The doors swung close, pinching my backpack between them, and I hoped that the bus driver had noticed. He did, he reopened the doors, and I forced one more step forward into the mass of people standing in front of me. Considering that my morning bus to work arrives every 8 minutes, and that there are multiple buses that share similar routes, I would have thought that the bus (much like the metro) would not be packed with commuters during so many hours of every weekday.

After I finish class, I often head to Kanda University’s Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) on campus. SALC is a space for students to improve their foreign language skills. The newly-constructed building is very popular. Every day, students pack every corner of the center to hang out, take snaps, or study. The building also has several classrooms, used primarily for English courses. Professors often send their students out of these classrooms to interview international students on the SALC’s second floor, where only English is allowed.

The grounds of Blarney Castle and Gardens cover over 60 acres of land and are home to the Blarney Stone, the Poison Garden, the Wishing Steps, and so much more.