This January, a group of students traveled to Japan to supplement their education on the math systems and religious traditions used by the country both throughout history and the modern era. Today, I have found three students from the trip who were willing to talk about their experiences abroad and what the trip meant to them. This trip was led by Dr. Tim Brown, the professor teaching the religious studies course and debriefed everyone on the trip about each temple and shrine we visited; Kyle Maclauchlan, who served as the translator and leader throughout the trip, guiding everyone through the crowded subways; and Dr. Clark, the professor of the math course who taught about the Sangaku tablets and many cultural aspects of Japan. The first student I interviewed was Caleb Coates, a senior who was taking the math class with Dr. Clark. Kat Connor, a junior who took the math course with Dr. Clark. And Nathaniel Quance, a senior who played on the RMC football team throughout his years on campus, took the religious studies class with Dr. Brown. Each student’s interview section will be featured below.
Tell me about how you felt when you first got off the plane. What emotions did they inspire?
Caleb: “I felt extremely tired once I got off the plane. But I felt like I had imposter syndrome like I shouldn’t have been there, but I also should’ve absolutely been there. It was really weird. The farthest out of the country I’ve ever been is the Bahamas so I didn’t have much to compare to.”
Kat: I was really excited to get off the plane. I was in the center seat for that 13+ flight, and my back was feeling it. Emotionally, I was actually really tired because I had pulled an all-nighter beforehand and honestly did not get a lot of sleep on either of the plane rides. I was optimistic about the experiences we were about to have, though.
Quance: “One I was really tired. I was super u lucky with the seats but, two I was overwhelmed. The Japan trip was always just an idea but once I looked outside and saw the first sign written in Japanese, I remember thinking “we’re really here”.
What was your favorite moment while you were in Japan?
Caleb: “My favorite moment in Japan was probably the night we went out and went pretty much everywhere in Shibuya. Shibuya was awesome.”
Kat: “My favorite moment was going to the Brazil-themed bar; the owner was super friendly, and everyone I went with had a great time. I liked that it wasn’t a super popular tourist area but a side street place.”
Quance: Honestly, the freedom and not having a thing to worry about. I was able to do whatever I wanted whenever. That allowed me to truly learn and take in information and practice my Japanese on top of just having fun as if it were a vacation.
What was your favorite temple/shrine on the trip?
Caleb: Probably Kinkakujicho (the golden temple) because all the views and golf stuff were so sick!
Kat: My favorite temple was Kiyomizu-Dera, the professors took us there at the perfect time when the sun was setting. The place was huge, the view from the mountain top was absolutely amazing, and the temple itself had beautiful construction of the tiered roofing.
Quance: Kiyomizu Dera was the best by far. From the scenery to the traditions there. The beautiful sunset, mountains, flowers, waterfalls, gardens… there’s not enough to say. Every square inch of that place was art.
Math Students: Tell me about the days the math students travelled away. What were some of the places you visited?
Caleb: Tofuku-ji was pretty cool. The Kazo city day was my favorite day though. We did so much, saw multiple temples/shrines and we even got to meet the mayor, which was one of the coolest things ever! The Society of Mathematical Tablets leaders/officers were there too.
Kat: We visited Myōjōrinji Temple with Hidetoshi Fukagawa, who wrote the textbook we read in class. There was one of the most well-preserved Sanguku at that temple. Fukagawa Sensei was great; he gave us gifts, and we got to experience a special blessing with a conch shell. We also went to Kazo city because they have the most Sangaku, and we met the mayor, which was a special experience.
Religion Students: What were some of the locations you visited when the math students travelled elsewhere? What surprised you about those visits?
Quance: We went to the sort of “war memorial” shrine that has the biggest tori gate and it is made of steel. What was surprising was how much different it felt. It was more like a museum than a religious site.
If you had to describe Japan in one word, what would it be and why?
Caleb: Unreal. None of it felt real. It felt like we were in a movie. It didn’t feel like the stuff we were looking at was real.
Kat: Rich; Japan is rich in culture and customs that I had never been exposed to before, and it was a great learning experience. The society functions quite differently from America, and that was a good exposure to out-of-country travel for me.
Quance: Beautiful. Not only the scenery, but just the traditions and social norms. Everything is well practiced, everything is clean, and Japan feels like everyone’s just on one big team working together.
Do you have a favorite between Kyoto or Tokyo? If so, why did you prefer one or the other?
Caleb: Kyoto, it felt less touristy but still just as cool [as Tokyo]. It felt more cultural and that honestly was cooler to me than the city vibe.
Kat: I like Tokyo more because the subway/train system is very similar to what I am used to, and there is ease of access to a lot of popular areas.
Quance: I can’t decide. Tokyo had the cities and Kyoto had the views, but you could flip it around and say the same thing.
Will you be traveling to Japan again sometime in the future?
Caleb: Yes, I absolutely will be going back soon. I kept a lot of the money in yen and didn’t exchange it because I know I’m going back within the next year or two at least.
Kat: I hope so, depends on time and money.
Quance: Absolutely!
What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying abroad while in school?
Caleb: I would tell them they absolutely need to and it shouldn’t even be a question. Not doing it earlier was probably one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made. I made some of my best friends on this trip and I’ve stayed close with people that I wouldn’t have assumed I would’ve going into it. It was the best two weeks of my college career.
Kat: Do it! The J-term is perfect if you don’t have time to go abroad for a whole semester. The experience is super fun, and you meet a lot of new people.
Quance: Do it. Never say no to experiences. Go see things. You will not regret it.
