Guarino Cavazos RTGAmbassador Although the building primarily associates itself with Zen Buddhism, the influences of Shintoism are very much present in the architecture and beliefs. The intertwining of religions at this destination is fascinating and has only increased my curiosity to know more! Even outside of the temple, the bustling streets were lined with restaurants and vendors. After reading about Japanese culture and religion through a book, it was hard to envision experiencing it for myself. However, thanks to the Reading the Globe program, I got to see hundreds of sights that I would have otherwise never gotten to see. This trip felt like visiting an entirely different world that I knew so little about. Getting the opportunity to see Japan for all its vibrant colors was life-changing. After going through the temple, our group immediately went to see what delicious food we could get our hands on, and we enjoyed browsing through hundreds of hand-made items. The homey aspect of the small market made our group feel welcomed, which I am very grateful for. During this trip, I discovered a new-found sense of independence after being so far away from home. Each day in Japan, I learned new lessons about communicating with others, solving problems ? like the times we got lost ? and being open to learning new ideas from a culture that is different from ours. Throughout our trip, I introspectively realized that although I was surrounded by people from a different culture, I was more alike to them than I expected. I got to see our similarities and acknowledge our differences, which allowed us to collaborate and better understand each other. I am so happy that through this trip, I have made many new friends and have gotten closer to the staff that helped me get on my journey of international engagement. I can now say that I have learned the importance of being a part of a community on campus and having peers that I can rely on when I need help. I have learned and seen so much through TAMIU's Reading the Globe Program, and I encourage everyone to participate!
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