Some students have asked me about my arm....

Some students have asked me about the strange mark on my right arm.  They asked if it was a birthmark.  (うまれつきのあざ）No, it isn't a birthmark.  It is actually a scar from a smallpox vaccination. 

Now...the kid in the picture below is me!!!!  If you look at my arm, (don't look at the bananas on the counter and don't ask why I am in a sink) you can see a red spot.  That is the scar from the shot.

The smallpox vaccination is given with a two-pronged needle that is used to prick the skin of the upper arm several times.

In 3-4 days a red, itchy bump forms on the skin.

In the first week the bump develops into a blister.

In the second week, the blister dries up and it turns into a scab.

In the third week, the scab falls off, leaving a scar.

And again ... that scar is what you see on my right arm....

THE END