Typhoon Preparedness

Typhoon season is upon us all studying abroad in Taiwan! So, for those of you considering travelling to the island in the future, I would like to provide a few tips for surviving the storm.

1.       While not all typhoons are equally severe, treat each as if they were capable of equal damage. Typhoons can take you by surprise. Do not disregard the countless warnings you will receive from weather services and government offices. A typhoon is called a typhoon for a reason. The rains and wind that accompany this type of storm far exceed the usual rainy summer afternoon in Taiwan.

2.       With this in mind, DO NOT go outside during a typhoon unless absolutely necessary. And, make every effort to be safely indoors before one arrives. This past week, my friend and I had dinner plans on Saturday night. We were aware a typhoon was coming, but the rainfall throughout the day had been minimal. We wrongly assumed the typhoon had developed weaker than originally predicted by meteorologists. While we had dinner, we were unaware of the storm brewing outside. By the time we were heading home, the typhoon was in full force. Our umbrellas were rendered useless by the extreme wind and rain falling at a 45-degree angle. We nearly did not make it home, fighting the wind the whole way. We learned our lesson, and chose to hunker down indoors for the remainder of the storm.

3.       So how do you survive typhoon inflicted house arrest? RAMEN! While I use typhoons to justify my unhealthy desire for these cheap and incredibly unhealthy instant meals, any food that requires little to no preparation is great. Be prepared for potential power outages. I would also advise you to buy bottled drinks in case you lose access to clean water. If the typhoon is expected to last a few days, I suggest you buy prepackaged milk tea to prevent withdrawals!

4.       Hopefully you can ride out the typhoon with a friend, but if not, be sure to grab a good book and some movies to pass the time!

For those of you staying in Taiwan currently and those planning a to study abroad here in the future, have fun, but be safe!

Katelyn DeNap

George Washington University - Elliott School of International Affairs

M.A. Security Policy Studies

Organization of Asian Studies – Vice President

Sigur Center 2017 Asian Language Fellow

National Taiwan University - International Chinese Language Program, Taiwan

Cultural Excursions and Utilizing Language Skills

This past week I had the opportunity to learn how to make a traditional Taiwanese pastry: Pineapple Cake! One of my favorite things about coming to Taiwan is being able to eat pineapple cakes. So, when I was given this opportunity, I quickly accepted! What made this experience even greater was the fact that I would also be given the chance to learn about Taiwanese wedding culture. Currently engaged, I am in the process of planning my own wedding for next May! This excursion, organized by professors at the International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University, was right up my alley.

Before our trip, students were given research assignments surrounding pineapple cakes, Taiwanese weddings, and holidays or festivals in general. This allowed, or forced, students to learn new vocabulary related to these topics. Beyond studying new vocabulary, we were able to examine the history behind the Taiwanese culture and cuisine we love!

While background research is helpful, there is nothing like hands on experience to solidify your studies. So, I was excited to get my hands dirty mixing and shaping pineapple cakes! Initially, I thought making these pastries would be difficult. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the process is quite simple! With only a little butter, sugar, egg, flour, and pineapple (of course), you can quickly whip up a batch of these signature Taiwanese pastries. While my pineapple cakes were baking, I was given the chance to try on traditional wedding dresses, and a couple of students even volunteered to have an impromptu mock wedding. (At least I hope it was not official!) Being able to compare the marriage process and culture in Taiwan to that in the United States was quite interesting. And this brings me to my point…Making connections to your surroundings, whether by recognizing parallels or differences with your own culture or interests, is key for learning a new language. The vocabulary which you can make a connection to is most successfully retained.

So, as you travel abroad or begin your own language training at home, be sure to explore your interests using the new language. You will gain a greater appreciation for your new language abilities and find yourself improving at a much quicker rate! As for me, there will be many pineapple cakes along the path to fluency in Mandarin!

Katelyn DeNap

George Washington University - Elliott School of International Affairs

M.A. Security Policy Studies

Organization of Asian Studies – Vice President

Sigur Center 2017 Asian Language Fellow

National Taiwan University - International Chinese Language Program, Taiwan

Overcoming Homesickness

As someone who suffers from homesickness, I understand the fear others have of travelling far from their loved ones or the place they call home. If your love for home has kept you from travelling to other countries and experiencing other cultures, I wish to share with you how to get the feeling of home half way around the world.

While it is tempting to rely on scheduled calls and video chats with friends and family to create a sense of home, doing so will prevent you from fully immersing yourself in your surroundings. If you made the decision to travel abroad, do not waste the opportunity to explore a new culture or meet new people. At first, it may be daunting, but you will soon find that anywhere you go there are people eager to share their culture and home with you!

