Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Page 13 of 124

Culture Rocks to Culture Shocks

April 2, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Garrett Gilmartin

Location: Granada, Spain

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Anyone who has travelled, whether it be from one state to another or one country to another, knows that seeing new plants, people, or buildings can be breathtaking. This was my experience arriving in Spain. Of course, I had some nerves because I did not know anyone in my program. There are other students from Valpo within the program but I knew as much about them as I did everyone else I met upon arrival. Nerves aside, I was extremely excited to be able to use Spanish in a setting other than a classroom.

Culture shock was a big topic before leaving the U.S. and throughout orientation here in Spain. This trip was not the first time I had travelled outside of the United States, so I did not understand the idea of culture shock. It did not make sense to me as I love to absorb information on other cultures, religions, and people, and could not imagine feeling uncomfortable in an environment rich with information for me to absorb. I was wrong… Moreover, despite the mini courses and orientation I went through, I still feel as though culture shock is nothing like what I was told to expect.

I was told that culture shock, without the fancy dictionary definition, was essentially feeling a mixture of homesickness, loneliness, and uncomfortability. That was without a doubt spot on to how I felt when culture shock set in. What was surprising was exactly when the shock set in. My director here in Spain told me once that she had seen charts showing a vague timeline for how one should or might feel while studying abroad or spending a large duration of time in different country, however, she has observed that instead of one large dip in the chart, where student’s feelings of loneliness kick in, there are often two dips before returning home which students are not ready for.

The first is soon after arrival, when it sinks in that the student really is abroad and cannot just call up their friends to go out anymore.This dip in comfortability is often accounted for in standard charts. The second is about half way through the program (in my case a semester) when culture shock hits the hardest because the mix of excitement to go home and hearing from family and friends how things are happening and changing without the student being there can make them feel like they are missing out. This second dip in emotion is the surprising one. Personally, at this point I felt so detached from the life I knew back in the U.S. but also not a perfect fit for Spain. For me this was like losing a sense of belonging to anywhere.

How I dealt with culture shock might not be a perfect fit for others, but (logically) my solution for not feeling like I had a home was to make one. Obviously, I could not try to rebuilt that feeling with Valpo or the Chicagoland area because that is not where I am. So, I really focused on the opportunities in front of me. My host family is wonderful.

I have a host mother and father as well as a host brother who is fifteen, which is actually quite unusual. Most host “families” here consist of a host mother and possibly her grown children who visit now and again. Anyway, that’s just the immediate family that I live with in Granada. There is an older daughter and an older son who have moved out. The daughter comes back to visit often and the son owns one of two total bars in a small mountain town in the region Alpujarras. We often go to visit him on the weekends to help with the bar and get some work done on my host father’s farm. These weekend trips and being able to help with some work has made me feel like part of the family. I am even getting to know many other people who live in the town.

The reality is that everyone experiences culture shock or deals with culture shock differently, but hopefully I can prepare others a little bit more for their trips abroad by revealing how I dealt with it. Other ways to build a family like setting here is to be brave and make friends in and out of one’s program, as I have in Alpujarras and Granada.

Craters

March 28, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Sarah Rosa Germann

Location: Costa Rica

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

There are three well-known volcanoes here in Costa Rica which stand next to each other in a row, Volcán Irazu, Volcán Barba, and Volcán Poás. So far I have seen two of these, Barba and Poás. Although they stand right next to each other, these two volcanoes are remarkably different from each other, and also provide visitors with very different experiences.

As many people know, when a volcano erupts it often blows away its top and creates a crater. Both of these volcanoes have a crater that is visible to the visitor. The first volcano I visited was Poás, which is reach by taking a short walk along a flat cleared and open path to a wooden platform with differing levels which overlook the crater. Visitors must wear a helmet to protect them from potential debris which could fall on them from the smoke coming out of the crater and the surrounding area. Poás is still a very active volcano. In fact, it erupted the very day after we visited! I admit, we were lucky. The crater had smoke coming out of it, which smelled like sulfur. Some yellow and green could be seen on the floor of the crater as it came out from inside the rock. The walls and much of the surrounding areas were exposed rock.

