This video is not a joke and it's not for
everyone because this video is about a place 

far away from us called the
"Suicide Forest". This is a forest in Japan near Mt. Fuji 

that has
become a place where people go to end their lives. 

I went to visit the suicide forest out of
curiosity and I didn't expect it to be this sad. 

The forest is very dense. It
is full of trees and between them, phone reception is almost 

nonexistent and
light can barely get in. 

Walking around the forest was scary because
on the ground you'll notice a lot of white 

strings and there is a sad reason
for them. When people go to the forest to end their lives,

 they put a string
around a tree and drag it as a way to guide to safety if they change their 

mind...but often times they don't. They enter the forest and never leave.

Things have gotten so bad in this forest
that police put up signs asking people to seek help 

and reconsider. I've spent
two hours in this forest and I couldn't wait to leave. Because suicide 

is a
hard topic in my culture, we don't talk enough about it. So we assume it
doesn't exist. 

We assume it won't happen to us or to our friends. 

So when I left the forest, I tried to
forget about it. I went around Japan and had a lot of fun. 

"Hello from japan!"
I was happy again only to realize that I shouldn't. 

On the same trip, Alyne and I made a new
friend. He was a generous kind soul and we both 

enjoyed hanging out with him.
But one year later, we checked on him again and learned that he 

took his life
away. He committed suicide and immediately the suicide forest flashed in my
head. 

All of a sudden, it became more than just a
forest. It resembled far bigger and far more dangerous. 

That some people are so
troubled that suicide becomes their ultimate escape. In a forest, on a rooftop 

or in their homes like the case of my friend. 

This is why talking to your friends is
important. Checking in is important and discussing suicide openly 

is important
so we can end it. I hate this forest because it exists and I hope that one day,
we don't have 

to call this place a "suicide Forest". We just call it
for what it should be: A Beautiful Green Forest. 

See you next week. 

Comprehension Questions:

1. Where is the Suicide Forest located?

 In Japan near Mt. Fuji.  

2. Describe the Suicide Forest.  

 The forest is very dense. It is full of trees and between them, phone reception is almost 

    nonexistent and light can barely get in 

3. What are the white strings for?  They put a string around a tree and drag it as a way to 

   guide to safety if they change their mind 

4. How many hours did the man explore the forest?

     2 hours 

5. Describe the Japanese friend they made.  He was a generous kind soul and they 

   enjoyed hanging out with him. 

6. What happened to him after a year? 

     He committed suicide

Free Talking Questions: 

1. What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘suicide’? 

2. Why do people commit suicide? 

3. Is the suicide rate in your country high? 

4. Is suicide a taboo subject in your culture? 

5. Does society do enough for people who feel suicidal to stop them from taking their own lives? 

6. Is it wrong to commit suicide? 

7. Is suicide the same as murder? 

8. Have you ever contemplated suicide? 

9. What would you do if your friend started talking about suicide? 

10. What kind of people are more likely to commit suicide?