Having traveled to Taiwan once before, I was excited to return. Four years ago, while studying in Tainan, I suffered from severe homesickness. So, when I made the decision to spend the summer studying in Taipei my family was shocked. But I knew this time would be different.

I chose to travel with a friend from school. If you are considering travelling or studying abroad, I highly recommend this! Having someone familiar to share your greatest experiences and frustrations with helps create a sense of home. If you are unable to travel with a friend, there are always opportunities to find host families or exchange partners. Choosing to either live or spend time with a host family or exchange partner is a quick way to discover local culture. Rather than only experiencing a foreign city as a tourist, you get an insider’s look at culture and cuisine. With a host family, you will find you can create a home away from home. Even if you do not enroll in an official host family or exchange partner program, do not be afraid to interact with the people you meet as you study or travel. Making such connections creates a sense of community, which you will appreciate on days you miss home.

Learning a language or studying a culture should not be limited to the confines of a classroom or a TripAdvisor “Top 10 Things to Do in….” list. Only through connecting with locals and allowing yourself to explore a city or country will you be able to overcome your homesickness and reinforce what you learn through unique and exciting experiences.

Katelyn DeNap

George Washington University - Elliott School of International Affairs

M.A. Security Policy Studies

Organization of Asian Studies – Vice President

Sigur Center 2017 Asian Language Fellow

National Taiwan University - International Chinese Language Program, Taiwan

Study Abroad Opportunity in Cambodia

Students in the International Studies Program interested in gaining meaningful, hands-on experience abroad can spend a semester in Cambodia learning about post-conflict recovery, Cambodian culture and history, international health, global poverty and Khmer Buddhism with Global Service Corps.

Global Service Corps’ Study Abroad Program in Cambodia provides students with an insider look into the world of international development in Southeast Asia. One of the most diverse regions of the world, Southeast Asia is composed of eleven countries that vary greatly in language, religion, history and culture. While the region as a whole has experienced economic growth, some countries still face a number of development challenges. Students studying abroad with GSC will become part of a movement to restore health, prosperity and growth to a society in recovery from brutal civil war and genocide.

Global Service Corps’ semester service-learning programs in Cambodia supplement classroom education with hands-on field work at local community development organizations. In partnership with the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY) and Paññasastra University of Cambodia, GSC offers 15-credit Semester Programs and a 9-credit Summer Program focused on social, cultural, and community development in Cambodia.

The 15-credit, 15-week Fall or Spring Semester Program includes:  

·        3 weeks of academic training on Khmer language, social development in post-conflict societies, service-learning theory, Buddhism and meditation,  Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and Cambodian culture and history

·        9 weeks of field work in the areas of public health, orphanage care, assistance of slum populations, HIV/AIDS prevention and/or English language instruction

·        3 weeks of Capstone projects, allowing students to synthesize their studies and field experience

The 9-credit, 9-week Summer Program includes:

·        1 week of academic training on Khmer language, social development in post-conflict societies, service-learning theory, Buddhism and meditation,  Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and Cambodian culture and history

·        8 weeks of varied service-learning field work in any of the following programs: English Language Instruction, HIV/AIDS Prevention & Public Health Education, Buddhist Immersion, Orphanage Care, International Health, or an Integrated Program

Students participating in GSC’s Semester and Summer Service-Learning Programs are provided with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain a greater perspective on the issues surrounding Cambodian development, while making make a lasting global impact.

Applications are still being accepted for the upcoming 2015 Spring Semester!

To Apply: (Please Note: Students will need to apply through both GSC and SUNY)

• To apply through GSC go to http://globalservicecorps.org/site/how-to-enroll/
• To apply through SUNY go to www.albany.edu/studyabroad/

Jackie in Japan

Hello again to all the readers of Asia on E Street!

This is Jackie Lareau, recipient of the Estelle Sigur Grant for Japanese Language Study in Japan. It's been a while since my last update and I've done quite a bit of adventuring now that we've settled into the summer, so I'll give you a peek at all the highlights.

One of the most exciting events of the last few months was the weekend trip to Kyoto and Nara organized by CIEE, the exchange program handling my semester abroad, for all of the exchange students. We spent two days in Kyoto, which was the former imperial capital for over one thousand years before the capital was moved to Tokyo. As a result, the city is extremely rich with historic, traditional, and cultural treasures, especially with its 2,000+ Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

With a couple friends of mine, we were able to have an action-packed day full of sightseeing around the city to see as much as possible. First we visited the Arashiyama bamboo forest, where we took plenty of pictures perfect for computer desktops.

Then after getting lost for a couple of hours in one of the rural rice paddy towns surrounding the city, we eventually found our way back to the action and visited Kinkaku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple that is gilded with gold leaf and is one of the most popular attractions in all of Kyoto.

