Professor Slater is an Anthropology Professor at Sophia University in the Faculty of Liberal Arts. The first week of orientation he introduced us to the many wonderful things that accompany taking courses at a new university halfway across the world from wherever we call home. He also keyed us into his own research, and I […]
Japan
AFL – Learning Everywhere #2
Even outside of the classroom, I seem to continually find myself surrounded by people who place learning above other aspects of their lives. A few weeks ago I was introduced to a mutual friend, and despite the very light context of our shared meal, our conversation repeatedly drifted toward shared ideals in the realm of […]
AFL – Park Ramblings
Purely to feed my own interests, one of the courses I am taking this semester is an introductory class to Japanese literature. This course has the largest amount of students enrolled among my classes, the professor has absolutely no reservations about cold-calling students, and it is my only Sophia class to have a teaching assistant. […]
AFL – Introduction
はじめまして! (It’s nice to meet you!) My name is Alexa Fronczek-Lewis and I’m a junior Anthropology major with an EALC/Japanese minor. I am studying abroad at Sophia University, and the semester is already well underway. Although this introductory posting is a bit late, I felt that it was much needed as my interviews might come […]
LL – 1,000 flowers open
Sister Kathleen volunteers once a week in the Children’s Ward at the Tokyo Cancer Hospital. When she started, decades ago now, she was made to sign an agreement that she would not proselytize to her patients on their sick beds. As a medical professional, her job is to speak to children and families about their […]
LL – Peace, water, and the state
On Wednesday evening, 06/14, Sophia University held a symposium entitled “How can Japan, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the United Nations work together to advance their support for Afghanistan?” Featured were representatives of each of these organizations, two of whom had been flown out from Jena, Saudi Arabia for […]
LL – Zen in All Trades
In the mountains above Takamatsu, Roshi Daito Noda continues on as he has been for the last several decades. In brief, he is extending the temple, drawing upon the historical involvement of Buddhist institutions in communal life with a spirit of humble innovation. A pilgrimage lodging, a dojo, a special education school, several green houses, […]
LL – Zen Stomach
Accounts of Zen eating Even in the off season, Hayama’s Imperial Village is well-guarded. A combination of guards and police patrol the beach and the lazy commercial district where, on a late February afternoon, full-timers shuffle to and from the grocery store and retirees stroll. We are here to visit the Zen master’s second house, […]
CS – Interview 4: Connecting People, Places, and Ideas Through Teaching and Research
For my final interview, I decided to reach out to Professor Toshi Sasao. Professor Sasao teaches a wide variety of courses at International Christian University (ICU), including those related to Psychology, Education, and Peace studies. This wonderful opportunity was brought about by an education class I took with Professor Sasao that focused on […]
CS – Interview 2: Using Communications to Bridge Japan and America
My second informational interview was with Olivia Kent, the Communications Director of the Japan-America Society of Washington DC, who is currently living in Tokyo as a Japan-Representative of the organization. It was an incredible opportunity to speak with her, and was made possible by a friend of mine, Moi Nee (’24), who interns […]