Below is a film documenting my three months abroad in Japan. (Captured using a GoPro HERO4).
1 Comment
Maps and PicturesKyoto: HomebaseKuramaFukuokaHiroshimaTokyoBeppuKushima IslandToday I felt like crying, and I did. I can sense the end of my journey here in Japan, and this saddens, confuses and frightens me. I already strained myself by coming to a foreign country and got settled just enough to feel the calm water with my big toe. I already experienced a wave of change, and I am not looking forward to getting pushed over by another one. Reverse culture shock I hear is the absolute worst, and me, being the deep and sensitive person that I am, I assume will get hit with it like a tsunami. Perhaps the main lesson will not emerge in the time that I am in Japan, but when I reevaluate my life upon returning to America. (Lookout for a blog on this later). Departure from Japan lingering over my head adds more intensity to my daily worries. My mind is flooded with the papers that I have to write, the Japanese presentation that I have to give, the internships that I have to apply for, planning my field research, fitting in last minute trips and getting a decent amount of rest so that I can enjoy it all. As I write the list of my stresses they seem silly, but the feeling of anxiety that I get when I think about this bundle of responsibilities I know is not. The video below is a TEDx Talk spoken by Rachel Brathen, who is a motivational speaker, activist, yogi and human. This video encouraged me to speak the truth publicly. I understand that these feelings of stress and sadness will pass, but I decided that I would share my not so positive thoughts in an attempt to make people feel connected and not just envious or temporarily inspired as it is so easy to do through social media. I deleted my Instagram and Snapchat about a year ago and only kept Facebook for important contact purposes. The response I got from friends for deleting these social media accounts was dramatic and overwhelming. People were trying to talk me in to reinstalling my Instagram and Snapchat daily. To them I was naked without it, and let me tell you, this feeling was oh, so freeing! I deleted these accounts because I felt pressured to maintain the image that I had been creating. The things that I posted were not lies; however, they did not encompass the entirety of my being, only the shiny side. Using these sites in the way that most do, I started to feel the need to keep up with "who I was" rather than just being it. Because I was feeling this, I knew something was not right. Now, I have this blog as a platform to express what is real, and I will not allow a false image to arise again. Overstimulation from daily life can be beautiful, provoking and transformative, and other times it can make for one messy day. I am a student living in Japan who has really good days often, but today was not one of them. You can catch me here, on The Olive Pit, riding the waves of change. Please comment below if you would like to leave suggestions for future blog posts, or just to say hello. It all started when Bailey and I sparked a conversation about girls body types in Japan. We have been living in Japan now for a month and we are no longer in tourist mode expecting to stand out, but now want to blend in. This idea lead us to Japanese body standards compared to those in America. I mentioned how I think it is interesting that the body structure of Japanese girls is naturally more petite, and that from being here, I have been lead to question my figure: am I fat just because I am in Japan and the beauty norm is thinner than that in America? Both of us admitted that we were feeling this way. We were putting our bodies, personalities and everything about how we live next to a culture that we have just entered, feeling inadequate as we reviewed the comparisons. After a few minutes of brain work that crushed our self-esteem, we quickly turned things around. We discussed how each culture and its body standards are extremely different. We imagined how exhausting it would be to physically mold ourselves to each as we travel. Spending ample time in Japan has helped us realize that as we visit different countries, we should be proud of our physique, because somewhere in the world each body type, each smile, each laugh and each way to eat a sandwich is going to be accepted and rejected. We understand that it is one thing to respect a culture, and another to conform to it. We chose the embrace the former and decided that we do not fit in to the social and beauty standards of the Japanese or American, but the Bailanese and Olivian. Even with this understanding, it is still a constant struggle to be in a culture where there is a certain form that most people fit into but you totally break the mold. Every day just walking to class is an adventure because people are constantly reacting to the alien-ness of your presence in their culture. Your physicality will always stand out even if your mind does not. On occasion, this can create some uncomfortable situations. For example, when Olivia and I were walking down the street last night, there was a couple walking in front of us, and we were laughing loudly. They proceeded to turn and stare at us, and then awkwardly and cautiously move to the side so that we had to walk in front of them. We didn't understand what social cues we had missed in this situation, but it felt alienating. However, we have found that it is better to embrace these situations and be proud of who we are and our attempts to understand and interact. An example of this is an old woman who rode up to us on her bike on our walk home from school and asked where we were from. She proceeded to teach us some Kansai dialect Japanese and had the opportunity to practice her English. So many interactions provide these opportunities to share culture and knowledge, and when both sides dive in unafraid of messing up and with an intent to learn, that's where the magic happens. It's a beautiful thing to be able to share ourselves and become something greater by learning through our differences and connecting in our humanness. The town of Koyasan takes over Mt. Koya. Long ago it was bare, yet graced with temples. Now paved streets swerve between the temples, which are lined with candy, kimono, convenient, food and coffee shops. Trails are embroidered on the edges of Koyasan. These paths that travel through green hills and pole like trees were created for women to walk before they were allowed to enter the actual town of Koyasan. Like a sitting Buddha, the town sits in a Lotus Flower shaped valley.
