East Asian
Studies
Alumni Newsletter
VOLUME V, FALL 2011
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
In memory of Meiqing Zhang
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East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
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East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Contents
Letter from the Chair ................................................... 8
Remembering Meiqing Zhang ................................... 10
Faculty News................................................................ 20
Toshiko Wilkner & Fumiko Yasuhara ........................ 30
Class of 2011 ................................................................. 36
Summer in China..........................................................38
Alumni Notes .............................................................. 44
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East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Letter from the Chair
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a year ago. Meiqing Zhang’s death in February, after a long
and hard fought battle with cancer, shook us all. She had
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to imagine either without her. This year’s annual newsĥ
letter celebrates Meiqing’s life and contributions, and ofĥ
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some of their favorite memories and stories about her. As
you’ll see, there are a great many. Thanks to all of you who
shared something with us. We’ll make sure that Meiqing’s
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butions of two other
colleagues.
Toshiko
Wilkner and Fumiko
Yasuhara, both Teachĥ
ing Associates in the
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both had been at Brown for many years. Toshiko startĥ
ed teaching for East Asian Studies in 1989, and Fumiko
joined her two years later. Their enthusiasm and creativĥ
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colleagues and students.
Meiqing had been so
much a part of the Department and the Chinese language program,
for so many years, that it
has been hard to imagine either without her.
We also note, and are grateful for, the continued generosĥ
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8
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the newsletter.
Current concentrator
Nicholas Cavell’s reĥ
Their enthusiasm and
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creativity in the classSURMHFW KH SXUVXHG LQ
room shaped the learn1DQMLQJUHJDUGLQJSULĥ
ing experience for stuYDWH DQG SXEOLF FDUH
dents of Japanese across
for the elderly in Chiĥ
more than two decades.
na, is also featured in
this issue. Nic’s sumĥ
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share Arun’s commitment to the study of China, and who
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this year, for travel, study and research to be conducted
in 2012.
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willing to talk with Brown undergraduates about your
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Chair, East Asian Studies
9
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Remembering Meiqing Zhang
Retired Department Manager Ann Devine and Meiqing Zhang
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it became clear to me that my graduation gift would be
dedicated to her.
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She was a wonderful, kind teacher and I think it would
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and I know they all feel the same way, too.
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,KDYHKDGWKHSOHDVXUHRIEHLQJWDXJKWE\=KDQJLaoshi,
Wilkner Sensei, and Yasuhara Sensei during my time at
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and interactive, but shared their culture with students,
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sei, as well as all the Laoshis and Senseis I studied under, I
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my view of the world, and my goals for the future. I am
truly grateful to Zhang Laoshi, Wilkner Sensei, and Yasuĥ
hara SenseiDQGWRWKHHQWLUH($6GHSDUWPHQWIRUVKDSLQJ
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Whenever I am climbing to
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Zhang laoshi, taken from us
so suddenly. It is very hard
for us who have worked
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reality that she will not be
working with us, laughing
with us, enjoying all the
good things with us anyĥ
11
I think it would be
hard for me to overestimate the impact
she and my other
first-year Chinese
teachers have had
on my life.
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
more. Meiqing’s integrity, courage, kindness and modesty
touched our lives in so many ways.
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with her several times since coming to Brown. Meiqing
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ed a lot from her students
and her colleagues as well.
It was her voice, and
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her example, that refor many years. She always
minded us, again and
insisted that grading of
again, of what was
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most important to us
the day it was held, so all
as teachers, as colWKH FRĥLQVWUXFWRUV ZRXOG
leagues, as friends.
start working the minĥ
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brought into the conferĥ
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But those who were in the race also knew that Meiqing
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homemade meat balls and veggies, the night before and
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Zhang laoshi\RXZLOOEHJUHDWO\PLVVHG
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ness as we lost our beloved colleague and friend, Meiqĥ
12
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stored her boundless energy in such a small body. I miss
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and strong she was. I am truly fortunate to have known
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Meiqing joined the faculty in
I am truly forEast Asian Studies in 1988, at
tunate to have
a time when we were a much
known such a
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special person.
more than 20 years that we were
lucky enough to have Meiqing
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years of great change for us, and of tremendous growth
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Meiqing was a teacher of immense talent, enthusiasm,
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a quick, brilliant smile to the classroom, and to all her
encounters with students. Firm, even strict when she
needed to be, Meiqing’s every instinct and method was
focused on making absolutely sure that her students were
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to her craft, and to her students. Meiqing’s insistence on
getting the lesson right, on getting the homework graded,
13
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Meiqing’s meticulousness in work
and passion for life
left a great impression on me.
Fall 2011
on meeting with just one
more student to give them
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ing to class, even as her illĥ
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And students?
Students
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great. I loved being in her class. She is always enthusiasĥ
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others wrote:
Zhang laoshi is adorable.