Following that, we visited the equally famous location of Fushimi Inari, a rather lengthy complex of Shinto shrines leading up a mountain. The shrine worships the Shinto god Inari, the god of business and commerce, and thus all of the iconic orange torii gates are each donated by various Japanese businesses and labeled as such. Aside from this, most of the shrines along the way are decorated with fox imagery and statues, which are seen to be the messengers of the gods. 

Pictured below are small wooden plaques called ema, on which worshippers write down their wishes and prayers with hopes that the shinto gods will answer them. As you can see, the ones at this particular shrine are fox-shaped and many people decorate them accordingly.

Finally, after exploring Kyoto, we traveled to the city of Nara which is about an hour away by bus, and also a former imperial capital during the 8th century's appropriately named Nara Period. There we were able to visit Todai-ji, a World Heritage Site and the home of Japan's biggest Daibutsu (bronze Buddha statue), even bigger than the one I previously visited in Kamakura. Not only were the grounds beautiful, but the sheer size of the temple and the masterpieces inside of it made all of us feel absolutely dwarfed and astounded considering they were constructed over one thousand years ago. 

However, the coolest thing about Todai-ji is probably the countless deer that roam the grounds and call it their home, thanks to their sacred status and generous tourists who feed them special "deer crackers" that you can buy from any vendor in the area. You're perfectly free to approach and pet the deer, although with caution because there's a good chance they'll go nosing into your bag and try to take the crackers by themselves. They're friendly enough to pose for photos, though.

The trip wouldn't be complete without a deer selfie.

After returning to Tokyo, my daily life has mostly consisted of going to classes and keeping up with classwork, attending circle and club events, hanging out with both Japanese and international friends, and spending time with my homestay parents. Altogether these activities keep me very busy, I have also had the time to partake in some traditional cultural activities as well. For example, I was able to attend my first sumo wrestling match and it was much more thrilling than I expected! The final match of the tournament featured a mid-ranking wrestler with a record of 5 wins and 5 losses versus a top-ranking wrester with not a single loss. It seemed like the results would be obvious but the underdog actually won, leading all of the audience members sitting in the front to throw their cushions into the ring, a gesture of respect shown when a wrestler beats a rival of a higher rank. I unfortunately wasn't able to catch this on camera, but I did take a picture of the precession of wrestlers lining up at the beginning of the tournament.

I was also able to try my hand at making traditional Japanese sweets, wagashi, which are made of sweet bean paste and molded into various shapes like flowers. The one I made can be seen below, and is supposed to replicate the appearance of a chrysanthemum, the Japanese imperial flower. It's definitely more challenging than it looks, so it's understandable why the craft and its stores are passed down within families for generations.

This ties up most of the cultural events I've been taking part in here in Tokyo, and with only about a month left before I return to the States, I'll be trying to fit in plenty more!

Wish me luck, and until next time, またね！

Jackie in Japan: Spring in Tokyo

Hello there, everyone! This is my first time posting on the Asia on E Street blog, and I'll be doing so regularly for the rest of the summer while I study abroad at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan.

My name is Jackie LaReau and I'm a recipient of the Estelle Sigur Grant for Japanese Language Study in Japan. I'm a current GW junior majoring in Asian Studies at the Elliott School, and I've been studying abroad in Japan since last August. I spent the fall and winter semesters studying at Akita International University (AIU) in the northern rural prefecture of Akita, and now I have transferred to the very different Sophia University in Tokyo under the CIEE exchange program. 

初めまして！どうぞよろしくお願いします！(Rough translation: Nice to meet you!)

Now although GW has just finished its spring semester and everyone is heading home for the summer, in Japan, the spring semester has only just started. On the Japanese school calendar, the spring semester goes from April all the way through the summer to August, and then they get about a 1 month summer vacation before starting school again in September. Thus, I'll continue to be here until about mid-August. Good-bye summer vacation, you will be missed... But getting the opportunity to complete my stay in Japan for a full year is definitely worth it!

Where do I start? Well, this semester I'm living with a homestay family for the first time, and it's absolutely so much fun! The family is actually sort of unorthodox, in that I only have a homestay mother and father, and they're both in their 70's. But don't be fooled! They're very active and love life, meaning that they always take me out on day trips and spoil me like their own daughter while teaching me all about the Japanese culture and language. I'm very glad I chose this housing option, because it's really given me an opportunity to interact with Japan more than I would have simply living in a dorm!

As for school, we're about a month into the semester and classes are going great. The Japanese language program at Sophia University is definitely challenging, which I'm very happy about, since it gives you the structure and tools you need to learn the language while you practice your speaking skills with Japanese friends and students outside of class. 

