Silence at Last

Today we had our first table read of the script for the Oshibai stage performance. We became increasingly aware of how close our performance is. Tomorrow we will begin rehearsals in the theater. We’re excited for the performance on Saturday!

It was kanji day in the Beginner class, and we learned how to write simple kanji characters like the numbers and days of the week. Intermediate class had a quiz on counters and started learning the short casual form of speech. The Advanced class watched rakugo (a traditional Japanese comic performance) and had fun learning about this art form and Japanese wordplay. 

For the first time since the Academy has started, we finally got a moment of peace with our zen gardens. Lauryn-senpai gave a presentation on the history of Buddhism and Zen and showed us how Zen gardens are made in Japan. We then had the chance to make our own gardens with craft boxes, sand, tiny rakes, and rocks. It was a calming experience and a nice break from the chatter of the Academy. It also left time to think about how there is less than a week until we go home.