Submitted by Carolyn Boyser on the 2012 summer session program in Kobe, Japan sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures…
Narau, or 習う, in Japanese, is the verb that means to learn. From our first week here in Kobe, Japan, we have learned a lot. We have had a full week of interesting classes (all in Japanese only!) and lots of trips to interesting places. This weekend we had the chance to go to Nara and participate in a homestay, where our host-families planned activities for us to do and places to take us. My host family, my host-family partner and I went to three famous landmarks in Nara: Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, and the shrine Kasugataisha. These sacred places are not only rich in History, but also buzzing with current life. I find so far that I have learned that that is a way of expressing the character of Japan itself: History coexists with current culture. Here’s to another exciting week in Japan!