During our 6 day stay in Koyasan we meditated the Shingon Buddhist way every morning at 6:00am and every evening at 5:00pm. To compliment the meditation we took a class each day discussing the specifics of Shingon Buddhism and the technicalities of meditation. The classes were taught by a Shingon Buddhist monk named Eijo. In our free time we explored the many temples throughout the quaint town, observed spiritual ceremonies and explored the hiking trails. One meditation technique that we learned in class is called moon disk meditation. I attempted this technique during multiple meditation sesshins. My results of one sitting are as follows:
I didn't leave my heart in Koyasan, I left the spirit of Koyasan in my heart. Click on the pictures below to view captions. Bought from the store of my determination, I put on the glasses of observation and acceptance the moment I landed in Osaka. The Elderly and the young for some reason look cuter here, the food tastes more flavorful and I feel lighter on my feet and overflowing gratitude in my heart. I owe this feeling not to the country of Japan, its people, or its buildings, but to the perspective that I chose to embrace. These lenses have Allowed me to see beauty in all that is here. My head has been on a swivel from day one, absorbing all that is around me and saturating it with love. If you feel bored, Uninspired, or unenthused by your daily environment as most people do, change your perspective and it will change your world. What is The point of living if You are not in awe every single day? Dare to stare. It has been interesting for me to explore and play in this town of Kyoto, knowing that I am not taking time away from my studies, but rather learning about culture, anthropology, sociology, religion and philosophy in depth. Yes, I have homework that binds me to my seat and consists of reading and writing. However, these assignments are only ornaments to the tree of knowledge which grows everyday as I walk out my apartment door or visit an ancient temple. As my professor George explained in class: "The classroom is our lecture, and our field trips are our labs." I dare you to experience new places. You may be astonished by how much you will learn. Today marks my one week anniversary of being in Nihon! As a foreigner you are bound to come across many thing for the first time. Here is a list of some of the small and silly, yet significant firsts that are unique to my experience so far in Kyoto, Japan.
"Living in Japan is like learning how to live again." ~ Bailey(Pictures below) I am officially a resident of Kyoto, and am going to be for 3 months! I have settled in to my apartment in the heart of this harmonic yet bustling town. It is my first time living in a city and I am loving it. My peers and I have had ample time to explore our surroundings and go on "very long walks", most of the times in circles. Out of the places that I have visited, I can best relate Kyoto to San Fransisco. Kyoto is similar in the way that it is a large city with diverse neighborhoods; however flat, quiet, muggy, and with vending machines on almost every street and Japanese writing everywhere. I do not feel lesser because I am not Japanese, but I do feel like I have lots of catching up to do when it comes to how daily life is lived here. I have realized that observation is crucial when visiting a foreign country. Not only is it fascinating, but it is necessary to watch in order to learn. The customs here are very particular and trying to respect them is overwhelming. After multiple moments of embarrassment, I feel somewhat familiar with their ways. Despite our improvement, us Americans still have a long way to go in order to become a subtle addition to their organized flow. There is a correct way to do everything in Japan. For example: always use crosswalks and do not walk on a red light, even if there are no cars in sight, do not tip, do not answer questions with a direct "no", receive things with 2 hands, and if all else fails, end your interaction with a chipper: arigato gozaimasu (thank you very much), bow, and be on your way! The program that I am participating in is called Antioch Education Abroad: Japan and Its Buddhist Traditions. The group consists of 7 American students from different universities, one head professor (George from Greece) and one TA (Max from Santa Cruz). We will be studying Japanese religion and culture at a college nearby called Ryukoku University, as well as traveling to and staying in different monasteries in Japan. The end of our 3 month study period consists of a field research project where we delve into Japan on our own, working to become knowledgeable about our chosen topic. Heres to pushing comfort zones and gaining knowledge on a culture rich island such as Nihon! |
Kyoto, JapanArchives |