MLO 5: Cultural Internalization and Langauge Immersion
Major Learning Outcomes
5.1 Students demonstrate that they have actively immersed themselves in authentic Japanese cultural and linguistic environments and have internalized the language and cultural experience, from which they have developed a personal understanding and new perspectives of the community.
Reflective Narrative
I had the opportunity to study for about a year in Japan, from September 2014 to August 2015 to fulfill MLO 5.1. During that time, I experienced the 4 distinct seasons and visited 2 major regions within Japan - Kansai and Kanto, the prominent regions of Kyoto and Tokyo respectively. I began learning the colloquial Kansai dialect from Japanese friends, and participated in club activities for the traditional arts of Tea Ceremony and Flower Arranging. I walked with a priest near the inner sanctum of a shrine and experienced the New Year surrounded by Japanese friends and their families.
But all of this doesn't really explain the sensory experience, nor my observations of city people, students, rural villages; nor the sensitivity of the culture. While Japan is a modern nation, it's history is so long and so embedded into the culture, even within the confines of cities, that old traditions and ideals still remain. The "loyal" samurai were replaced with just as loyal business men; temples and shrines can be found between tall buildings.; traditional sweets have not lost their luster nor their refined taste. Modern stories and animation are inevitably influenced by old tales and myths, spun for the modern audience. It is easy to say Japan is a land of paradoxes, a land where the ancient fuses with the modern, where outside ideas and deities are taken and given a Japanese form and name until they simply are Japanese.
I set many goals for myself before going abroad, including visiting places of interest, improving my reading ability by purchasing light novels, exploring local restaurants and dives, participating in Festivals, making friends with the local students, and much more. I am pleased to say that I accomplished nearly all of my goals for myself. My ability to communicate effectively was one of the important areas that underwent significant development; if I didn’t know the correct words to say, I was gradually able to convey my meaning in an alternative manner. I wish to continue developing my reading ability; when one can read another language, it opens up an entire civilization's worth of ideas and experiences. Reading, along with living in Japan, is a good way to continue deepening one's understanding of the Japanese mindset and mythos. That, most of all, is what I wish to continue developing.
There were plenty of challenging experiences while I was in Japan while I adjusted to the new environment. Everyday tasks, such as doing laundry, suddenly took more energy and forethought to accomplish. My first time riding the train alone with zero assistance purchasing my ticket, I couldn’t get through the gate. It seemed simple enough, but as an elderly Japanese man showed me, I was using the wrong ticket in the pair I had bought!
My study abroad experience helped me grow not just intellectually, but in a number of ways. I gained confidence in myself and an independence borne from being able to function and communicate in a foreign country. I learned more about myself, and my interests, and my love for Japan’s natural beauty.
For a full summary of my experiences and photos, please click the link below.
But all of this doesn't really explain the sensory experience, nor my observations of city people, students, rural villages; nor the sensitivity of the culture. While Japan is a modern nation, it's history is so long and so embedded into the culture, even within the confines of cities, that old traditions and ideals still remain. The "loyal" samurai were replaced with just as loyal business men; temples and shrines can be found between tall buildings.; traditional sweets have not lost their luster nor their refined taste. Modern stories and animation are inevitably influenced by old tales and myths, spun for the modern audience. It is easy to say Japan is a land of paradoxes, a land where the ancient fuses with the modern, where outside ideas and deities are taken and given a Japanese form and name until they simply are Japanese.
I set many goals for myself before going abroad, including visiting places of interest, improving my reading ability by purchasing light novels, exploring local restaurants and dives, participating in Festivals, making friends with the local students, and much more. I am pleased to say that I accomplished nearly all of my goals for myself. My ability to communicate effectively was one of the important areas that underwent significant development; if I didn’t know the correct words to say, I was gradually able to convey my meaning in an alternative manner. I wish to continue developing my reading ability; when one can read another language, it opens up an entire civilization's worth of ideas and experiences. Reading, along with living in Japan, is a good way to continue deepening one's understanding of the Japanese mindset and mythos. That, most of all, is what I wish to continue developing.
There were plenty of challenging experiences while I was in Japan while I adjusted to the new environment. Everyday tasks, such as doing laundry, suddenly took more energy and forethought to accomplish. My first time riding the train alone with zero assistance purchasing my ticket, I couldn’t get through the gate. It seemed simple enough, but as an elderly Japanese man showed me, I was using the wrong ticket in the pair I had bought!
My study abroad experience helped me grow not just intellectually, but in a number of ways. I gained confidence in myself and an independence borne from being able to function and communicate in a foreign country. I learned more about myself, and my interests, and my love for Japan’s natural beauty.
For a full summary of my experiences and photos, please click the link below.