Interview
What words would you use to describe your identity/identities?
I am a Japanese American/Asian American, bi-racial, cisgender woman, and the first in my family to study abroad.
When you studied abroad, did your identity/identities influence your experience in significant and/or surprising ways? If so, how?
It has always been interesting for me, simultaneously identifying as Asian American as well as bi-racial, because I do not necessarily "match" the outward appearance of what most might consider an Asian American to look like, but, it is still an identity I hold close. With that said, there were some situations where I was able to "blend in" a bit more than some of my other classmates, due to my dark hair and olive complexion. Even my host mom in Rabat said she thought I was Arab rather than Japanese. However, in other situations, my race was occasionally used in catcalls on the street (a normal habit among younger Moroccan men, particularly towards American and Eurocentric women). My mixed-race identity is something I am constantly aware of and notice, sometimes because of the feeling of not being "enough" for either race, but also because I am often treated differently in a given situation depending upon how people choose to view me: whether that be one race, the other, or a recognition of both. This did not seem to change while I was living in Morocco, but it was played out in different ways, which was both expected yet a bit surprising.
Has studying abroad impacted your educational and/or professional aspirations or path? If so, how?
Well first, my study abroad experience has led to the job I currently have with IES Abroad! Otherwise, my education while in Rabat really turned the trajectory of my college career, leading me to concentrate on the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and Islamic culture and politics. I have always known I wanted some sort of international career, whether that be in international education, international affairs, foreign diplomacy, etc.; but after having studied in Morocco, I knew I wanted my main area of focus to be in the Middle East and North Africa.
What experiences or skills gained from studying abroad continue to influence your life now?
My time studying in Morocco opened my mind and widened my perspectives of cultural diversity more than I had ever expected. One of the most crucial lessons I learned while abroad, was to let go of all of oneself to a completely new and foreign way of life, and that is something I could have never learned, had I not lived it for four months. Even now, years later, I continue to think about this new perspective as I continue to utilize it in my everyday life, in a constant effort to be more empathic, understanding, flexible, and open-minded.
Share one of your favorite memories from your time abroad.
One of the most surreal moments during my time abroad was the IES Abroad trip to the Sahara Desert. Being able to wake up at 4:00 a.m. with all of my friends to sit in the desert and watch the sun-rise over the dunes, as well as just seeing all the stars in the sky more clearly than I ever had before, is something I'll never forget