Volcán Barba, by contrast, seemed as if it must have been a very long time since it has erupted. In order to reach the volcano, I needed to hike on a narrow trail in dense forest and uneven terrain for a number of kilometers. The walls of the crater and surrounding areas were covered by dense trees and ferns like the rest of the forest, and the crater itself was filled with water, forming a lake.

Before visiting Costa Rica, I had never seen a volcano closely before. I was even more impressed when seeing Vocán Barba after having seen Volcán Poás because Poás gave me a perspective, or some context, for seeing Barba. The volcano craters were different because they formed at different times and in different ways. They are similar to each other because the basic shape of them started out in the same way, with an eruption from rock in relatively the same geographic area. But, they are different today because of what they have been exposed to. I think this concept can be applied to people as well. We are all people, with the same basic form.

But, we are different from each other because of our stories. The craters are very similar shapes, and so when I saw Barba I could imagine that it once looked dry and empty like Poás. I imagine it must have taken a lot of time and a number of geomorphic processes for Volcán Barba to become what it is today. If I had not seen Volcán Poás first, I am not sure I would have understood what I was looking at. I wonder how often I look at something without a context for what I am seeing. Having context allows a person to have a greater appreciation for what is in front of them. I hope that, in a much larger way, living for a semester in Costa Rica will give me a context to see the United States when I come back home.

Longo Maï

March 26, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Sarah Rosa Germann

Location: Longo Maï, Costa Rica

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Longo Maï is a rural community in Costa Rica. The community was founded by Nicaraguan refugees in the 1980s, but is currently comprised mostly of Salvadorian refugees. Longo Maï is a commune, as the community functions in a self-sustaining way. Most of the food which the people eat is grown in Longo Maï, and each neighbor shares what they have with the other so that everyone has a variety of foods on their tables. I was very impressed as my host grandmother showed me the property around her house with plant after plant of edible foods; trees with pipas, limes, cacao, and more were only a few steps from her door.

I have visited Longo Maï twice so far during my semester in Costa Rica, once in January with my Valpo Cohort, and once in March with my group of fellow environmental students and the organization ICADS. During my time there, I learned from the community members about their way of life. The community members follow a life style of simple living in peace and harmony with people and with the earth. They admit that their way of life is counter-intuitive to the way the rest of the world lives, but it is a good way of living, and it seems to work very well.

During my January visit to Longo Maï I interviewed a number of individuals who were witnesses to violence during the war in El Salvador during the 1980s. Their experience has given them an exceptional abhorrence to violence which extends to an abhorrence of any amount of greed and/or spite for other people. They not only dislike war, they dislike the mentality of capitalism. This is because capitalism causes people to work against others or exploit others instead of working together and sharing. If everyone were to share what they had and live in harmony with others, there would be much less suffering in the world. The people of Longo Maï live in harmony with each other by sharing the food which grows in their yards so that everyone has plenty, and by sharing wisdom and knowledge about farming techniques so that everyone can produce their crops efficiently and well.

The people of Longo Maï live very simply. They do not live a consumerist life-style because they have everything they need right where they are in Longo Maï. On my second trip I spent some time on the farm of Wade More. He showed us his land and the way he grows his crops. As it turns out, the government makes it very hard for farmers like More to produce organically, trying to impose standards on them which they have found do not work for their specific farm. For example, in his vegetable garden Wade uses chicken manure as a fertilizer. He needed to use a different kind of fertilizer in order to obtain an organic license. But, when he switched, his vegetables did not grow. The farmers of Longo Maï know their land, and what works to make their crops grow. In this way they live in harmony with the land.

Wade also talked to us a lot about the concept of perceived needs. This is when a person believes they need something, or wants something, that they do not actually need. He said than many times people believe they need something even though they do not, especially in our western societies. Consuming more than we need is wasteful and harmful to the earth.

The people of Longo Maï invite tourists and visitors from Northern countries into their community so that we may have an opportunity to learn from them and gain a new perspective on our own lives. After my visit, I will remember to evaluate what I need versus what I think I need, consider where my food comes from, and remember that living peacefully with others is better for me and for the environment than living in contention.

I found Longo Maï to be a very neat and beautiful place. Please enjoy some of my favorite photos which I took in the community below.

Just upstream from a popular swimming spot.

A horse in a yard near my host family’s house.

