What I hoped to get from this trip

3 things,

One, a sense of independence that I was comfortable with (I was not happy with myself before I left).
Two, a step into the teaching profession that was unique.
Three, Money to save up.

And four, Japan. If I didn't do this program, I would have tried for Teach for America or I would have just came back to Boston and started a teaching program there. UMass for example has a program where you teach in the B Public Schools and they pay for your education. I didn't think through that part too much, because I found out I could do JET. I wouldn't have done anything on my own, I wanted a program that could give me an experience I was looking for and help the adjustment process.

I am very culturally unique here Zoi. My first graders can't wrap there minds around the fact that I'm both American and Indian, but they're also 6 years old, a little too young. Most people don't really care though, I'm interesting as a foreigner, which there are not a lot of in Japan (which is why they have us coming over). But as John said, nice to meet you by the way, I am totally different here than a lot of the other caucasian JETs I meet here. There's a huge stereotype of all Americans being super outgoing. They are suprised when they meet a lot of the type b white people I am friends with here. They're like, your American or British, you're not supposed to be shy. That's us - Japanese people!

One person actually said that I had a Japanese soul. Of course, what he meant, was not that I actually related that much to Japanese culture, I don't even like a lot of the food, but that I understood a lot of Japanese culture. Just the respect for elders, the taking off of your shoes before you enter the house, the need to not be ridiculously loud when you talk, all these things that white people make a huge deal out of being a cultural experience, wasn't anything new to me. It's not even that I always followed those cultural attributes at home, my parents are very Indian but they intermarried religions, we don't celebrate Indian holidays, my mother is the breadwinner and my dad stayed at home (mostly to due with the fact that he did not have an education in India while my mom did), my dad is the loudest person on earth and I always end up screaming when I'm supposed to just be talking to him - though actually a lot of Punjabi's - and Indians for that matter, are that way. But I can just understand some parts of Japanese culture. Maybe that just has to do with my personality, I honestly feel like I can take the perspective of "the other" a lot easier than most people can. Doesn't mean I care for other people more than others, but I can take their perspective easier. But some of it has to do with my cultural background for sure. I realized this difference a long time ago between me and my peers. For example Zoi, do you remember that time at Sadhana's house where she served roti and I just started eating "with my hands," while you guys used forks and knives (For roti, that's like using a fork for soup...it defeats the whole purpose of makng roti) You called me out on it, but to be honest, I never thought that I was ever eating "with my hands" before you called it that. I actually reacted with indignancy, I was like, what do you mean, you make it sould disgusting or improper. It's hard to explain, people should read books like Edward Said's "Orientalism." Point is, I had to take a whole different cultural perspective in order to understand your surprised reaction. Right then and there I had to make a decision, consider it weird and thereby become more "American," or consider you weird and stay "Indian." I chose Indian. Japanes people don't eat with roti, but I'm used to following different customs back in the home country, it's not such a big deal for me here.

Dude, this is not at all a "remember what you did don't you feel guilty now because I'm crying as I remember this..." type of thing. It's just a perfect example that people can understand. So, John, your right, I didn't experience almost any culture shock. The thing is too, that I've done a lot of traveling. If I could tell you what I experienced when I first went to India seven years ago, my first outside of America trip since a very young age - I remember stepping into Indira Gandhi Airport and the heat hitting me like a Mac truck. I remember beggars with no hands and no feet greeting me as soon as I stepped outside of the airport. I remember my cousin, a big Sikh guy who I had never met before and might as well have been a stranger laughing at my inability to move and or respond when the beggar asked for my money. (More indignancy - none of this is complaint, I'm just being completely honest here). I remember getting into the small car, and feeling like I might as well be on Jupiter. I was in the twilight zone for at least a week.

27 countries later it just doesn't affect me as much. Going to Europe is not really so bad, and Japan has that same "first world" similarity (I don't really like calling first world first, maybe mo' money mo' money world?). I am certainly not Japanese, there are so many things that are radically different, but in general there's a lot that isn't strange because Asian cultures share similar value systems. At the same time, I went to the Indian embassy, and it was so good to see another opinionated strong willed Indian woman (my teller) (Indian women sound so opinionated when they talk, I used to be annoyed by that but now I appreciate it so much) and talk to her more naturally, with that Indian attitude and all around presence. I can't wait to go to India and let go. It's going to be interesting, it's been 7 years so I don't know what to expect. But if my cousins haven't changed and if people still bargain in the markets, it'll be fun.

Culture really transcends everything. You could be the smartest person in one culture, and an imbecile in another. My dad was the man in India, but suffered from depression in America. I really appreciate Japanese culture as a 24 year old foreigner, in fact I love it, it's so safe and people treat you with such respect and kindness. But I don't know what I would think if I grew up here. And I've met plenty of Japanese people that disagree with me, and remind me that I don't know what it's like to live and be Japanese, one person said it was hard to explain but people are more lonely here then they would let seem. Nevertheless, it's so amazing how different people are in different cultures. I thought there could be a unifying theory of the human mind one day, but if you wanted to take into account culture, that might be impossible.

There's lots to learn here, but I still agree with my previoius post, where a lot of what you learn is just becoming more sure of those fundamental things which motivate you and are important to you. Growing in another culture, when you are not young enough to adopt that culture, really highlights those things which are important, family, friends, giving, the things that motivate the soul.