I can remember walking into Asia Con on the first day of classes and being faced with a flood of newness. New faces, a new environment, new topics, and new knowledge. My understanding of Asia was limited to about a year of Chinese language study, and this weak connection was on par with my understanding and connection with my new classmates. Yet, as time went on and I learned names, made friends, and discovered people’s darkest secrets (just kidding), I found myself learning more and more about Asia and global society as a whole.

 

“Oh, you’re a computer science major? Got it.”

 

“Oh, the development of the modern Japanese language was relatively recent and entrenched with hard-fought battles contesting westernization and Japanese identity that greatly shaped the development of Japanese society and demonstrates the colossal power language has in shaping and defining cultures and societies? Got it.”

 

“Wait. You’re an amazing artist! How did I not know this?!”

 

“Wait, Asia as a whole was at the head of global progress for the greater part of known history and only in relatively recent times has “the west” usurped Asia and dominated the globe but most people don’t know this because of Eurocentrism? How did I not know this?!”  

 

          As my knowledge grew, so did my connections with my classmates. Similar to our studies of the various countries and cultures throughout Asia, I came to know some of my classmates better than others, but I was able to interact with and come to better understand everyone. While I definitely did not become an expert on Asia, I gained a solid foundation of knowledge and relationships--things that have fostered in me a desire to continue studying Asia while providing the base and support to do so.