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I liked Zhang laoshi¶VH[DPSOHVDERXWKHUIDPLO\DQG
about Michael Jackson.
for whom Brown is now home. To them she showed
the same commitment, the same conviction , the same
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the teacher we all wanted to be, that model of skill, huĥ
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left us, her students, wanting to learn still more. Those
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after year, Meiqing worked her magic in the classroom,
owe so much to her.
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know why, or course. We can answer that question. Even
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words, her warmth and her generosity.
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Chair of East Asian Studies
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dressed Meiqing directly:
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lucky to be taught by you.
Meiqing was also a teacher of teachers. In her many
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tations, she sought to share what she had learned about
teaching Chinese, and the techniques she herself had
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tion of teachers. This she did at Middlebury to great
acclaim. But this was a role she also embraced at Brown,
with characteristic intensity.
Meiqing was a mentor to so many of our faculty, from
those who were here for only a short while, to those
14
I still clearly remember
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You’re an amazing
ing’s daughter Rindy, for
teacher. All your
one year. Rindy continued
students are lucky
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to be taught by you.
and we met in Tokyo with
Meiqing’s sister. One time
we had sushi and the other
time we went out to an organic food restaurant. It was
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her from Heaven.
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15
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
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I’ve been grieving for the loss of our wonderful and irĥ
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utmost to carry on Meiqing’s legacy.
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Lecturer in Chinese
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students, and her determination and desire to constantly
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year Chinese class during the last semester she taught at
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observation with the EAS community:
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academic year, EAS
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to three of our most
devoted teachers and
wonderful colleagues.
I have known Meiqĥ
ing Zhang, Toshiko
Wilkner, and Fumiko
Yasuhara during my
entire career at Brown.
They were here when I
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to have had a chance to teach with them, since we taught
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of us with their love for life and students and their enĥ
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WKHPHPRULHVWKDWZHVKDUHGWRJHWKHUGHDUO\,SUD\IRUD
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NRZKRPXVWEHHQMR\LQJWKHLUOLIHDIWHU%URZQDVKDSS\
retirees.
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Her dedication to teachtroducing background
ing Chinese language
knowledge of the new
and culture, her devotion
essay assigned for
to the Chinese program
this class. The essay
and students, and her dewas written by a well
termination and desire to
known linguist and
constantly improve hertranslator at Beijing
self in knowledge, peda8QLYHUVLW\ -L ;LDQOLQ
gogy, and teaching skills
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have set up a professionbeauty and character
al model for all of us.
of the lotus. Meiqing
began the new lesson
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They set a wonderful example for all of us with
their love for life and students and their enthusiasm and professionalism
for their work. I’ll cherish
the memories that we
shared together dearly.
As we share with each other many of Meiqing’s life stoĥ
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cessful as it brought vivid and concrete images, colors,
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values directly to the classroom. I noticed that all stuĥ
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ground materials into her class and her students were
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16
17
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
tual information about the essay they were studying.
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historical events and social transformations in modern
Chinese history. When she talked about the symbolic
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ing to students other well known short essays on the
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tions for the class were truly admirable. In just about
half an hour, she brought to her students in a vivid
and highly accessible fashion a wealth of information
concerning modern Chinese history and society, and
traditional Chinese values and aesthetics.
I walked away from Meiqing’s class with great admiraĥ
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students. As a faculty member teaching literature and
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tegrates so brilliantly the essentials of both language
and content teachings. This is one of most fascinating
Chinese classes I have ever observed at this level and
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advanced Chinese courses.
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Meiqing: You were the greatest mom, most dedicated
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18
19
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Faculty News
Ayumi Nagatomi MRLQHGWKH'HSDUWPHQWWKLVIDOODQG
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enhancing networking across institutions.
She is interested in ways to nurture better learner auĥ
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American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
Ī$&7)/ī2UDO3UR¿FLHQF\,QWHUYLHZĪ23,ī
Sam Perry has reĥ
cently returned from a
junior sabbatical in the
San Francisco Bay Area,
during which time he
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nese Studies, at the
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nia, Berkeley, and at the
Center for Advanced
Study in the Behavioral
Sciences at Stanford
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rean literature and critiĥ
cism, he was recently
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I now simply have a
more realistic idea of
life of a Westerner in
Beijing, and a better understanding of my own
limitations in the context of cultural learning. I have learned to
accept these limitations
and, instead of seeing
them as an obstacle to
realizing my goal of living in China, I now see
them as an integral and
important part of any
future experience I may
have in China.