Baby ducks and their mother in a little stream near a foot path. (Ducks in Longo Maï do not mind people being near them very much.)

The porch at Edit’s house. (Edit is the woman who takes charge of organizing the tourist who come through Longo Maï.)

The wood burning stove Edit cooks tortillas on, in her house.

Part 3 in South Africa: Beaches, Night Life, and Sharks! Oh my!

March 25, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Alyssa Brewer

Location: Cape Town, Simon’s Town, & Gansbaii Bay, South Africa

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Arriving in Cape Town was a challenge. After a two-hour delay, a nine-hour bus ride, and a Home-Alone like dash through the bus stop, we made it. Once we arrived at the guest house, we collapsed on our beds and relaxed. All the while, I had no idea that the week to come would change my life forever.

So after some much needed rest, we toured the city. It was like Starbursts exploded across the town! The pastel-colored houses lined the streets as tourists took pictures on their doorsteps. At first, I thought of how beautiful it all was, but then I paused. Would I want people to take pictures of my house all day long? Answering my own question, I put down my camera. Instead, I opted for a far-away shot.

When you study abroad, you need to travel with a certain level of cultural sensitivity and respect to local residential spaces. Our professor Lamont instructed us that far-away pictures of the streets are acceptable but close-up ones are not.

Once we got a taste for the city and the food, we headed back to our guest house to sleep off our travels. The next day we visited the old fortress that housed the first slaves in Cape Town. It was a difficult topic to address but it was necessary, nonetheless. We also visited Langa, the oldest Township in Cape Town named after the first president of the political party African National Congress (ANC). The ANC played a pivotal role in ending the oppressive Apartheid regime in the 1990s but not everyone agrees that they should remain in power. In fact, we met one of the political members of the Democratic Alliance and he believes his party should be the ruling one. Of course, politics are complicated in every nation but especially in South Africa where democratic elections only started in the 1990s. The country is young and still figuring  itself out.

After a few more tours to museums, a pre-school, and a few gorgeous gardens that week, we were granted a free weekend. For the first time in what seemed like years, I slept in. Well, until 7am because my body runs on sunlight now. That day, a few of us decided to visit the infamous Bolder Beach where the South African penguins live. Who would have thought that penguins could be chilling in 90-degree weather? While they were so cute, the beach was quite crowded. Afterwards, we travelled down Simon’s Town to this barren beach that seemed to stretch for miles.

Well suited, the name of it was Long Beach.

After a long and beautiful day in the sun and ocean, we headed back to the guest house. It was an hour drive but luckily the journey was through stunning mountains. Yet again, I was reminded of the striking inequality as I passed mansion after mansion. Just the other day we learned about the aftermath of locals forced to leave their homes because the wealthy wanted their land. They rushed away from the bulldozers with only a suitcase in hand. And while apartheid is over, they still lost their homes. So even though the views were gorgeous, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the history behind them.

While everyone was preparing for the legendary hike up Table Mountain the next morning, I was finalizing a trip of a lifetime. For those who do not know me, it has been a dream of mine to go shark diving ever since I was young. And on this very day, I was blessed with the opportunity to do just that.

So Brennen, another Valpo student, and myself woke up at 5am, took a two-hour bus ride to Gansbaii Bay, scarfed down breakfast, squeezed into our wetsuits, and took a 15 minute boat ride to the sea. All the while, I was holding my breath for the moment my dream would come true. After setting up, putting on gear, and calming my nerves, I jumped in the cage. Five others, including Brennen, followed my lead. For the next few hours we got to witness sharks up close and personal. I was blown away by not only their beauty, but their strength as well. One even tail whipped the cage (trying to chase the bait, of course)! The entire time, I felt like a little girl traveling to Disney World for the first time. It. Was. Magical. I know most people would shriek away from the thought of being surrounded by sharks, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I was quite happy and extremely blessed to check #1 off my bucket list at 20 years old. This was the experience of a lifetime!

So as I reflected upon the weekend, I realized that I did not want to be anywhere else but present. I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. Even though we were dealing with difficult and emotional topics, it was needed to grow. I would never be exposed to the history and culture of South Africa had I stayed back at Valpo this semester. I would have never met so many influential people who had such a strong impact on their community. I would have never gone shark diving off Gansbaii Bay.

