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Lost in Japan (6): Judgment

I’ve written about my ambitions and how I had no real purpose for studying Japanese. The Fool.

I’ve written about the many shades of gray that appear amidst intercultural interactions. The Moon.

I’ve written about pride and the embellished presentation of each of our own cultures. The Sun. 

I’ve written about the issues that never see the light of day – the problems that don’t shine bright enough. The Star.

I’ve written about the importance of understanding that we are not at the center of The World. 

And now: Judgment

There is no greater arbiter for your life’s achievements than yourself. So, when you reflect on your experiences and your growth, subjectivity should be the focus. You know yourself best. Who cares what others think?

Now, time for a little reflection for myself. How did this trip to Japan fare for me?

It’s safe to say that Japan exceeded my expectations. And I’d attribute my enjoyment to the small things. After my tourist-phase wore off and I stopped getting lost, I had the chance to settle down and live an ordinary life. There were days where I just took the train to school, stopped by the bookstore, took a trip to the mall, and went for a run at the park. There was never a dull day. But a lot of that credit goes to my wonderful host family. I’m happy to say that I’ve found a third home. 

And, overall, this experience has changed my life goals. I’ve gone from wanting to work in Japan to living in Japan. I never took the lifestyle outside of work into consideration. Apart from that, I plan to make many more trips in the future to visit my host family. As I left, we promised each other that it wasn’t “goodbye,” just a “see you later.”  And besides, I want to watch Ema and Shuutaro grow up. I’m proud to be their older brother. 

Beyond just interacting with another culture, I learned about the nuance of it. Having had many conversations with the Japanese about international politics, society, and spirituality, I encountered many different opinions. Before this trip, I would’ve labeled Japan as homogenous both in ethnicity and tradition. But it’s not like that at all. 

Culture is not a predetermined feature bestowed onto the public. It is malleable, morphed by the people. The countryside and growing suburbs in Japan are just like any other country’s. Each has its own customs, accent, and traditions. Overall, Japan is a very linear society. Conformity is a strong characteristic. But you should not mistake conformity for submission like I did.

I find it especially interesting that Japan is suffering from a declining birthrate. Immigration policies could be loosened to combat the economic challenges. Japan’s ~3% population of immigrants (residents, not tourists) could soon rise. And with that, new ideas could be introduced. Regardless of my admiration of (and now connection with) the country, I think following the next century of Japan’s history will give us a contemporary perspective of what constitutes Culture.

Thank you for reading,

Daniel

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Fourth Post – Amman, Jordan

In Jordan, I rotate between going to mass in a small Jesuit Center in the city with a group of Notre Dame kids and an Arabic mass. Today, I walked up the stairs of the Jesuit Center in Amman seeing mostly Qasid students in the room and a few other parishioners. 

The homily started about Jesus’s transfiguration. The priest told a story about a man who spent all of his life praying to change the world, once he got to the middle of his life, he prayed that he could change the lives of those around him, knowing that the task of changing the world was a large one. Finally, when he reached old age, he realized that he only wanted to pray to change himself knowing that the things he prayed for in the past were too big a task. 

When I heard this story, I could only think of it as a parallel to my time in Amman. I went in hoping that I would be able to make an impact on others and those inside of Amman, then similar to the man I got more realistic and wanted to make the most out of the trip with those around me. As my trip comes to a close, I’ve been wondering how I have changed. Is this change good, or is it bad? Have I even changed at all? 

Well, the answer to that question came sooner than I thought, literally as I was walking back into my apartment from Church on the phone with my Aunt. Well more like a second mom, she lived with us while I was growing up and I consider her more of a second mom, and sister figure more than anything else. In the call, she mentioned how crazy it was that her sister, my mom, was raving about her time in the desert in Jordan. My mom was one of the last people I’d expect to have in Jordan with me this summer. And hearing from my Aunt that her experience changed her was something I would have never guessed three months ago. As my aunt put it “Isn’t it crazy how your mom has changed because you were in Amman this summer!” 

I couldn’t help but think about the homily. 

This time in Amman, I didn’t solve the water issues, something that the desert will always be facing, I, unfortunately, couldn’t help my super advanced roommates in their Arabic homework, but somehow I changed, how little or big I have, I don’t know. But what I do know is that because I changed and moved to Amman for the summer, it impacted someone else, and that makes the change worth it. 

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Third Post- Amman, Jordan

Three years ago, I was answering the question that asked how the “mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” Every hopeful Notre Dame student had to answer it. At seventeen, I tried to piece together in 150 words or less the answer that would get me into my dream school. Tears, time, and turbulence, and somehow that essay got me not only to Notre Dame but to Amman, Jordan. 

And being here, I  think I finally have the answer. I came to Amman to learn and grow my Arabic, but in the process of trying to learn and fit in with Amman culture, I let my heart go. I left out pieces of myself in hopes I would fit in more with the culture. 

