MLO 5: Cultural Internalization and Language Immersion
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.
This MLO was fulfilled during my study abroad experience at Chuo University in 2014-2015. I detailed this experience in my study abroad blog: here. I learned a lot about Japan that I was not expecting during my year abroad. The most significant thing I learned is that Japan is extremely similar to America, overall. There were things I felt so comfortable with, because of this, and other things that were jarringly different to the point of causing culture shock. My culture shock experience was significant because it taught me how to examine those differences and come to terms with them. I would not have recovered if I had not done this, and it made me realize a lot of things about Japan. Most of what I missed was a sense of security, and that's something I learned I would not have unless I forced myself to learn the language better. I was not placed in classes that I felt were going to provide me with new information, so I did this by talking often with my dorm mates. I became close friends with one girl in particular and spent a weekend at her home speaking to her family only in Japanese. This experience also allowed me to see a side of Japan I had not been exposed to in Tokyo. I was able to visit some of the older areas of Japan, including a several thousand year old temple. Another thing I spent my time doing was speaking to strangers. As odd and off-putting as that might seem, I forged close friendships, and saw even more sides of Japan this way. A lot of the subcultures and interesting offshoots of the main areas of Tokyo would have never entered my awareness if I had not done this. I also had an interesting and specific experience with Ainu culture while in Japan that is irreplaceable. I was able to eat at a traditional Ainu restaurant, and learn more about Ainu culture, something not everyone was able to do. This was yet another side of Japan I hadn't expected, and was exposed to through serendipitous interactions. Through all of these experiences stitched together, I immersed myself in Japanese culture.
This MLO was fulfilled during my study abroad experience at Chuo University in 2014-2015. I detailed this experience in my study abroad blog: here. I learned a lot about Japan that I was not expecting during my year abroad. The most significant thing I learned is that Japan is extremely similar to America, overall. There were things I felt so comfortable with, because of this, and other things that were jarringly different to the point of causing culture shock. My culture shock experience was significant because it taught me how to examine those differences and come to terms with them. I would not have recovered if I had not done this, and it made me realize a lot of things about Japan. Most of what I missed was a sense of security, and that's something I learned I would not have unless I forced myself to learn the language better. I was not placed in classes that I felt were going to provide me with new information, so I did this by talking often with my dorm mates. I became close friends with one girl in particular and spent a weekend at her home speaking to her family only in Japanese. This experience also allowed me to see a side of Japan I had not been exposed to in Tokyo. I was able to visit some of the older areas of Japan, including a several thousand year old temple. Another thing I spent my time doing was speaking to strangers. As odd and off-putting as that might seem, I forged close friendships, and saw even more sides of Japan this way. A lot of the subcultures and interesting offshoots of the main areas of Tokyo would have never entered my awareness if I had not done this. I also had an interesting and specific experience with Ainu culture while in Japan that is irreplaceable. I was able to eat at a traditional Ainu restaurant, and learn more about Ainu culture, something not everyone was able to do. This was yet another side of Japan I hadn't expected, and was exposed to through serendipitous interactions. Through all of these experiences stitched together, I immersed myself in Japanese culture.