So if you are reading this and you are wondering if you should study abroad or not, as Shia LeBeouf famously put, “just do it.”

And yes, that is a real tattoo.

The Small Coastal Town of Iwami: One of Japan’s Hidden Treasures

March 21, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kate Mitchell

Location: Iwami, Iwami-Gun, Tottori, Japan

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

I had never heard of Iwami until my friend, Katie, mentioned it to me. It was a small town in Tottori prefecture along the coastline. It was near a place I’ve always wanted to visit, Hokuei, but now close enough for me to know about. She wanted to visit the small town because it inspired the setting of one of her favorite anime, Free! For her, the trip was a pilgrimage through the locations in the anime. I had never seen it, so I felt like I had no reason to go, but then she told me that Iwami was also home to beaches, hidden shrines and a national geopark. Suddenly, my interest was peaked and decided that I wanted to tag along and go to the little town of Iwami. When I say little, I’m not exaggerating either. Japan is facing a depopulation problem and in Iwami, you can tell. Most people we passed by were elderly and we only saw a handful of young people during our day and a half stay there. There are only a few convenience stores which for Japan was extremely weird. I’m used to having three different convenience store chains in every direction I turn. Iwami was a very different place from where I lived in Hirakata.

When studying abroad, it’s important to go out and explore not just the culture you’re living in, but also the environment. Iwami contains a UNESCO geopark which means it has protected areas of rocky cliffs and beaches which you can walk along for miles. Rocks jutted from the ocean, forming small islands for birds to relax on. Some of the rocks formed tall, craggy cliffs that I probably shouldn’t have stood as close to as I did. The waves crashed across the rocks, creating some of the most picturesque photos I’d ever taken. Some areas of the geopark allowed you to walk along the beach and the rocks, which required a whole lot of stairs down to the beach. Katie and I climbed along the rocks into the sea to catch a glimpse of the fantastic view and hopefully some fish. While I didn’t get to see any fish, the sights were stunning and we took plenty of pictures. However, I did cut my hand on the climb back, so when you’re going exploring while studying abroad, always make sure to bring some band-aids and always go with a buddy. If something does happen, you want someone to be there in case you need help.

Over the course of the entire day, we walked 10 miles through rice fields, mountains and more. Another big tip I have for studying abroad is to bring a good pair of shoes. You’ll find yourself doing a lot of walking because you can’t stop exploring or you’re too cheap to pay for transportation if you can walk instead. I fall into both of these categories, so I definitely get my exercise in every day. A good pair of shoes (and socks too) will keep your feet and body from hurting and help you get through the day. I recommend buying them before going abroad, so you can guarantee you get a pair that’s the right size and style for your feet. Preparing little quality of life things like a good pair of shoes before you study abroad can really help the experience be a lot smoother, so you can spend more time having fun and less time with sore feet!

Part 2 in South Africa: Eludini

March 19, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Alyssa Brewer

Location: Eludini outside of Eastern Cape, South Africa

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

So today we visited Eludini, a small village tucked between mountains outside of the Eastern Cape. Even though we were only visitors for a day and a half, I learned and loved so much throughout this experience. The city life was exciting and new but there is something enchanting about Eludini. The towering buildings can never compare to the insurmountable beauty of the towering mountains. Grey sidewalks can never feel as comforting as green grass does under your feet. And the night sky takes on a different hue when no other light competes with it.

After breakfast, we embarked on a three-hour bus ride cozied up next to each other, silently sweating all the while. The air blasting through the windows was hot and dry. The drive was bumpy, jolting us left and right. But all these miniature frustrations made the destination worthwhile. Once we arrived, we couldn’t help but just sink into the recycled tire seats and gaze upon nature’s wonders.

There is something absolutely breathtaking about being surrounded by walls of lush green. Even though Johannesburg was amazing, the change of scenery felt like a breath of fresh air- quite literally. For me, the best part of it was the culture. Because Eludini was somewhat isolated in the mountains, everyone knew everyone. There was no urgency. People relied on rainwater, vegetables grown in gardens, and goats and cattle roaming about. The atmosphere was peaceful and inviting. Ours hosts were especially welcoming and prepared a gorgeous feast for us that night. My stomach and my heart were quite happy.