My parents came and visited at the halfway point of the trip. The weekend was filled with day trips in Amman and around Jordan while the weekdays were moments of silence as I did homework during breakfast and dinner time. During their time in Amman, I took them to my favorite spots in the city and showed them my apartment in Jordan. Seeing them in my apartment in Jordan was a weird feeling. As my friend put it, it’s like bringing your high school friend to come visit you in college. It was matter out of place. Having them here in Jordan was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’ll cherish it for my entire life, but it made me really truly miss home for the first time. It was weird seeing the people who know me best in a completely different environment. 

When I came to Jordan, I knew coming into it that I would have to dress/look differently than I do in the US. So, I left all my jewelry except for a few items at home, I covered up most of my body, bought new clothes, I dyed my hair, and did my best to prepare for the place I would call home for two months. Having my parents come and not look like myself was weird. My mom brought a few nicer shirts for dinner at the hotel, where I could dress more liberally, putting on an outfit that made me feel like me again felt like the scene in Princess Diaries where Anne Hathaway gets the makeover and straightens her hair, something that seemed impossible after the brush broke in her curls.

My parents coming here brought me my old pair of sneakers I loved, they bought me three bracelets at the Friday market and they brought me some of my favorite clothes from home. Before they came, I was hiding how I dressed how I looked, etc. to fit in, having them come here allowed me to mix in more parts of who I am to Amman. Myself before Amman and in Amman are not mutually exclusive, but before my parents came, I tried to make sure that they were, not knowing the environment in Amman.  But, by infusing myself more into Amman, I was able to truly experience my life here.

So, to my seventeen-year-old self: the process of getting into Notre Dame in 150 words is hard, but oh so worth it. No matter where you go, bring your heart with you because your mind will suffer without it. Oh, and you’re going to travel to Amman, Jordan, so make the most of it.

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The World is Waiting For You

After my final night in Paris, my sister Kelly and I traveled by train under the English Channel to spend a couple of days in London–my first time in the UK! 

Moving from France to England felt like a soft transition back to the US since the UK capital felt like a mix of European culture and American lifestyle. In the city, there were still European stores, farmers’ markets galore, and centuries-old castles and churches that served as a consist remind of the Royal Empire’s power. But returning to the comfort of the English language and the presence of American fast food chains like Starbucks and Chipotle gave me a sense of being closer to the States. After a weekend with Les Miserables (the perfect capstone to my time in France), sight-seeing, and Wimbledon, it was time to head back home to the United States. I was excited to get back home and see my family and friends again, but I certainly felt like I was leaving behind one of the greatest summers of my life where I challenged myself, developed my French, met incredible people, and visited amazing sites. What a six weeks!

Since coming home from France, I’ve reflected primarily on the idea of language learning and the relationship between French and English. 

Language learning can unlock new experiences, and it can help you see the world differently at the most formative levels of language. 

By immersing myself in the French language, I pushed the boundaries of comfort and experienced a more true France; it wasn’t just a place to see, but a country to live in and (try to) become a part over my six weeks. Speaking French allowed me to interact with locals, avoid some difficult situations due to a language barrier, and learn to adapt to a country when you’re the tourist. 

Leaving France genuinely felt like I was leaving my newly formed French-speaking self there. 

Now back to English speaking, I also realized that there are very few things in French that are directly translated to English–subject usage, objects placements, quick phrasing and greetings, and most importantly verb usage. In France, I had to think carefully about what I wanted to say… working primarily to avoid thoughts in English with the verbs “to get” and “to happen.” The verbs simply do not exist in the same way in French, and they are such a common part of my American English vernacular in everyday speech that it was difficult to adjust at first. I learned to use “recevoir,” “passer,” and a variety of other subtly different verbs that don’t quite work the same way as in English. 

Visiting England, it felt like British England shared more (very subtle) similarities to French than American English–shared vocabulary like cinemas and toilettes, more precise verbs (ex. Not using “to get” as frequently), and even just the subtle “-re” ending of words. Noticing these differences made me understand languages are truly just a means to help people communicate and understand each other, and neighboring languages have an incredible impact on each other, especially in Europe. And as distance grows, it brings larger differences, for both the same languages and different ones. Now with this deeper understand, I just want to keep refining my French and start on the next language to keep discovering the world and its people!

With exceptional French improvement, incredible experiences, newfound friendships, and personal growth in confidence, fearlessness and maturity, this summer abroad was truly the experience of a lifetime. Thank you so much to the CSLC and SLA for amazing experience, and thank you for keeping up with this blog!

Merci beaucoup, passez une bonne journée, et vive la France!

A weekend in London! Featuring Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and Wimbledon

La France me manque! I miss France!

Featuring (from top to bottom): Honfleur, Étretat, Le Château de Versailles, Amboise, Le Château de Chenonceau and Grounds (4 images), Tours Farmers’ Markets with Flowers, Bayeux Cathedral.