*Languages: Japanese
Julie is from Norfolk, VA and currently attends Coastal Carolina University as an undergraduate senior. She is a NSLI-Y Finalist- for Korean (Jeonju) in Summer 2015. This piece is part of the NSLI-Y Alumni Insights Virtual Event.
Reflecting on my study abroad in Japan, I credit the thin paperback that inspired me to pursue Japanese Studies. At the young age of thirteen, I became engrossed in John Hersey’s Hiroshima. I felt a connection—even if it was only a shared humanity—to the people retold in Hersey’s account. I wanted to know them and, as preposterous as it may sound, I wanted to ensure no one had to endure that suffering again. But, despite my reading in English, I soon realized my lack of Japanese was a handicap that I had to overcome to understand others.
At the age of twenty, I stood feet away from the epicenter I had only heard of through my reading. I spoke with a hibakusha (survivor of the nuclear bomb) while struggling to hold back tears. My Japanese (albeit not perfect) was sufficient to carry a conversation at this point. As a thirteen-year-old child, I never imagined my years of self-study would culminate to a first-hand experience a few feet away from one of humanity’s worst atrocities.
During my brief excursion to Hiroshima, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. To my bewilderment, tourists and residents alike were enjoying picnics within view of the epicenter. At first, I scoffed at them in disgust. To me, merriment on the soil where thousands of people died instantaneously was blasphemous. Yet, as I reflect on the stark contrast between the cherry blossoms and the atomic bomb dome, I consider that Saturday afternoon in Hiroshima.
The scene of families and friends gathered beneath the cherry blossoms in juxtaposition to the desolate atomic bomb dome represented the broader progression of Japan as a country. Seventy-three years ago, Japan was a barrack state where the kempeitai (military police) arrested anyone with the slightest inclination against the leadership of Japan. Now, people from around the world can freely congregate in the Peace Memorial Park. Advocates of Article 9 (the clause of Japan’s constitution that prohibits engaging in armed conflict) open a dialogue about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s proposed revisions. People from around the globe can collaborate to solve conflict. Today’s Hiroshima is the antithesis of the Hiroshima in World War II.
Almost a year removed from that day in Hiroshima, I continue to think about how that experience affected my trajectory as an aspiring Foreign Service Officer. The snapshot of Hiroshima was more than a picture of Japan. The image of Hiroshima that day was a depiction of humanity’s ability to rise from the ashes of war to enter an era of cooperation and conflict mitigation. Our capacity to connect transcends the limits of written and oral communication. Visitors from Taiwan, Germany, China, and the United States enjoy the company of one another irrespective of their governments’ disputes.
I seek to preserve that image in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park as I further my foreign language study. Yes, I will admit my effort learning Japanese helped me better comprehend the scars left seventy-three years ago. However, the message I received in Hiroshima was not communicated by language. It was communicated through a mutual humanity.
Meet Julie!
"I began self-studying Japanese (and other East Asian languages) since high school. My efforts have afforded me various opportunities to study abroad through NSLI-Y (Korean) and Bridging Japan. Upon receiving my BA in History and National Security, I will pursue a graduate degree in International Affairs."
Photos (top to bottom, left to right)
Photo by Julie Emory
Photo by Banter Snaps on Unsplash: “A long long time ago” - Hiroshima, Japan
Photo by Kelly Russo on Unsplash (Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima, Japan -- her grandfather survived the atomic bomb dropped here.)
Photo by Banter Snaps on Unsplash (biking) -- Hiroshima, Japan
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