Doron Shiffer-Sebba
20
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Janine Sawada is continuĥ
Previously, I had
ing her research into the
viewed the Chinese
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language as a useful
associated with Mt. Fuji
tool for my future
during the seventeenth and
career – but now as
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I realize the faces
cially the visual and audiĥ
of people and the
tory dimensions of their
culture that are atuse in ritual. In March 2011
tached to this lanVKH SUHVHQWHG D SRUWLRQ RI
guage, Chinese has
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truly grown and
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taken shape.
at the Society for the Study
Juhee Kwon
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in conjunction with the anĥ
nual Association for Asian
Studies meeting in Honolulu. In August she travelled to
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Her translations of and commentaries on the writings of
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21
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
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of Japanese Philosophy Ī8QLYHUVLW\ RI +DZDL¶L 3UHVV ī
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Hiroshi Tajima: Last year, we lost Meiqing, and Fuĥ
miko and Toshiko retired. I miss them very much. I have
wonderful memories with all of them. They were all great
teachers.
This year I would like
to research the use
In the beginning of the
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program, we could talk
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about small things like
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where we came from and
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what we did during the
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day. By the end of the
%HFDXVH -DSDQHVH VRĥ
program, we were able
ciety has changed
to carry on conversations
drastically over the
about China’s one child
last twenty years, I
per family policy, urban
strongly feel that it is
development and the
necessary for me to
wealth gap between the
investigate how the
big cities and the small
XVHRISROLWHDQGKRQĥ
villages, or the maleRUL¿F H[SUHVVLRQ KDV
dominated society and
changed in the lanĥ
its effects on society as a
guage between Senĥ
whole.
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Cynthia Fong
lege students. I would
also like to know how
PXFKVWXGHQWVDUHRɱHQGHGE\DVSHDNHUGXULQJDQDUJXĥ
ment in class discussion and how this has changed over
time.
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classical Chinese essays to enthusiastic students and readĥ
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My students should know how to counter argue against
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-DSDQHVHSHRSOHIHHOWKH\ORVHWKHLUIDFHRUSHUVRQDOGLJQLĥ
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and our students, we once
Although I had
again had an enjoyable afĥ
two wonderful and
WHUQRRQ6WXGHQWVGLVSOD\HG
productive
years
their creativity and language
studying Chinese
achievements through singĥ
at Brown, the exLQJ DFWLQJ VSHDNLQJ DQG
perience of studyRWKHUSHUIRUPDQFHV0\FROĥ
ing Chinese in
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China was a great
of them.
contrast to the one
in the U.S. Because
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of programmatic
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features such as the
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language pledge,
which was initiated in 2008
host family, and loWR KHOS ERWK &KLQHVH DQG
cal field trips in Bei(QJOLVK OHDUQHUV ¿QG PRUH
jing, I was no longer
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reluctant to speak
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to native speakers
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and ask what I used
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to consider “stupid”
vanced Chinese classes were
questions.
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Phan Ha
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22
23
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
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for their feedback and
encouragement.
I quickly realized how
As a new academic year
familiar I would beDSSURDFKHV ZH DUH DOO
come with this dance,
looking forward to
an exchange combinBrown’s Year of China
ing strange gestures
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and repeated words
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and phrases, all in an
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attempt to ask an emsection on the YOC
barrassingly
simple
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question. It would reevery week for a Chiĥ
peat with strange store
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workers, cab drivers,
used in daily life. Even
and even my language
if you’ve studied Chiĥ
partner, a Chinese colnese before, you still
lege student assigned to
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supplement my studies
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with daily conversation.
To make matters worse,
after four days I was exHye-Sook Wang: I
pected to do the same
have returned to my
with my program classregular teaching and
mates. The short period
research schedule after
in which we could take
serving as the Interim
reprieve from linguistic
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frustration and enjoy
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the familiar motions of
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English in our mouths
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felt all too short. I was
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not looking forward to
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securing
friendships
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with a meager vocabu&XOWXUH DQG 6RFLHW\´
lary of weather condiDQG ³%HJLQQLQJ .RUHĥ
tions and food items.
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Geoff Sedor
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lot of reading and grading to do but I immensely enjoyed
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ergetic, and engaging.
24
25
On the research side,
I enjoyed taking advanthe year has been full
tage of the 6 hours of
of activities. I edited
instruction per day as a
another volume of
chance to really internal.RUHDQ /DQJXDJH LQ
ize a lot of the language,
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and then venture into
journal of the Ameriĥ
the local community to
can Association of
practice. I became very
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adept at combining my
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increased linguistic skills
have been serving as
into some cultural pracHGLWRU IRU VL[ \HDUV
tices I also came to enjoy.
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Austin Whittaker
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in the Classroom, and
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cluded in the book 7HDFKLQJDQG/HDUQLQJ.RUHDQDVD)RUĦ
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nual conference in Seoul this August. I have been a regular
lecturer for the National Consortium for Teaching about
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East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
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America.
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Committee at Brown, the National Review Committee
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national Education, and the National Advisory Board
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in addition to several small committees.
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fading from cinema studies,
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light. Ranging from mainland
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cy, transnational feminism, and transborder Chinese
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Yang Wang , RɱHUHG D QHZ DGYDQFHG &KLQHVH FRXUVH
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and read current news and commentary from various Chiĥ
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VLWHV%\LQWHUYLHZLQJQDWLYH&KLQHVHVSHDNHUVDQGUHDGLQJ
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great deal from students’ discussions and writings.
