Remembering my Years at the Japanese Weekend School of New York

From kindergarten through the first half of 7th grade, I went to school six days a week: 5 days at my regular Connecticut public school and one day at a Japanese weekend school. Every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, and sometimes until 3 pm, I studied everything that Japanese kids learn in their schools in Japan, in Japanese, just like kids in Japan. It is not to “learn Japanese” but to “learn in Japanese.” This is what many Japanese kids living in the US do to maintain fluency in the language and connection to the culture. I am so glad I spent all those Saturdays speaking, reading, and learning in Japanese so that I can be where I am today with the language.