I arrived at the Swig Lounge in the Intercultural Center as members of the Japanese Student Association were still trickling in. It's sushi day. A despondent donation box sat idly on a small table by the door next to a sign-in sheet with nine names so far. I added mine, and laughed as Jhonathon Pasaoa '08, Secretary and ICC Representative, put a dollar bill halfway in and took it back out."This is going to be the best meeting ever!" I heard someone yell behind me after I sat down on a couch.

"Hi everybody!" Pasaoa greeted us from the front of the room, drawing cheers from the small but dedicated crowd.

The meeting began with a recap of the year and what they had accomplished and an account of their desire to maintain the club for future years. To build up everyone's hunger before the sushi was served, everyone gathered around a laptop to watch the JSA's dance performance in Culture X. Having regrettably missed it, I was thrilled to be able to see what the hubbub was about. At the end, Pasaoa turned on the lights.

"The dance took about a month of preparation," he told me.

Ena Sakuma '09 read off the list of club positions that would be voted on in a matter of minutes. Seeing as I was a mere spectator, my eyes began to wander and my thoughts began to drift. I found myself focusing on the gigantic world map painted on the wall, specifically on a brilliant pink country in Africa whose name I couldn't make out.

My thoughts were interrupted by Pasaoa's announcement that anyone could vote, and I figured maybe I'd better pay attention.

Ayako Mizoguchi '09 kicked the elections off by reading a statement sent by Stephanie Kong '08 who couldn't be at the meeting, who was running for webmaster. I was sold. After a unanimous vote, Kong won.

Next Brittany MacFarland's '08 statement was read. She was running for secretary. Another unanimous vote. These are my kind of elections, I thought as I raised my hand high and proud. Elaine Wong '09 ran for ICC Rep and kept the unanimous streak alive.

Next up were the two positions for co-president. I got a little nervous by the notion of someone losing, but my worries were stayed when I found out that there were two positions available. Marvelous! Both Sakuma and Mizoguchi win, unanimously again.

And then there was sushi.

As three enormous platters of exquisite-looking sushi were taken out and put on a table, the musical styling of Aya Matsura, played in the background.

I slid on over to the sushi table and was instantly overwhelmed by the choices. Mustering up all the courage I have, I picked a piece at random, reluctantly straying from my tried and true avocado rolls. After half a bite of Unagi, which I learned is eel, I shamefully returned to the tame ways of the avocado.

I asked Jack Kotin '07 his favorite as my eyes roamed the table.

"Eel," he said after a thinking pause. "But I'm cool with any kind. Sushi makes me happy!"

I floated around the table and asked newcomer Leor "Unagi" Galil '08 how his first JSA meeting had gone.

"My first JSA experience was quite exemplary," he said. In reference to the sushi, he added, "There's a hint of wasabi in the shrimp and squid rolls that really surprises you."

I made sure to steer clear of those.

After five or so more pieces, I was ready to burst. But before I could, I learned that there was surprise in store for us.

It turned out to be a reproduction of the JSA's dance, en vivo. The dancers stretched and got into their places. As they danced, I watched in amazement at their ability to move and jump after eating so much sushi; I could barely stand. But I've already done ballroom dance. This was my day to gorge my face with raw fish, a goal that I wholeheartedly completed.