My book, %DVLF6SRNHQ&KLQHVH3UDFĦ
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ume, ,QWHUPHGLDWH 6SRNHQ &KLQHVH
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LQJī
Recently I’ve been focusing my reĥ
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Chinese. I attended the 9th Internaĥ
tional Conference on Chinese Lanĥ
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HO:ULWLQJ([HUFLVHV&RPSDUDWLYH5HVHDUFKRQWKH7H[Wĥ
books ,QWHJUDWHG &KLQHVH and ([FKDQJH´ ZKLFK ZDV DOVR
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, DP DOVR ZRUNLQJ RQ D GLJLWDO SUHVHQWDWLRQRI ($6 DQG
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cinating stories with the EAS community and encourage
our current students to stay in touch after Brown.
Liu Wei: I have been teaching Chinese, in Beijing, China
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27
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
here. I am currently teaching Beginĥ
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relations, aesthetics, architecture, economics and current
social issues, to enhance students’ academic Chinese and
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When I was talking to a woman working at
our hotel she told me something that really
changed my thoughts. She pointed out that
China is an enormous country with a gigantic
population, embracing many different cultures.
As long as you speak standard Mandarin, you
are just like any other Chinese person whose
mother tongue is something other than standard Mandarin. Her words felt like a warm embrace, whispering into my ears I could be just
like one of them.
Stephanie Koo
Brown’s Year of China: “China Through the Lens” Film Series
One of several <HDURI&KLQDHYHQWVWKLV)LOP6HULHVH[SORUHVWKHKLVWRU\DQG
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the Lensµ
28
29
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Toshiko Wilkner & Fumiko Yasuhara
they taught me new ways of thinking. Being with young
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member all your names, but faces, I do remember. Every
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Thank you everybody,
Toshiko Wilkner.
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The main reason was that my daughter, who lives in LA,
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half year old boy. That means she needed more than a litĥ
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quite a bit.
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WKH UHOD[LQJ TXLHW OLIH MXVW HQMR\LQJ SDLQWLQJ DQG GUDZĥ
ing and reading books. Though I have to say it is a joy to
have grandchildren. Watching their growth is kind of like
teaching.
I do miss being with young students. I want to thank all
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most 20 years. They made me discover so many things,
30
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of recommendation letters, I found a letter from one of
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WLRQ$OWKRXJKZHZHUHUDLVHGLQYHU\GLɱHUHQWFXOWXUHV
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:KHQ\RXZHUH\RXQJ\RXFDPHWRWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVLQ
VHDUFKRIQHZH[SHULHQFHVDQGEHJDQWHDFKLQJ-DSDQHVH
to American students. As a young man, I am headed to
-DSDQWRWHDFKP\ODQJXDJH(QJOLVKWR-DSDQHVHVWXGHQWV
I admire what you have achieved and I will strive to emuĥ
ODWHWKHH[DPSOH\RXKDYHVHW´
,W ZDV P\ JUHDW SOHDVXUH WR VHH KRZ PXFK VWXGHQWV DFĥ
FRPSOLVKHGGXULQJWKHLU%URZQOLIH
Best wishes to you all,
Fumiko Yasuhara
31
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
I just wanted to wish
:LONQHUĥsensei
and
<DVXKDUDĥsensei well.
What a loss to have
them both leave at
the same time. They
were tough ladies,
but wonderful teachĥ
HUVĥWKH\KHOSHGDUP
me well for my junior
\HDU DEURDG DW .HLR
$QG , DSSUHFLDWHG
WKDW :LONQHUĥsensei
would come to my
Brown
Orchestra
concerts. I will alĥ
ways remember her
ZKLVSHULQJLQP\HDU
after one concert
how she thought the
FHOORĪP\LQVWUXPHQWī
ZDVVR³VH[\´$OOWKH
best to them both.
ħ$P\7XQLV6KLQNĥ
man, Class of 1997
Fall 2011
Back in the US, speaking
Chinese was academic
and sometimes seemed
like a novelty—something fun to do but if I had
to say anything important
I could always fall back
on English. This is obviously not so in China, and
while I knew this cerebrally, I had not really felt
the truth of the matter:
the truth that without this
language, I would have
no way to communicate
with the great majority of
China’s 1.3 billion citizens.
There is an untold power
in something as simple as
being able to communicate effectively, and I have
gained a new appreciation for all language as a
whole.
