Cultural humility is an ability I strive to embody in my daily life. The world has many different ethnicities, religious background, languages and food (and other factors) that contribute to identity. It is important to be accepting and open minded of cultural differences. Whether you are traveling or just to school or work (etc.), we are all individuals with different experiences, thoughts and emotions that create the beauty we see in the world. The insights gained from interacting with people different from myself are important because there is a lesson or new perspective to learn from. It was so fun to meet with Azabu University and University of Tokyo students and I appreciate their openness and inviting nature. I attached a picture of one night when we got dinner in Tokyo. Everyone was kind and we were all excited to share and learn things about each other’s culture. In my opinion, life is about making bonds and from this study abroad experience I created memories and connections I will treasure forever.
Although people may have different physical features, eat different food, or speak different languages as humans we have language to communicate our experiences. Communication one of the most important skills because it is essential to build relations and connections with others. At the beginning of the trip there were cross-cultural communication difficulties with the university students, but with patience, persistence, and (sometimes) google translate we were able to convey what we wanted, and we all got along so well.
Traveling, especially internationally, provides so many opportunities to adjust your mindset, and gain new perspectives if you try everything with an open mind. One of my favorite things about this trip (there were so many favorites) was observing the daily routine and local’s life. During our stay in Tokyo, we would religiously go to the 7/11 konbini to get breakfast or snacks. It was interesting to see people of all ages doing their daily routine, from young kids going to school, adults getting on the metro going to work, and elderly doing errands to start their day. There was a sense of peacefulness and I enjoyed staying in the Yoyogi area during our time in Tokyo. I also appreciated the time and effort all the restaurants would put into our food and it was all so delicious. It is a Japanese custom that no tips are allowed because workers take pride in their products and their professionalism and work provide high quality food and service.
This study abroad program is unique due to the nature of the program itinerary where we had the chance to travel to multiple regions of the country. Unlike other programs that focus the time within a city or one region, in our case, we saw the suburban and more rural areas while traveling via the Shinkansen. This journey was unforgettable. I am beyond grateful to experience so many aspects of Japanese culture, made amazing friends, and blessed to have had such hard goodbyes..