First Week Musings

Watsoning can be mentally challenging at times. Thankfully cherry blossoms have been my friends, gently reminding me that it's okay to live.

One week in, and I can say Watsoning is far from easy peasy lemon squeezy (not that I thought it would be). On the very first day I realized that finding focus while traveling could be a challenge—and I think it didn't even have to do with feeling jet-lagged and disoriented. Many questions have popped up, to which I don't yet have answers.

What does it mean to be a Watson Fellow? How to balance being present in the here and now, planning my next activities, and sharing my experiences online? There are so many things to do and places to go and people to meet—how to prioritize?

Most people travel for vacation or work obligations, but the Watson is for neither of these purposes. It can feel like a lot work (for the lack of a better term), but without detailed job descriptions or SOPs to guide the process. I've spent long hours researching, budgeting, bookkeeping, planning itineraries, booking transportation and accommodation, and cold-messaging potential project contacts. A significant amount of improvisation is also necessary, because border entry can be denied, flights can be delayed or canceled, restaurants (important for my project) might be fully booked out or closed when you visit, and hosts may cancel your accommodation.

But despite the difficulties, I feel extremely grateful to be where I am, and many things have felt like they were just meant to be.

After spending the first two nights in Fukuoka at a hotel, I found a lovely hostel named “Unplan”—so fitting for my situation—conveniently located in between several parks where I took walks and appreciated cherry blossoms. A day after my original host in Tokyo canceled on me, I made a post in the Vegan Japan Facebook group, through which I connected with someone who was planning to sublease his apartment for exactly the time period I’ll be in Tokyo. At a sushi restaurant that offers a vegan lunch set, I met a lymphologist who’s been vegan for 46 years and who’s allegedly treated 10,000+ patients in Thailand, incorporating dietary changes in his treatment. I’ll probably visit his practice near Bangkok later this year.

Being in Japan has also been exciting (not just because for the first time I'm in a foreign country where I'm not immediately seen as a foreigner—that is, until I speak). Growing up, my exposure to Japan was limited to TV series about the Sino-Japanese wars and a few manga series I enjoyed as a child. (Chibi Maruko-chan and Doraemon fans, anyone?) Japan wasn't even on my radar when I applied for the Watson. But a couple of years ago, I became intrigued by macrobiotics and shojin ryori (Japanese Buddhist cuisine) through a vegan friend group. I've also been curious about Okinawa, upon learning about the Blue Zone Diet, and the high life expectancy of Japanese people overall. So I came to experience first-hand Japanese food culture, especially the plant-based parts.

Having done no prior research on Fukuoka, I was surprised to find a few vegan restaurants in the city, about some of which I hope to share more in the next posts. For now, some general and maybe superficial observations and reactions:

So much pre-cooked and packaged foods are sold in convenience stores, which are everywhere!
Food portions, especially side dishes, are quite small.
Most dishes are both sweet and savory. I'm not used to so much sweetness in meals.
Other than ramen and soups, many foods are served/eaten at room temperature or cold.
Sweets can be, well, very sweet. Too sweet for me!
In about half of the meals I've had, there was one deep-fried component. I used to say that I don't eat any fried foods except for sweet potato fries and falafels. The former I have actually rarely eaten. The latter I've grown less fond of in the last months. I'm not sure I endorse fried foods, but I'd love to research more about deep frying, especially with regards to its health effects.
Soy-based seasonings and foods are a staple. I'm a big fan!

Writing this post felt challenging. In the last few days there has often been a voice in my head speaking as if I was writing here, but when I sat down to actually write, it was difficult to select what to say and to show because it seemed that I couldn't adequately capture what I experienced and contemplated no matter what. But I am not and cannot be perfect. So I'll try to not stress myself out.