My Vocation

Desire for Adventure

Ever since I was little, I have always had an adventurous spirit (and sometimes maybe too adventurous). I tended to be the child with dirty hands and a scraped chin after climbing up a tree or running too quickly for my feet to keep up on the pavement. It’s a bit of a joke in the family because I always seemed to return from a trip with an injury whether falling off a ledge in Dharamsala or tripping over a Banyan tree root at Angkor Wat. Although I have experienced my fair share of wounds from adventure, they have never kept me from continuing to explore and see what the world has to offer.

My motivation for adventure comes from my parents. I am so lucky to have parents that are eager to seek out new and interesting parts of the world whether hiking in the foothills of Hanoi, Vietnam or walking through the markets of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey. I am so fortunate to have been to so many beautiful places and cities including Cusco, Jerusalem, Vienna, Muscat, Luang Prabang, Brussels, and Shanghai. Throughout all of our travels they have showed me that all you need in life is a backpack, a passport, and a strong desire for adventure. All that’s left is to take the first step. Traveling has helped shape who I am today through developing a greater understanding of the world in terms of its thriving cultures and diverse peoples. There are so many beautiful places and beautiful people to see and meet.

New Beginnings

At the age of 3, my family decided to make a huge transition by moving halfway across the world. My parents took jobs at an international school so we packed up our bags in Bellingham, Washington and flew to New Delhi, India. My dad always tells me the story that prior to leaving we went to a clinic to receive the highly recommended vaccines for India. He asked the doctor what vaccines we should get since we were moving to India and the doctor quickly retorted, “Oh I would not take children to India. It’s too dangerous.” Although I was too young to understand it at the time, that story sticks with me because of how different my experience was compared to his remarks. It seems like this doctor had never been to the country so his mind was flooded with misconceptions.

Looking back, I could not have asked for a more vibrant, chaotic, and fulfilling childhood. Everyday was a constant adventure and my family took full advantage of all that India had to offer. During weekends and vacations we explored all parts of India including New Delhi, Rajasthan, Kerala, Jaipur, Mumbai, Goa, Kesroli, and so many other places. Throughout all of these locations, I was exposed to diverse peoples, foods, languages, local customs, landscapes, and lifestyles.

Although I will always remember the wonderful moments, they are not without the overwhelming and hectic stories that make India unique. In New Delhi the traffic was always loud and messy especially when a cow would be perched in the middle of the road. The air was filled with soot and dust especially after the Diwali festivities when the whole city would be lighting fireworks. The streets tended to have trash scattered along the roadsides. India can without a doubt be a frustrating place. Nothing seemed to go right and a million things (some you never thought possible) can go wrong.

Helping Others

Unfortunately there was also an overarching element of poverty. As a small child, I remember one Sunday morning I went to Sarojini Nagar, a local neighborhood market with just about everything you could imagine, with my mom to buy new clothes. We were passing by a few stores when I saw an old man sitting with limbs only up to his knees on a wheeled stool against the glass windows. He was draped in an off-white piece of clothing with small tears and had a turban wrapped around his head. He was very frail as it was possible to see his rib cage and he appeared to only have one eye. He sat hunched over, unable to support what little weight he had. Next to his limbs was a basket that had a few rupees in it. I distinctly remember seeing this man in such a disheartening condition and wondering why he was alone and why no one was helping him. It was in this moment that I could remember becoming exposed to the unfairness and uncertainties of the world that forced certain people to be put in demanding situations. I had no idea who this man was or what had happened to him but all I knew was that I wanted to help him.

Unfortunately there are many impoverished individuals and families, just like this man, living in India. So while I loved my time in India experiencing the culture, there was also a contrast. Living in India gave me the opportunity as a young child to be aware of the disproportions of wealth in society. This was one of the first moments of my life where I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to helping those less fortunate and those in need.

Change Is Not Always a Bad Thing

After 10 unforgettable years in New Delhi, it was time to leave and start a new chapter of my life as my family was moving to Tokyo, Japan. Although I am Japanese American, I had not lived there since I was a one-year old. While I enjoyed visiting Japan as a child, going to sacred temples, eating Udon (for practically every meal), and visiting family in Fukuoka, I was distraught by the fact that I had to leave all of my friends and my home in New Delhi. The first few weeks in Tokyo were an adjustment. I had never changed schools in 10 years so I was forced to make a whole new group of friends. As a teenager this felt like the most challenging things I would ever have to face. However soon enough through classes and sports I had made a group of friends that I would continue to keep in contact with after high school as well as developed a deep love for Japan. This country filled with rich traditions and festivals, polite individuals, clean streets, and efficient public transportation. Even though I was upset about leaving India, this experience taught me that change is a wonderful thing. At the time, change may appear to be difficult and unnecessary but in the end I have found that it is always worth it. Changing schools and countries helped me grow as an individual by putting me into a tough and new situation. It forced to step out of my comfort zone by engaging with new students and a culture that I only had limited exposure. Through this chance I was able to develop skills that would carry throughout my life and play a special role especially transitioning to college.

SCU: Undeclared – College of Arts & Sciences

Coming to Santa Clara my freshman year, I was undeclared in the College of Arts and Sciences. I had no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of life but I was optimistic that I would be able to figure it out in the next four years. During my freshman year I enrolled in mostly core classes to test the waters for different majors like sociology, history, math, and psychology. While they were all interesting they did not quite capture my attention so I was still on the search. For my sophomore year I continued to try different majors including political science, philosophy, and economics but it was not until my first public health and environmental studies classes that I truly found my passions. I believe everyone deserves a happy and healthy life and that begins with the promotion of wellness and prevention of disease within communities. Additionally with the accelerating rate of climate change and all of its effects on the planet, I think it is more important than ever to consciously make an effort to support and learn more about the environment so that nature and humankind can continue to flourish.

8 Years Later: Heading Home

When I heard about the Global Social Benefit Fellowship, I knew this was exactly the type of opportunity where I would be able to make a positive long-lasting impact on people’s lives. This adventure is going to be particularly special because I could not be more excited to venture back to India where I discovered my love for helping others. There will be many challenges, uncertainties, and changes along the way but I am confident in my past experiences, skills, and education at Santa Clara. I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to help Awaaz.De increase their social impact in rural communities throughout India.