On September 27th, WISH freshmen participated in a fire drill. In the drill, the members from the Nakano Fire Station kindly taught us how to utilize fire extinguishers, and soon everyone, somewhat shyly, yet enthusiastically shouted “Kaji-da!” (fire!) in Japanese, and practiced handling the extinguishers like a pro. Likewise, in a group of five, we all bravely went into a smoke house to learn how to conduct ourselves in the case of an actual fire. Yet, I must say that the highlight of the drill was the performance by the members of WISH Fire Fighters. The professional manner in which they handled the various tools, as well as seeing the efforts that our “senpai” (upper-classmen) put into to ensure the safety of all dorm residents most definitely impressed all freshmen, including myself. Certainly, the activities completed in this fire drill was probably a normal procedure in Japan. For the freshmen, including myself, however, it was a fresh and valuable experience, showing not only an aspect of Japanese culture, but also the culture at WISh. Political Science and Economics.
（School of Political Science and Economics, E.K.)
