Hey everyone.  The trip to Japan so far has been really great.  The flight was very long, about 14 hours, but after finally reaching Japan I’ve really enjoyed myself.  The food is really good.  I haven’t had a meal yet that I haven’t enjoyed.  The people here are very friendly and polite.  One thing I’ve noticed though is that so many of them walk or ride bicycles here compared to those in the states.  It’s also weird to see kids as young as 8 or 9 walking around by themselves trying to make it to school.  The classes so far have been pretty exciting as well.  My Japanese language class is very interactive.  In addition to learning to write the Japanese language and speaking, we have activities at the end of class where we go out as a group to practice ordering food at a restaurant.  It’s a very cool experience and so far I would recommend this to anyone interested in studying abroad in Japan.  I look forward to writing more about my experiences here after I’ve done a few more things.  In a few days I’ll meet my host family and write about what it’s like staying in a Japanese home.