So, after we let the food settle in, we decided to carry on the program’s tradition of trekking up the mountain to watch the sunset. It was hot and sticky on the way up but the beauty washed away our discomfort. The view was…breathtaking to say the least- there is nothing like a multitude of colors painted across the sky.

 

The middle picture depicts Clare (left), Ava (center), and myself (right) laying down partly due to exhaustion but also to appreciate the sky above. We couldn’t help but reflect on all that we witnessed. This was one of the first times throughout the program when we could just sit back and enjoy the moment. At the beginning, we were overwhelmed with information and always on the move- there were so many sights to see and so little time to do so. However, at this present moment, we didn’t have to be anywhere or do anything- we could just be.

After the sun died down, we headed back down to prepare for the night in our grass-roofed cabins. We relied on kerosene lamps for sight which was a first for me. While it might have seemed inconvenient to not have cellar data or electricity, it felt like a great relief. We were completely off the grid- we were just present. So after one of the best night sleeps of my life, we got up early to start our day. It was barely 9am and I was already sweating buckets- I guess I picked the wrong day to wear grey. After what seemed like hours of walking in the heat (it was probably 30 minutes to be honest), we met up with a wonderful woman full of life and laughter. She took us into her kitchen to teach us how to  make bread from scratch. We followed her instructions, kneaded the dough, and waited for it to rise. But our task wasn’t over yet- we needed to gather firewood to cook the bread. All of us sighed when we saw how far down the forest was. The heat weighed down on our spirits but none of us gave up. We picked up as many sticks/branches as we could, attempted to place them on our heads, and carefully wobbled back up the mountain. It was a challenge, but I am proud that I accomplished it!

Next, we molded our dough into little biscuits and marked which ones were ours. Mine had a snowflake like design to it. With the coals created from the fire we started with firewood, we were able to bake our bread. It might have taken us half a day for the whole process, but it was so worth it in the end. Not only did we get to eat our delicious creations, we learned a valuable skill to carry on after this program. The woman full of smiles asked me if I enjoyed the experience- I couldn’t help but reciprocate her smile as well. I explained that while it was a bit challenging, I thoroughly enjoyed the day with her. I even bragged that when I return home, I can’t wait to show my family what I learned. She was so patient and accommodating with our group the whole day. I appreciated her welcoming energy and strong personality- she has and will continue to be an inspiration for me. Sadly, I never caught her name but her smiling face will be forever engrained in my memory. Even though visiting Eludini was a short-lived experience, it had an impact on me nonetheless. Thank you for following me along this journey. Part 3 in South Africa coming soon!

As always, keep on keepin’ on,
-Aly

Hokuei: The Home of Japan’s Favorite Little Detective

March 18, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kate Mitchell

Location: Hokuei, Tohaku-Gun, Tottori, Japan

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

When you’re studying abroad, it’s important to do something really memorable. Something you thought you’d never be able to do or see, but now you can. For me, that was visiting Hokuei (also known as Detective Conan town) in Tottori Prefecture. I bet you probably have never heard of the town or Detective Conan, so here’s a bit of background. Detective Conan, also known in America as Case Closed, is a Japanese mystery anime and manga series that’s been running for over 25 years. The series is a Japanese cultural icon and a personal favorite of mine. The town, Hokuei, is Detective Conan’s author, Gosho Aoyama, hometown. The town is decked out in Detective Conan buildings, shops and merchandise. I’ve wanted to visit it for the past five years, but never thought I would have the chance. But a friend and I decided to make a weekend trip visting the town and other places in Tottori prefecture where the town is located. So let me take you on a tour of the town that was a dream come true!

My friend, Katie, and I arrived at the station around noon and I couldn’t contain my smiles when I saw it. The entire station was Detective Conan themed, complete with the theme song and everything. Outside the station was a statue of the titular character, Conan, who I immediately took a picture with. Statues of other characters from the show lead us down the street and towards a beautiful bridge. The bridge crossed over a stunning river. Most rivers in Japan are absolutely breathtaking and well-taken care of and this river was no exception. On the other side were a group of buildings all dedicated to Conan. One was a gift shop and another a delicious gelato store! There was also a café and restaurant all named after places in the series. The little details put into the buildings really made me happy.

