7/11/2006: We came together to learn.

     I suppose after being back I knew I would miss Japan and all the people I had met there, but I have realized many things about my research process that I would have without having returned from the Temple Japan program. This program taught me that no matter where you come from, what your cultural background is, and what you value, it is possible to come together with a group of people to learn, collaborate, and experience a new place together. I think that is what is so special, so unique of Temple University Japan. We were from all over the world: The United States, Canada, The Philippines, Great Britain, Australia, China, Korea, of course Japan, and several other countries. With all our differences, alongside our shared, common humanity, we saw through our different perspectives, disciplines, and dreams to obtain a holistic perspective on everything we learned. This, for me, was the first truly ethnographic experience I had to "go native" and conduct real anthropological research, albeit though it was only for a short period of time.
     I hadn't realized it while I was there, but my research was indeed shaped in many ways - by those observing around me as much as those I observed. It proved to me that to have a really effective research team, it helps to include people who didn't major in anthropology in order to broaden your research and get the best possible picture of your surroundings. Not to discredit solo research... I just find it valuable to have a group of people with different backgrounds, disciplines, and perspectives. From geography and history scholars,  to artists, to anthropologists, to otaku (in this case the term is used as "self proclaimed geek"), we truly had a fabulous group of people. I made friends and colleagues that will last a lifetime.

In Tokyo we came together, and I will never forget the experience.

   Signing out,
 Lady Lara Jones

     The Pacific Culture Club Workshop where we got to learn traditional Japanese arts, crafts, and tea ceremony. I was fortunate to be able to learn Kimono dress practices and in this photo you can see me in the center of the three Americans in Kimono! The culture club was my favorite field trip of all the ones we took around Japan.