, during a break in the action, I saw "hairimasu" ("I'm joining") and then find a spot to join the action.

This past week saw three new students join the regular three at the Seiritsu International Department. The three had signed up to a private company that specializes in places foreign students in Japanese schools and Seiritsu had agreed to take them in.

And they really do help the department become more international as we now have a new Canadian, Thai, and Dutch student joining an Australian and two students from New Zealand. You can check them out at the Seiritsu International website.

In other news.................... actually, there is none. I'm working a regular 8-4 job and have weekends off...... almost like I'm a real adult haha.......

But being in the heart of Tokyo, and with really awesome roommates, it means now I have time to really see what the city is like. Armed with my cultural and linguistic learnings from the past year, I'm not at all uncomfortable making my way around the city and meeting people, so it'll be a great chance to add to my experiences here.

The only downside so far?? It's still pretty hot and humid............ but only a few more weeks of that and it'll be over. And then it'll be a short wait until November, when the World Karate Federation will hold its championships here in Tokyo.

The WKF is an all-styles event and draws the best of the best from all over the world, so it goes without saying that the karate on display during those four days will be incredible. But that's not for a few months and I obviously won't be competing in those haha........ so til then, stay tuned for some results of some local tournaments that I will be in =P......