My favorite part of the trip was the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory. It was a museum dedicated to the series with lots of fun mystery solving games, character statues and a nice gift shop. We were able to try out detective tricks from the series and play with some of Conan’s gadgets. The best part was the section on how manga is made. It’s a long process that requires tons of drawing, editing, and drawing again. I never realized how much work went into creating my favorite manga. The museum ended up being the perfect spot for a Detective Conan nerd like me. And even Katie, who had never read or watched Detective Conan, found the place super cool. Before we left, we wrote on some post-it notes and stuck them on a board filled with them to leave our mark. We were some of the few English speakers that had come to the museum that year, so our notes were extra special!

After the first day in my three-day trip, I was exhausted. We did tons of walking, had taken plenty of pictures, and spent probably a little too much money. But we had to hop on the train to our next location, Iwami, located along the coast of Japan. Weekend trips like this are always super fun, but it’s important not to forget that while studying abroad, you still have your responsibilities as a student. The Tuesday after I would get back, I had a midterm exam for one of my classes. To prepare, I bought a ring of flashcards and wrote everything I needed to know for my exam on them. Since my notes were in a neat and rather small place, they were easy to bring on my trip to study on the go. I was able to study on the train and before bed. Don’t let studying stop you from exploring while studying abroad. There are lots of clever ways to do both at the same time!

The Spanish Culture

March 6, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kayla Doyle

Location: Granada, Spain

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

I’ve been in Spain for almost two months now and I’ve had a bit of time to reflect upon my experience thus far. I am currently living in the south of Spain in Granada, which has a different style of life than other parts of the country. This past weekend I traveled to Madrid and was able to distinguish differences between Andalucians (people from the southern parts of Spain) and Madrileños (people from Madrid). I was also able to differentiate Spain and the United States in regard to various aspects of each culture.

To start, in the south they have a much deeper accent than people in Madrid have. In Andalucía, the people slur a lot of their words together and shorten them, making it the most difficult accent to understand in Spain. People from Madrid even admit that they can’t understand southerners. It’s kind of like the accent southerners in the US have and the different slang words they use. Another difference between Andalucía and Madrid is the different way of life each lives.  In Andalucía, they live the stereotypical life of relaxation and fiestas, and then comes work. Madrid lives a life that prioritizes work and school before vacations and relaxation.

Some things that are different in the Spanish culture than I am normally accustomed to in the United States are some of the little things that can sometimes go unnoticeable. For example, the paper here is longer than in the United States. I remember when my professor gave me a handout for the first time and I went to put it in my folder that I brought from the US, I was confused why it didn’t fit correctly inside. I then had that problem with other classes and realized the difference. Something small and insignificant made me curious to find other differences.

In Spain, coffee is a lot cheaper here. Given the portions are a lot smaller, the price is less than half of what I would normally pay for a drink at Starbucks in the US. Another thing is that Spaniards walk almost everywhere, they hardly use cars and some families don’t even own a car. The transportation system is very good in Spain and in most cities it is not necessary to drive places. Something that surprised me coming here was that when you go to a restaurant or out for tapas, the bill is all together, meaning you can’t pay separately. My friends and I always have to calculate how much each one of us owes and exchange whatever change we have to make it even. It sounds easy, until you have ten friends trying to pay for a two-euro coffee and everyone only has a twenty-euro bill, it gets kind of tricky.

A couple other small things that I thought were funny here is that there are always people with dogs walking on the streets, but it is very weird if you pet someone else’s dog on the street unlike in the US where people are a little more welcoming to that. Also, it is normal to invite a friend over to get together at your house, but in Spain it is not that way. It is said here that the house is only for sleeping and eating and the streets are where you get together with friends. This is one of the reasons why Spain is so lively at night.

In general, I enjoy things from both cultures and dislike certain things from each as well. In my opinion, Spain is a more socially driven culture as they frequently meet people in the street to get together. I do like walking here as well, so you can burn some of calories after eating a big meal made by your host mom. I do miss certain things from the US though. I miss iced coffee, being able to drive on my own, cooking whenever I want, and inviting friends over to my house. But don’t get me wrong, I am not ready to leave Spain yet, I still have two-and-a-half months left.

