As a Fulbright Lecturer and professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, I am teaching four courses in the Global Education Institute: culinary diplomacy, communicating science, diversity and inclusion, and intercultural communication. One of these, culinary diplomacy, examines how food can be used to strengthen international relations. This intersection of culture and diplomacy aligns with the goals of the Fulbright program.
The semester is off to a great start! My students are polite, hardworking, and eager to learn! I’m also taking a weekly Japanese Language Class taught by my colleague who coordinates the Japanese Language Program at the university.
My host colleagues, Yuki-san and Nakajima-san, hosted a lovely welcome party where I met the university faculty from the engineering, mathematics, and science departments at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT). We enjoyed a delicious spread that included sushi, rice crackers, Pizza Hut teriyaki chicken topped with nori seaweed, and soft, fluffy Japanese cake rolls.
Keri had a midterm break from her university in Singapore, so she visited me for the week and even joined in my first class! To celebrate, we stopped by the nearby Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors, and each enjoyed double scoops. It was a treat!
I live in a ground-floor apartment in a two-level house in Koganei, a suburb west of Tokyo, where two-story homes are the norm. The owners live upstairs, and I have my own private entrance. Just across the street, there’s a nursery school, so I often see mothers riding their mamachari, mom’s bikes with baskets and child seats, bringing their little ones. I also bought a cruiser bike for commuting to campus and hauling groceries (see last pic!).
In my tatami room, I lay out futon mattresses to sleep. The scent of the woven straw mats fills the space with a fresh, woodsy aroma.
Keiko and Yuji are the hosts of my accommodations, and they gave me a warm welcome when I arrived and took the time to show me how to use the microwave oven, washer, bathtub, and drying racks. Afterwards, we strolled down to the local Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors on the corner, where they treated me to a scoop of chocolate hazelnut. It was such a sweet start to my stay!
This tatami room doubles both my kitchen table and office space, as it’s the only table in my guest house. Constantly getting up and down has definitely made me more flexible, although I do miss having the support of a chair with a backrest!
