The Southwest Trip was the best trip ever! Before I went on the Southwest Trip, I didn’t expect my sense of values to change a lot through this trip. Everything I saw, listened to, smelled, felt and tasted were new and fresh to me; moreover, I was fascinated by Southwest culture and tradition so much. I had opportunities to visit many historical places, and those experiences broadened my horizon. I especially enjoyed my experiences at University of New Mexico, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Acoma Pueblo, Santa Fe and Grand Canyon.
Firstly, through exchanging ideas with students who study Japanese at the University of New Mexico, I was influenced by their attitude toward studying so hard. It was a fabulous chance for me to visit UNM, and I had a significant time with students there. I had a chance to talk with four students during our class visit and we exchanged our ideas of learning languages. I asked the same question to every student: what the best way to learn foreign language is. The answers were different on each student such as speaking a lot, practicing grammar, using a lot, memorizing vocabulary and so on. However, I found one common thing among them; the time they spend for studying. Every student was very a good Japanese speaker and I was very surprised about that. Above all, I was influenced by their attitude because they study at least three hours every day to be fluent Japanese speakers. As I heard about their stories, I asked myself: whether I really make an effort as much as they do. They influenced me and they made me rethink my studying and goals in this semester. I decided myself that I will work hard like them to be a good English speaker.
Secondly, I found out that I have something in common with Georgia O’Keeffe at her museum. Before I leaned about her this semester, I had never heard her name even though I studeid art during my high school life. This semester, I got to know just a little part of her life and I was interested in her abstract drawing style. While I was visiting the museum, I saw many of her art works and also her words that she weote. When I read one of her plots, I realized that I felt the same way when being in Southwest. “When I got New Mexico that was mine. As soon as I saw it that was my country. I’d never seen anything like it before, but it fitted to me exactly. It’s something that’s in the air. It’s different. The sky is different, the wind is different. I shouldn’t say too much about it because other people may be interested and I don’t want them interested.” When I arrived at Phoenix Airport, I was inspired by everything I faced. There were people who are totally mixed with many cultures and I was able to hear so many languages. The landscape was so huge and I just didn’t know what lay ahed. The blight wide sky was holding me tightly, and simple but warm adobe buildings were just lovey to see. I fell in love with Southwest culture and I had never experienced like this before. This trip gave me a new idea of the world.
Thirdly, I learned what I always believe is not right in another culture at Acoma Pueblo. Learning about Pueblo Indians were so stimulating to me. What they believe destroyed my small world view. I was especially defeated by their ideas of “mother earth.” In my whole life, I always believe heaven is up and hell is down. God always see us from the sky. However, this logic doesn’t exist in Pueblo Culture because they believe exactly opposite, that the earth is the only place God lives. As a result, they pray to the ground and they always step on the earth to talk to their God. In this moment, what I trusted until today was broken and I learned what I always have is not right in every country. Sometimes, we have totally opposite ideas; however, we have to try to understand and respect each other because there is nothing that we can say it is right or wrong in this world. Through visiting Acoma Pueblo I learned being tolerant is essential.
Fourthly, I was captivated by Native American art works at the Palace of Governor in Santa Fe. In front of the Palace of Governor which is the oldest building in Santa Fe, there are many Native American art works such as jewelries, tiles and potteries. I was looking for a necklace that has Native American Symbols. I had a chance to talk with a lady who makes accessories using silver and turquoise. She showed me pictures of how she made her works and then I was inquisitive what she does. In my opinion, it’s very hard to keep Native American tradition or customs as the world becomes more developed; however, what I saw there was the combination of modernity and history. There are many tourists in Santa Fe and I saw many modern technologies but the people didn’t forget their own culture and tradition through keeping their own adobe architecture style. Because of those buildings, they keep their own tradition and peaceful atmosphere. When I looked back myself there, I asked myself: do I know anything my culture or tradition and also do I try to keep them? I tend to follow what is new but what I really need to do is follow new and old at the same time and try to combine both ideas. While I walked around in Santa Fe, I realized in order not to kill old rich tradition, we have to live with history.
Lastly, I was able to focus on myself at Grand Canyon that I had never done while I lived in the city. The hugeness Grand Canyon was more than I imagined. I was enticed by the view from the trail to see layers of rocks. It is hardly imaginable how many years these rocks have existed. While I was there, I just looked the sun is going down. The canyon spread to somewhere that I didn’t know. I even didn’t know where I was standing and where I tried to go in the future. There was nothing except canyon, and that environment made me think about myself. In my life, there are many things happening. Sometimes, they were hard and difficult to get over. Sometimes, they were just stunning, enjoyable and hard to forget forever. I also realized that there are no rules that I should follow in this world. All I experienced was my decisions and actions. Those colored my life. I looked back at myself deeply and how I want to live in the future. If I had lived in the city, I would never gotten a chance to focus on myself. The time I spent at Grand Canyon was not only significant but also valuable time for me to rethink myself. Grand Canyon inspired my heart a lot.
I didn’t expect that this Southwest trip would change me a lot in many ways. It was just a week trip long to travel to the place that I’ve never been to and the things I met there fascinated me so much. During this trip, every day, I learned new culture, and that experience changed my sense of value. It also made me rethink my own culture and myself. I especially focused on where I stand now and how I want to be. I’m afraid if I hadn’t had a chance to go southwest, my thinking and world view were still small and tiny. I was very glad to go there. When I left there, I decided I will go back there when I grow older to challenge and discover myself again.
I didn’t expect that this Southwest trip would change me a lot in many ways. It was just a week trip long to travel to the place that I’ve never been to and the things I met there fascinated me so much. During this trip, every day, I learned new culture, and that experience changed my sense of value. It also made me rethink my own culture and myself. I especially focused on where I stand now and how I want to be. I’m afraid if I hadn’t had a chance to go southwest, my thinking and world view were still small and tiny. I was very glad to go there. When I left there, I decided I will go back there when I grow older to challenge and discover myself again.