On the plane from Japan, smiling to hide the pain…
Hi! My name’s Anastasia Rivera and I’m a sophomore at the College of William and Mary. I hope to graduate double-majoring in Philosophy and East Asian Studies. I’ve always been interested in Japan, from when My Neighbor Totoro was the most played VHS in my house to manga hidden in my high school textbooks. It wasn’t until I came to college that I realized I can learn so much about Japanese society. Now, I’ve spent the past year and a half discovering various cultural traditions in literature, anime, and in-person as I studied abroad last winter. And I definitely want to return soon! I’m excited to understand how Japan’s been able to create a distinct presence worldwide as we work through this class material.