Hey everyone! Thanks again for the ongoing support of the blog and I hope you enjoy my posts. Please feel free to comment :) 

So today marks my first full week of school done. I am so exhausted. It has been extremely difficult to get used to going to classes again and having to do hw. It's an adjustment I have to make quickly that is for sure :P. 

Classes are still going pretty well. I am in love with my professor for Global History and World Systems. She is the best. She loves talking to the American students and just has the greatest sense of humor. I really enjoy going to her class. My hardest class is still my Japanese class. The structure is so different than what I am used to. I had my first quiz in there the other day and I passed. I wasn't really proud of the grade and I know I can do better. I just need to focus and study like never before. 

In going to class this week, I have already started noticing some differences between the American and Japanese education system. One of the first things I noticed is that students here can show up to class whenever they want without penalty. I have been in classes where people (both Japanese and international) show up a half an hour to an hour late for a 95 minute class. In addition, teachers don't seem to mind when students talk during class. They can have side conversations without being called out (except in the class with the American professor :P). Finally, I've noticed that the comprehensive knowledge of students here is not so developed. They appear to focus on certain subjects that pertain to them specifically and do not try to seek out further knowledge. For instance, in one of my classes, the professor showed a picture of Hurricane Katrina and a student immediately tried to say "typhoon". While I didn't take this as ignorance on the student's part, I think they literally thought it was a typhoon because that is what affects them here. I want to note that I do not necessarily find these as weaknesses or problems with the education system here. I simply find it different than what I am used to in the US. 

Along with everything going on here, it has been rather difficult to hear about the things happening back home. My heart goes out to the people in Boston and Texas that have forever been changed due to the events of this week. However, I want to remind everyone that while these tragedies are horrible and inexcusable, please do not forget that there are terrible events happening all over the world. People are suffering each and every day and those people deserve just as much sympathy and prayer as any other. 

It is reasons like this that I am an International Affairs major. Why do we live in such a violent world today? Why do terrible events like this happen? Is it preventable? Who do we blame? My job is to help provide answers for these types of questions. Sometimes, it isn't about the science or the numbers. Answers have to be found by looking through years of history and culture. This is what I love to do and I truly believe I made the best choice in deciding to study International Affairs. :) <3