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Angeles Patoussias - Blog #5 (Second Blog) - Study Abroad

Prompt : Blog 5 (The Birth of Study Abroad): Where are you emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually at the start of this trip? What are your hopes, fears, or expectations? Who do you hope to become by the end of this journey? My very first night of getting to Japan is a great example of how I felt the first few days of the trip. After riding the train for the first time and finally getting to the hotel after flying 12 hours, I was on the verge of tears. They weren't tears of joy, or of sadness, or excitement, but actually tears of anxiety and stress. I was beginning to regret my decision of traveling to a whole different country without my family there to be with me. Eventually I was able to calm down and take a moment to take in that I was in Japan! After that, I was in the best mental state that I've ever been in. Surprisingly, I was so excited to be experiencing so many new things, but felt so at peace at the same time. My emotions weren't overwhelming and even the s...
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Angeles Patoussias - Blog #3 (First Blog) - My Birth

Prompt : Reflect on your own "birth"—not only biologically, but culturally and existentially. What were you born into? What aspects of your identity did you inherit? How has this shaped your worldview, values, and assumptions? After having spent close to a week in Japan, in what ways do you see yourself differently? Like many people who were born into Hispanic families, I grew up surrounded by Catholicism, family-oriented traditions, and more conservative ideologies. I spent most of my time during my childhood with my aunt and uncle instead of my parents, and this was simply due to work since we relied on their double income. My aunt and uncle, although had lived in the United States for decades already, still held on with a tight fist to their cultures and perspectives. Tattoos were disgraceful, women stayed at home, men didn't cry, and most importantly, family always came first. As young and ignorant as I was, ideas such as these still influenced the way I thought about...
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