Richard Buesa
Thanks for letting us know about the recent retirement
RI:LONQHUĥsensei DQG<DVXKDUDĥsensei. I wanted to thank
them and the other instructors in the Brown East Asian
6WXGLHVGHSDUWPHQWIRUWKHODQJXDJHVNLOOVWKH\LPSDUWHG
WRPH/HDUQLQJ-DSDQHVHKDVVKDSHGP\FDUHHUDQGSHUĥ
VRQDOOLIHLQLPSRUWDQWZD\V
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,MXVWUHWXUQHGKRPHIURP7RN\RZKHUH,SKRWRJUDSKHG
IRRG IRU D -DSDQHVH FRRNERRN HPSKDVL]LQJ WKH DHVWKHWĥ
LFVRI³2PRWHQDVKL´,ZDVJUDVSLQJWRUHFDOOP\ODQJXDJH
VWXGLHVZLWK<DVXKDUDĥVDQDQG:LONQHUĥVDQ
32
<DVXKDUDĥVDQ DQG:LONQHUĥVDQ ZHUH ERWK YHU\ HQHUJHWLF
and kind teachers. They were both gracious and attentive
DQG,ORYHG:LONQHUĥVDQ¶VVHQVHRIKXPRU
, UHWXUQ IDLUO\ RIWHQ WR -DSDQ WR YLVLW IDPLO\ DQG PRUH
UHFHQWO\ IRU ZRUN DQG DSSUHFLDWH WKH HɱRUWV RI DOO WKH
%URZQ -DSDQHVH ODQJXDJH SURIHVVRUV , ZLVK , FRXOG UHĥ
member more than I do, but it will be a lifelong learning
SURFHVV
ħ$\D%UDFNHWW&ODVVRI
I was fortunate to have both Yasuhara Sensei and Wilkner
SenseiGXULQJP\¿UVW\HDURI-DSDQHVHLQĥ7KH\
were wonderful teachers and I learned so much from
WKHP1RZPRUHWKDQ\HDUVODWHU,¶P¿QLVKLQJXSP\
3K'LQ-DSDQHVH$UW+LVWRU\DWWKH8QLYHUVLW\RI3HQQĥ
sylvania and will be entering the academic job market this
Fall, 2011. It has been quite a journey and to think that it
DOOEHJDQZLWKP\%DVLF-DSDQHVHFODVVLQWKH($6'HSW
DW%URZQ
ħ(ULQ.HOOH\
Class of 2002
I have a lot more confidence in my ability to
live and work in China
The thing I remember
after having survived
PRVW DERXW :LONQHUĥ
a summer there on my
sensei is the infectious
own. Renting an apartenergy she brought to
ment, taking the bus to
her classes on a daily
work every day, going
basis. I wish both
grocery shopping and
:LONQHUĥsensei and Yaĥ
learning to cook some
VXKDUDĥsensei the best.
simple Chinese dishes
ħ&DWULQD-RRV
for myself—all of these
Class of 2007
experiences made my
summer fulfilling and
While at Brown, I had
helped me become more
the great, great forĥ
independent.
tune of taking classes
Dan Towne
DWGLɱHUHQWWLPHVZLWK
33
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Fumiko Yasuhara, Toĥ
shiko Wilkner, and
Meiqing Zhang. The
quality of the language
education at Brown
SOD\HG D ODUJH SDUW LQ
my decision to double
XSRQERWK0DQGDULQ
DQG -DSDQHVH DQG D
JUHDWGHDORIWKHSURJĥ
ress I made over the
ensuing years I owe
to them. I was such
a terrible student at
¿UVWDQGLWZDVQHDUO\
XQEHOLHYDEOHWKHSDFH
at which that was
turned around. Their
humor, enthusiasm,
DQG VNLOO DV SHGDJRJV
will be sorely missed.
7R SDUDSKUDVH WKH ZRUGV RI .HUU\ 6PLWK LW¶V KDUG WR
LPDJLQHWKHGHSDUWPHQWZLWKRXWWKHP
ħ'DQLHO3HUH]&ODVVRI
Every Chinese person I
run into at Brown and
in Seoul asks me why I
study Chinese. I, as most
of the people in my Chinese class do, usually had
the typically accepted
answer, such as China’s
recent economic and social development or the
high possibility of China
rising to the world’s leading power in a near future.
Now I have a rather truistic yet sincere answer of
my own: I learn Chinese to
go back to China.
Hye Rin Park
We bid farewell to our colleagues, Fumiko and Toshiko
DWWKHHQGWKHVSULQJVHPHVWHU0\IRQGHVWPHPRULHVRI
ZRUNLQJ ZLWK )XPLNR DQG 7RVKLNR DUH UHODWHG WR IRRG
At the end of each academic year, we would give a sushi
SDUW\IRURXU¿UVWĥ\HDU-DSDQHVHFODVV,ZDVQRWDQGDP
VWLOOQRWJRRGDWPDNLQJVXVKL7KDWSDUW\ZDVRQO\SRVĥ
sible because of the hard work of these dedicated teachĥ
HUV7KH\SUHSDUHGVXVKLĥULFHDQGDOOWKHRWKHULQJUHGLHQWV
and brought them to school. Most of our students made
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PLNR DQG7RVKLNR:H ZHUH DOO IXOO DQG VDWLV¿HG WKDQNV
to them.