Celebrating Setsubun at Iwashimizu Hachimangū in Japan

February 28, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Kate Mitchell

Location: Yawata, Kyoto, Japan

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

On February 3rd, some friends and I traveled to Iwashimizu Hachimangū shrine located in Yawata city in Kyoto prefecture. The shrine is located at the top of a small mountain and to get there, you can either walk up the mountain or take a cable car run by the regional train company. We opted for the cable car and rode into the mountains while listening to the magical music and history of the shrine played during the ride. Once we reached the top of the mountain, we followed a path through a bamboo forest to discover a restaurant and several food trucks waiting for us before the shrine’s entrance. The entire day I had been craving a Japanese crepe and right in front of me was a pink food truck selling exactly that. I decided on a caramel banana crepe which was topped with whipped crème and a small jelly pawprint, the logo of the crepe company. It was a delicious treat to start the day!

Although the food was a pleasant surprise, we had actually come to Iwashimizu Hachimangū to celebrate Setsubun. I didn’t know anything about this holiday before coming to Japan, so I did some research before going to the shrine to learn all about it. Setsubun is about getting rid of bad luck and gaining good luck. The shrine’s priest pretended to shoot an arrow from a giant bow in this year’s unlucky directions to send out the bad luck. Shrine visitors could buy their own arrows and have them blessed by the local priestess for good luck. Another way to get rid of bad luck is for people to throw roasted soybeans at people dressed as demons to send the demons away. At Iwashimizu Hachimangū, the shrine’s priests and priestesses threw beans at a group of demons, sending them tumbling down the shrine’s steps in a silly fashion. From the side of the shrine, I could see a group of young priestesses watching the ceremony eagerly like schoolgirls. It was super cute! Once the demons were gone, the shrine threw bags of roasted soybeans into the crowd. Those who caught a bag are supposed to eat the beans for good luck. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to catch a bag, but I still think I have some good luck.

Later after the ceremony, my friends and I were approached by an elderly man and woman who were training to be English tour guides at Iwashimizu Hachimangū. They recognized us as foreigners and offered to give us a free tour of the shrine as training practice. We decided to take a tour with them around the shrine and its surrounding area. The shrine was surrounded by other small shrines all dedicated to different Shintō gods or kami although the main kami of Iwashimizu Hachimangū is Hachiman. The shrine is over a thousand years old and Japan’s three most important historical figures, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu all contributed to building different parts of the shrine throughout history. We also saw a surprising American face! There was a memorial dedicated to Thomas Edison since he used bamboo filaments taken from the bamboo at Iwashimizu Hachimangū in his light bulb.

With most of the festivities finished, we decided to take a break and watch my friend, Katie, do one last Setsubun ritual. You’re supposed to eat a long maki roll in the year’s lucky direction all in one bite. While you eat it, everyone around you has to be silent. But the roll was so big Katie couldn’t finish it all in one bite and the rest of us couldn’t stop ourselves from laughing while she ate it. So she fed the rest of her roll to a cat who snuck up behind us. We got to play with the cat for a little bit before it disappeared into the bushes with its food to hide from the coming rain. We decided to do the same and take the train home before we got soaked!

Part 1 in South Africa: Growing Pains

February 26, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Author: Alyssa (Aly) Brewer 

Location: Johannesburg and Soweto

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Growth. Everyone and everything grows in its lifetime- physically, mentally, emotionally. I knew growing is a part of the process, but I underestimated how quickly and how powerfully it happens while studying abroad. So, I’m here! I am unapologetically growing, and I invite you to join me on this journey.

Week one was overwhelming to say the least. After 36 nonstop hours, 3 plane rides, and one dash through the airport, I finally made it to South Africa! It didn’t really hit me until we landed. The new sights, colors, smells shook me and all I could do was take it in. The culture shock came fast and hard but as soon as it arrived, it left. As a white person in the States, I am in the majority; I have never really felt eyes on me because of my skin until now. This new sensation
gave me a glimpse into what it feels like to be judged for one’s race- something hundreds of thousands of Americans face every day. Often locals would stare at me and some children even asked to touch my hair. I felt embarrassed for qualities I cannot control but this feeling eventually turned into understanding. I may look different, but we are the same underneath. Go on, stare- I’m not your average American tourist. This program is named Decolonizing the Mind for a reason after all. We really go all in- often with no Wi-Fi or electricity- we are just present. Even though Johannesburg’s senses felt sharp at first, the strong leafy smells and bright radiating colors eventually became soft and sweet. It is starting to feel like home. Despite the stark differences, I am falling in love with the environment and the culture a little more each day.

