Japan through Participant's Eyes

Country:Colombia
Name: Ms. MUNERA OROZCO Sara
Course Title: Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities in Community Activities
Course Period: 2019.01.14 - 2019.02.23

After one month in Japan, there is a lot to say about the respectful culture, the delicious food, the sense of community, and the support system for those with disabilities.

Every Japanese person I talked to was polite and interested in me and my country. I noticed the same respect and care in the way they interacted with each other and in the way they performed all activities; from a school girl preparing lunch for her classmates, to the professor delivering a lecture, or the host of a tea ceremony, they all put a lot of effort and care into each activity they did.

I am really impressed by the ability Japanese people have to get other people's perspective and respect their views and likes; instead of judging other people's behavior and way of thinking, they try to understand this different way and respect it. I believe this creates a sense of community that allows the Japanese people to live with others despite the differences.

One of my favorite moments in Japan was when I attended a tea ceremony. The host explained the tradition related to the small door so samurai had to leave their armor outside so they were all equal inside the tea house. She also had a decoration that read "ICHIGO, ICHIE (once in a life time)", which is one of my favorite sayings. She was really gentle when preparing the tea and it tasted amazing. I think this exemplifies Japanese culture, they are equitable, they enjoy the present moment, and they are caring with all they do.

Those were my thoughts after spending a month in Japan, I would love to come back, enjoy more of the culture, and see what new things I can learn.