34
)LQDO H[DPV ZHUH DOZD\V VFKHGXOHG IURP WR SP DQG
every semester, Fumiko and Toshiko waited for me to reĥ
WXUQIURPSURFWRULQJWKHH[DPZLWK2QLJLULWDPDJRĥ\DNL
ĪUROOHGHJJGLVKīDQGRWKHUGLVKHVZLWKKRWJUHHQWHD:H
DOO DWH D GHOLFLRXV PHDO ¿UVW WKHQ VWDUWHG JUDGLQJ7KDW
was just about the best way to end the semester. The
GDXQWLQJWDVNRIJUDGLQJ¿QDOH[DPVZDVWUDQVIRUPHGLQWR
one of the most enjoyable times for me, and I was very
lucky to have colleagues like Fumiko and Toshiko. They
PXVWEHKDSSLO\SOD\LQJZLWKWKHLUJUDQGFKLOGUHQE\QRZ
and I know their grandchildren are so lucky to have them
DVWKHLU³2EDDĥFKDQ´
ħ<XNR,PRWR-DFNVRQ6HQLRU/HFWXUHULQ-DSDQHVH
There is something substantially different in
the way Chinese people, and consequently
China, function. Identifying this dissimilarity proved difficult while being occupied by
an immersive language study experience because I had very little time to deeply reflect
on the environment, but once I returned to
America I immediately missed the feeling of
freedom and possibility I had subconsciously
begun to associate with China. I realized that
a part of me is still in China, a country that I
certainly don’t fully understand but which has
definitely enticed my interest and spurred a
desire to learn more.
Jeremy Korn
35
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Class of 2011
Sarah G. Bolling
Elizabeth D. Connolly
3KL%HWD.DSSD0DJQD&XP/DXGH
Kevin P. Grubb
ZLWK+RQRUV(DVW$VLDQ6WXGLHV3UL]H
Eun-Young Jeong
ZLWK+RQRUV<LQJĦPDR$QQD.DX3UL]HLQ(DVW$VLDQ3ROLWLFV
3HDFH0DJQD&XP/DXGH
Harris T. Li
ZLWK+RQRUVLQ,QGHSHQGHQW&RQFHQWUDWLRQ
Dana C. Mirsalis
ZLWK+RQRUV(DVW$VLDQ6WXGLHV3UL]H0DJQD&XP/DXGH
Tho H. Phan
Marco A. Sanchez Junco
Arun D. Stewart
'HJUHH$ZDUGHG3RVWKXPRXVO\
36
37
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Summer in China
Thanks to the generosity of Brian Leach, several Chinese language students and East Asian Studies concentrators were able
to spend the summer of 2011 in China, intensively studying the
language or pursuing independent research and internships.
Intensive Language Study
Princeton in Beijing
Cynthia Fong
Doron Shiffer-Sebba
Jeremy Korn
Juhee Kwon
Richard Buesa
Sime Luketa (follow link for
digital story)
I am most pleased
with my experience in
China and am looking
forward to finding a
job in which I am constantly flying to China
and speaking Chinese
to communicate with
Chinese people and
newly made friends.
Caroline Guerrero
Duke Study in China
Caroline Guerrero
Geoff Sedor
Hye Rin Park
Alliance for Global Education at Fudan University
Austin Whittaker
Associate Colleges in China
Phan Ha
Interuniversity Program for Chinese Language Studies
at Tsinghua University
Stephanie Koo
Independent Research Projects & Internships
City Weekend Magazine - Beijing
Dan Towne
Genetic Research - Kunming
Noah Elbot (follow link for photo essay)
38
Arun Stewart ‘11 Memorial Fund
The Arun Stewart ‘11 Memorial Fund was established by Sunita
and Tony Stewart in memory of their son, the late Arun David
Stewart, Class of 2011, to honor his passion for Chinese language
and culture. The fund supports undergraduates in East Asian
Studies who conduct independent research projects in China, or
participate in low-paid or unpaid internships in China, or pursue intensive language studies in China. Concentrator Nic Cavell
was the first recipient of this award; he reflects on his experience
in Nanjing, China, below.
Stories
Walking through Nanjing the first day, it struck me just
how green the city is. In the summer, you can easily find
feathery green tendrils thronging for long stretches of
main road. These naturally fold into one of the city’s many
university campuses, themselves flocks of green and statues of ancient objects and classical figures.
Nanjing’s history is a long and rich one. The city was host
to six dynasties in China’s past. It served as inspiration for
the most highly regarded Chinese novel of all time: The
Story of the Stone. The man who wrote it was also in charge
of the factories that produced Nanjing’s famous “Cloud
Brocade” and the silk—famous to this day—used to make
the emperor’s clothes.
But history and culture, it would seem, are finding it increasingly difficult to make an argument for their own relevance. The pressure on young people to find a job, buy a
house, and—not before the other two—marry, is so great
that there is little time for anything, or anyone, else.