However, by far the coolest thing about the beginning of the spring semester is that it aligns with the peak of cherry blossom season. Here's a few shots that I took all around the Tokyo area while doing hanami (flower viewing).

And here's one of me, dressed appropriately pink for the season.

This next one is my personal favorite. CIEE's staff organized for all of the exchange students in the program to go on a day trip to Kamakura, a city about an hour away from Tokyo which was Japan's imperial capital from the years 1185-1333. It is rich with history, temples, and shrines, and is now

a beautiful tourist spot that many Tokyo locals like to visit when they're itching to escape the big city.

As you can see, one of the biggest attractions is the Daibutsu (big Buddha), which is made of bronze, considered a national treasure, and is one of the biggest Buddha statues in all of Japan. You can even go inside of it for a mere 20 yen (the equivalent of 20 cents)!

Kamakura also has some stunning hiking trails, zen gardens, and a bamboo forest, which I made sure to visit before going home.

I also went on a weekend trip to Nagoya during Golden Week, which is a city about 200 miles from Tokyo. By bullet train it would only take a couple of hours to get there, but my friends and I decided to be adventurous and take the regular trains there and back instead. After about 6 hours of trains and transfers, we arrived!

Spending a couple days in another city was great fun, and we managed to visit all the major attractions. We visited Osu-Kannon temple, Nagoya Castle, and various local shopping districts.

We also made sure to try out all the local delicacies, such as this dish called hitsumabushi, which is grilled eel served over rice with tea you pour over it. It was absolutely delicious! I definitely understand why Nagoya is so famous for it now.

Aside from traveling, I have very much settled into my life in Tokyo. I've joined a couple of intercultural exchange clubs, which like to give Japanese students and international exchange students opportunities to hang out with each other, become friends, exchange cultures, and practice each other's languages. If you're looking to get better at Japanese and hang out with some of the nicest people around, joining clubs are the best way to do it!

I think I've hit all of the most exciting points of the semester so far, but I'll make sure to update again soon with new stories, pictures, and cultural tidbits.

For now, see you next time!

じゃあまたね！♪

2014 Japan Travel Program for Future U.S. Leaders

First-year graduate students (U.S. citizens) who are or have been engaged in Japan studies - as well as those who have not had previous experience with Japan, but demonstrate a serious interest in engaging with the country in the future - are encouraged to apply for the 2014 Japan Travel Program for Future U.S. Leaders.

Join graduate students from across the United States on a ten day study-tour through Japan, with site visits to Tokyo, Sendai, Hiroshima, and Osaka. Achieve a greater understanding of Japan and its roles in global affairs by engaging in dialogue with academic experts, national- and local-level policymakers, and leaders in the NGO/NPO community.

Features of the Program:

The itinerary enables participants to acquire first-hand knowledge of Japan and incorporate this knowledge into their studies and future careers. The itinerary may include, but is not limited, to the following elements:

• Meeting experts in the fields of politics, economics, and civil society;
• Visiting government ministries, think tanks, policy institutes, businesses, and non-profit organizations;
• Conducting self-organized research day in Tokyo in small groups;
• Enjoying cultural excursions.

After the study-tour, participants write a policy brief incorporating knowledge gained through the program. CGP provides round-trip economy airfare between the U.S. and Japan, all in-country (Japan) travel expenses, hotel expenses, and meals. Participants are responsible for costs of ground transportation to and from the airport in the U.S., personal shopping, and other incidentals.

Application Process:

Current first-year graduate students at the Elliott School who meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply. Students graduating Spring/Summer 2014 are not eligible. The selection process includes nomination by Angella Griffin, Director, GSCD and a final selection process by APSIA and CGP.

Please check Elliott School Career Connection (http://www.elliottschoolcc.com) for more information about the application process and eligibility details.

Announcing Sigur Center 2014 Summer Language and Research Grants!

The Sigur Center for Asian Studies is pleased to announce grants for language study and field research for Summer 2014. Previous grant recipients have received funding for travel to China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

There are five grant types: Chinese Language Study in Taiwan, Korean Language Study in Korea, Asian Language Study in Asia, Estelle Sigur Grant for Japanese Language Study in Japan,  and Asian Field Research.  Students with an interest in furthering their Asian language skills or conducting field research in Asia are highly encouraged to apply. All GW BA, MA and PhD students are eligible for Language Grants. Asian Field Research Grants are open to MA and PhD students. Students may apply regardless of nationality.

All grant applications are due by February 14, 2014.

Learn more about Sigur Center grants at:  go.gwu.edu/sigurgrants.

Please direct all inquiries regarding Sigur Center Language and Research Grants to Andrew Parker, Asian Studies Program Assistant at asia@gwu.edu.