Expectations

Joining the Japan exchange program was a decision I made impulsively. I saw the call for abstracts one afternoon while having lunch and, while barely reading the guidelines (which, by the way, is bad practice), decided almost in an instant that I wanted to try out. It goes without saying that I came into this program not knowing what to expect except for the fact that it will be held in Japan. It was, after all, the thought of visiting the country for the first time that tickled my prospects anyway. As I count mere days until the program, anticipation begins to sink in and I, as I do in all of my travels, start assessing my expectations.

For 11 days, I will be joining select students from DLSU-SHS ID 117 in Akashi, Japan and attend classes in the National Institute of Technology as an exchange student. Coming from the Humanities strand, the predominantly STEM inclined classes in the university will definitely be something out of my comfort zone. While this seems daunting in hindsight, it piques my curiosity nonetheless, even complimenting my personal motto of always trying to learn something new.

What I love most about travelling is experiencing culture; as late National Artist for Literature Rolando Tinio puts it, ‘ang pagsinghot ng kultura’, the intake of culture. As a first timer in Japan and as someone who’s barely introduced to Japanese culture, I’m excited to immerse myself in the country and its people. This program, with its promising opportunities for exchange and collaboration not only with my batch mates but with students from Akashi as well, holds me to great excitement over new bonds and ties. Naturally, I too am thrilled to represent the Philippines and share culture from my side of the world. I can hardly wait for the stories, the laughs, the food (!), and the memories that will spring from this new venture. Given the expectations that were already set by the activity guidelines (which I now read), I always remind myself to leave room for spontaneity and let the universe take charge. While preparation is key, there’s also beauty in not knowing-- to a certain degree, oblivion. I can’t wait to see where this road takes me, and until then, I will hold on to hope that this will be a great learning experience that I can treasure for a long, long time.