Who else, exactly? Elder care in the home is particularly
threatened by pervasive cultural change. While an overwhelming majority of elders are adamant that they want
to live with their children, the pressure on the young to
39
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
DFWLYHO\FDUHIRUWKHPVHOYHVWKHLUFKLOGUHQDQGWKHLUSDUĥ
ents can lead to decisions unthinkable even a few decades
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established over thousands of years, but it is now visibly
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EHJLQWRVHSDUDWHLQWROD\HUVOLNHVRPHWKLQJLPSURSHUO\
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EORFNVIURP1-8FDPSXVDSRHWZKRKDGEHHQIUHTXHQWĥ
LQJDWHDVKRSLQDQRWKHUGLVWULFWIRUQLQH\HDUVDUHSRUWHU
fresh out of college, struggling against the weight and
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RIDIULHQGīWKDWDJUHHGWRKRVWPHDQGWKHFRXQWOHVVVWXĥ
dents of Nanjing’s many universities, some of whom inĥ
YLWHGPHWRWHDFKDWWKHLUVXPPHUFDPSLQP\IUHHWLPH
toward the end of July.
My time in Nanjing
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sociological research
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elder care facilities in
recent years. What I
encountered through
a long series of interĥ
views were stories,
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as others were heartĥ
ening. Believe it or
not, many elders have adjusted well to nursing home life.
7KH\KDYHIRXQGPDQ\QHZIULHQGVDQGDUHDEOHWRVSHQG
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with their thoughts.
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any words I don’t know if I remain aware of the solid
foundation of words I do know. And it wasn’t just to get
by. You can bet I was having conversations about the naĥ
WXUHRI&KLQD¶VSUHVVWKHGLVDGYDQWDJHVRIIRUFLQJHYHU\
child to study both English and Mandarin in elementary
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RIDFXOWXUDOGHVHUW$QGZLWKHYHU\RQH,ZDVDOVRSUREĥ
ing those feelings about elder care that could clarify some
DVSHFWRIP\UHVHDUFK
I brought with me an
Olympus recording device,
and the urge to interview
began to present itself in
all of the weirdest places—
when listening to street
musicians; while waiting
out the torrential rain with
an old grandmother in a
small crawlspace. I was amply rewarded.
The interviews were conducted in Mandarin, allowing me
DGLUHFWRSSRUWXQLW\WRSXWP\ODQJXDJHVNLOOVWRWKHWHVW
There were many, many amateur mistakes. But with the
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I came to Brown, and my language came out the better
for it.
, IRXQG WRXFKVWRQHV WR &KLQHVH FXOWXUH LQ SHRSOH¶V VWRĥ
ries. It started with those of the elders in the homes. They
DUH VWRULHV , JR EDFN WR IUHTXHQWO\ DV , SUHSDUH D SDSHU
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I’m enrolled in this semester. But it didn’t end there. I
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waiting out the torrential rain with an old grandmother in
DVPDOOFUDZOVSDFH,ZDVDPSO\UHZDUGHG
0\ VSRNHQ &KLQHVH EORRPHG DZD\ IURP WKH VWUXFWXUHG
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:KLOHLQ1DQMLQJ,KDGDYHU\VSHFL¿FUHVHDUFKSURMHFW
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study. But the sociological structure and focus are not
40
41
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
MacMillan 115
March 22
4 – 6 PM
Sponsored by East Asian Studies and the University Committee on Japan Earthquake Relief
Karen Fischer, Geological Sciences
George Seidel, Physics
Kerry Smith, History & East Asian Studies
Terry Tullis, Geological Sciences
A Conversation with
Brown Professors
1923
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($6VRIDUDQGKDVPHH[FLWHGWRSUHVVHYHQKDUGHULQWKH
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SODQWRERWKVWXG\ODQJXDJHDQGUHVHDUFKIRUP\SURMHFW,
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after that.
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JAPAN’S
MULTIPLE
DISASTERS
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JREDFNWR&KLQDQH[WVHPHVWHU,NQRZWKDW,¶OOEHVHDUFKĥ
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even go back to the same homes I visited, but with a new
focus on just the story. I would like my EAS thesis to be a
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2011
Fall 2011
A Conversation with Brown Professors
about Japan’s Multiple Disasters
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42
43
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
Alumni Notes
.................................1988
Peter Slater: After graduĥ
ating Brown with an EAS
major in 1988, I headed east
WR -DSDQ WR OLYH DQG ZRUN
for 7 years in the real estate
and advertising industries.
