November 6th.

　Hello, my name is Felipe. I came from Colombia to study in Japan four years and half ago. Today, I had the chance to visit Kaigamori Elementary School and had an awesome experience that I'd like to share with you.

　The day started with us going early in the morning to Sendai City Kaigamori Elementary School. All the students were prepared to listen to Prof. Maruyama's lecture on Rocketing Science… Yes, that's right, the elementary school students were about to learn the basics about how do rockets and airplanes fly! And, not only learn and understand, but they were about to create their own original PET bottle rockets! Can you imagine how cool is it?

　Prof. Maruyama's lecture was simply spectacular. It started with the explanation of intuitive ideas like the laws of action and reaction. It was amusing to see all the children jumping and realizing that the reason why they actually jumped was because they pushed the floor downward… the same way as rockets push the fuel downward to be able to fly! Prof. Maruyama also showed the children some very cool videos of Apolo and the Space Shuttle, and explained very kindly how the physical principles of the PET rockets that the children were about to make, were exactly the same basic principles that took the humans to the moon. I wouldn't be surprised if from this group of elementary school students arises the next JAXA or NASA's generation of space engineers!

　After Prof. Maruyama finished his lecture, we moved on to the construction of the PET bottle rockets. Here is where the creativity and originality of the children came to light. Fabulous and interesting rockets were built by the children and this is where we could spend most of the time speaking and sharing ideas with them. I am a foreigner, so some of the children were very active and curious about me. They asked me lots of questions about my country and about my feelings for Japan. The questions were so clever that for a moment I felt like speaking to adults! I also was moved by the children kindness and friendliness…we definitely had a great time!!!

　The PET bottle competition was amazing as well. The atmosphere was full of excitement and thrill. All the kids were cheering tirelessly for their classmates' rockets… It surely became an unforgettable memory for many of the people that participated… including me.