First morning at our guest house in Johannesburg, preparing for the day.

So after meeting everyone and settling into our temporary guest house, the next day we started our journey. The following days we visited the Hector Peter Museum, the Cradle of Humankind exhibit, the Apartheid Museum, the June 16th memorial, drove through the Soweto township, toured a cave, watched a play, and shopped around local malls.

Memorial for students who marched against
the law that forced the colonist language
Afrikaans into schools as the medium of
instruction. Many innocent children lost their lives.

Cave where “Little Foot” was found. The bones discovered in this
cave gave rise to research into human evolution.

Exploring the Soweto township near the location
where the student march took place.

Each new location provided a wider understanding of the culture. The scenery was vast and colorful- we were in awe of the beauty here.

So instead of being stuck in a classroom listening to a professor lecture about the history for hours, we visited the places where it all began to see it for ourselves. There is something raw about exposing oneself not only to another culture- but to its history as well. We met people who lived through the apartheid regime and were personally affected by it.

Antoinette (bottom row, 2nd left) was just a high schooler participating in the march when she found out her younger brother had been killed by police bullets. The photo behind of her brother being carried away was an icon for rallying against the apartheid regime.

Thousands of innocent lives were taken while trying to combat this oppressive regime. Students were shot while peacefully protesting, leaders of underground movements were exiled and/or extinguished, and dozens of innocent children lay in streets after drive-by police shootings. Each museum and each tour we experienced created a deeper understanding of the reality that thousands of South Africans have faced for generations. The most raw part of it all is that the regime ended almost 25 years ago. The liberation is still so fresh and new and people are still affected by this history. Inequality is stifling. Just the other day we visited a gorgeous mall; our touristy selves came alive and we skipped around the stores and restaurants. But on the way there, we passed the poorest township in the region where clutter scattered the streets, people lived in car-sized tin houses provided by the government, and the smell of sewage radiated everywhere.

How can such poverty and such wealth live side by side? It struck me hard. I am only a visitor and soon I will leave. These people will not.

However, they are still full of life and love. I got to witness this beautiful side when I stayed with a host family here. Mamatzi welcomed me and another student, Netta, into her home with open  arms like we were lost daughters who finally returned. It was so easy to adjust to the new lifestyle. We cooked, watched TV, visited local hole in the wall shops, toured the town, and even ate McDonalds (which by the way, is way better here). Mamatzi talked about how she cared for 70 children who were discarded. She raised them like they were her own- providing clothes, food, shelter, education, etc. for generations! She is really a saint among women, and I felt blessed to be in her presence. Her daughter worked as a tour guide and was able to take us around and tell us all about the history here. Museums are wonderful, but there is something real about personally experiencing it all. One of my favorite parts was visiting a hole in the wall nail salon which seemed more like a girls club. The women laughed, danced, and joked around with each other. They welcomed us in like forgotten friends. I felt alive. Leaving the homestay was difficult, but I am blessed to have stayed for the time. Mamatsi and her family will always have a place in my heart.

While the locals in Soweto look bogged down by poverty to passersby, they are still very much awake. Entrepreneurship is gospel here- you can see homemade shops all around. It felt good to spend my money supporting these shops rather than the sparkling malls.

What I learned most from this first week is that despite the atrocities that unfolded here, people are resilient. 25 years may be a drop in the ocean of history but drops make ripples. South Africans will never stay silent and will keep fighting for equality. Growth is abundant here.

Netta (left), Me (center), Noxi one of children Mamatzi cares for (right) The homestay was definitely my favorite part of Johannesburg!

If you want to hear about mountain life, making homemade bread from scratch, shark diving, or other wild adventures, then stay tuned for my next blog: Part 2 in South Africa!

As always, keep on keepin’ on!
-Aly

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