,FDPHEDFNWRWKH86WR
attend Columbia Business
School, and joined Morgan
6WDQOH\¶V -DSDQHVH HTXLW\
sales desk in 1998. Having
lived away from home for
\HDUV , ¿QDOO\ FODZHG
my way back to Boston in
2004, and joined Macquaĥ
rie in early 2005 in a similar
IXQFWLRQDO UROH -DSDQHVH
HTXLW\ VDOHV , VWLOO VSHDN
-DSDQHVH ZLWK LQWHUQDO FROĥ
OHDJXHV FOLHQWV FRUSRUDWH
managements and friends,
DQG , WUDYHO WR -DSDQ VHYĥ
eral times a year for work. I
look forward to taking my
kids there one day.
in Tokyo for a number of
years, with stints in Caliĥ
IRUQLD DQG 6LQJDSRUH &XUĥ
UHQWO\ ,¶P SUDFWLFLQJ FRUĥ
SRUDWHODZDWWKH3DOR$OWR
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ternational client base.
2Q D SHUVRQDO OHYHO , JRW
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ZH DUH UDLVLQJ WZR ĪKRSHĥ
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years old.
5HFHQWO\ , JRW WR VHH 3URĥ
fessor McClain in Tokyo,
where he gave a talk on his
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was attended by Brown
graduates, including sevĥ
eral of his former students.
It was heartening to meet
with other graduates of the
Brown East Asian Studĥ
.................................1998 LHV SURJUDP ĥĥ HYHU\RQH
Jason Rabbitt Tomita: VHHPHGWREHSXWWLQJWKHLU
0\ ¿UVW MRE RXW RI %URZQ ODQJXDJHVNLOOVWRJRRGXVH
was working in Yokohama,
-DSDQIRUWKHPRELOHSKRQH
infrastructure division at .................................2000
3DQDVRQLF $IWHU JUDGXĥ Meredith Shaw: I left
ating from Harvard Law WKH 86 IRU -DSDQ EDFN LQ
6FKRRO , SUDFWLFHG ODZ 2003. I had 6 great years
44
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working in various roles: as
an engineer, grad student,
lecturer and translator. I
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.RUHD LQ 6HSWHPEHU and for the last year I have
been working as a translaĥ
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almost 8 years abroad I am
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ci. But in the meantime,
I would love to hear from
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my blog, KWWSWDVRW\RVRWĥ
ERVRWEORJVSRWFRP
.................................2001
Aya Brackett: I was in
the class of 2001 and maĥ
jored in East Asian Studies
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in Oakland, CA and work
as a freelance travel and
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lications including the New
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$SSHWLW DQG 7UDYHO /HLĥ
sure.
.................................2002
Emily Farrow: After
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45
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LQJ H[FKDQJHV DQG FXOWXUDO
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Then, in 2006 I enrolled in
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began my masters degree
at The Fletcher School at
7XIWV 8QLYHUVLW\ , JUDGXĥ
ated with a Masters in Inĥ
ternational Business, and
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FLDO¿UPLQ%RVWRQ
Erin Kelley: I would like
to announce the arrival of
my daughter Elena Sage
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Looking forward to visiting
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P\WHQĥ\HDUUHXQLRQDQGWR
sharing it with my daughĥ
ter.
East Asian Studies Alumni Newsletter
Fall 2011
.................................2004
Sara Novak: I have just
returned to Crested Butte,
Colorado from China
where I was a China Inĥ
structor for Where There
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VWUXFWRU,KHOSHGLQWUHSĥ
id American high school
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ness, diversity and beauty of
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PLQJDQGVSHQWDJRRGGHDO
of time traveling through
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ranging homestays for the
students with Tibetan noĥ
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My boyfriend of over four
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ning on getting married in
Crested Butte, Colorado in
July 2012. We will move to
Montana to snowboard for
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before relocating back to
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the end of January for the
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reconnect with those in the
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[email protected].
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Wharton/Lauder at the
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combining MBA degree
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focused international studĥ
ies. I’d be delighted to be in
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Catrina Joos: I am curĥ
rently working on my M.A.
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versity. I graduate in May
2012.
.................................2008
Charlie Custer: I’m curĥ
rently living in Beijing,
writing about the Asia tech
scene for 3HQQ 2OVRQ and
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just got married earlier this
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and street children in Chiĥ
na that still doesn’t have a
title.
.................................2009
.................................2007
more of a correlation to
East Asian Studies, and
eventually work in East
Asia.
Daniel Perez: I’m now
starting my second year at
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though unfortunately doĥ
ing nothing relevant to
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on Investigations, and have
recently gravitated toward
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.................................2011
Liz Connolly: I’m curĥ
rently working between
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AIC Education.
Dana Mirsalis: I will be
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bright research grant in
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will be conducting research
on Shinto and how it has
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forces.
Christine Lee: I am curĥ
rently working at a fashion
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Alexander Richardson:
I am still continuing on
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46
47
We want to hear
from YOU. Email
[email protected]
and keep us in the
know!
Please also contact
us if you’re interested in speaking to
concentrators about
what you did with a
degree in East Asian
Studies... Good oldfashioned campus
visits or new-fangled digital narratives are both more
than welcome.
Brown University Department of East Asian Studies Providence, Rhode Island, USA 02912