The Beauty of Culturally Colorful Communities

Published 08/28/2023 in Scholar Travel Stipend

Written by Justin Yeh | 08/28/2023

Upon graduating from Harvey Mudd College in May 2023, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and travel abroad to Japan and Taiwan. As I embarked on my two-month-long journey to explore these captivating countries, I was driven by a profound desire to broaden my horizons and embrace diverse cultures.

Having spent over two decades strictly in the United States, I felt especially out of touch with my Taiwanese culture. I hoped to not only relate more to my parents’ experiences of growing up in Taiwan but also gain a better understanding of Asian culture as a whole. Just as the Milken Institute strives to accelerate progress toward a meaningful life and discover inventive ways of helping individuals, my travels through these Asian countries provided a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the rich tapestry of lifestyles and traditions that shape their people. The best way to help myself and those around me lead productive and satisfying lives—as I’ve learned from the Milken Family Foundation—is through education. By immersing myself in the vibrant societies of Japan and Taiwan, my knowledge has improved the most in two areas: cultural values and the importance of community.

I began my journey by diving straight into the heart of Japan's society. I was immediately captivated by the profound emphasis placed on honor and trust. These intrinsic values form the bedrock of Japanese culture, permeating every aspect of their daily lives. This commitment to honor fosters an environment where individuals prioritize their actions based on their impact on the collective, nurturing a society built on mutual respect and accountability. In terms of the trust that the Japanese society has in its members, a remarkable demonstration unfolded when my friends and I accidentally stepped into an express train (instead of a regular one departing from the same station) from Shimizu to Shizuoka. While on board, a crew member approached us, requesting our ticket. Not knowing that we needed a specific ticket for the express train, we explained that we must have gotten onto the wrong train. Acknowledging our honest mistake, the crew member offered a simple solution. Rather than trying to charge us on the spot (as crew members have done to me in comparable situations in New York), he showed a remarkable display of faith, instructing us to visit the ticket counter upon disembarking and notify the attendant that we needed to pay the extra fare for the express train.

With Jun, the restaurant owner.

However, as we left the train, we saw that there were no separate exits for express train and regular train passengers. The crew member’s confidence in our integrity superseded any skepticism that we would leave the station undetected amongst the regular train passengers. Of course, we respected his trust and made sure to pay the difference before leaving. Despite the trivial nature of the solution, I was taken aback because I could never see this honor system working in the United States. This incident was just one of many we encountered that stands as a testament to the remarkable honor system woven into Japan's societal fabric, one that regrettably remains scarce and susceptible to abuse in other cultural contexts.

This experience reminded me a lot about the Harvey Mudd College Honor Code that fosters trust between its students and faculty. For the past four years, as a part of this amazing community, I was able to explore an atmosphere of honesty and integrity that allowed professors to confidently give take-home exams, trust that students were collaborating appropriately (not copying!) on homework assignments, and open classrooms and other facilities for 24-hour student access. Just as I felt comfortable leaving my belongings unwatched in the open at Harvey Mudd College, I felt the same doing so in Japan, as everyone seemed to respect the community.

The warmth and friendliness displayed by the Japanese locals I encountered throughout my journey also left an impression on me. One memorable encounter took place within a humble curry shop nestled in a remote village near Izu, Shizuoka. As I wandered in looking for dinner, I was surprised to see a chalkboard menu meticulously written in both English and Japanese. The restaurant owner, Jun, was sitting at the counter playing the guitar. When he noticed our group walk in, he welcomed us and proceeded to cook the most delightful Japanese boar curry. The aromatic essence and distinct flavors were unlike anything I had ever tasted before. As we ate, Jun started introducing himself. We soon discovered that he had spent a formative period of his childhood in Pasadena, California, fueling our conversation with shared experiences and anecdotes. His excitement upon hearing that we were visiting from Los Angeles was so genuine! We mentioned how difficult getting to this village had been (we had to take two different trains and one small bus for three hours), so he shared an alternative route we could take to return to the city: a ferry ride that would replace one leg of our arduous journey. This scenic ferry ride was definitely a highlight of the trip, and we would never have known about it without Jun’s kindness.

Visiting Houjia - my mom's junior high school.

Regarding my goal to reconnect with my community and embrace my cultural roots, I was able to visit many of the places in Taiwan where my parents grew up. Witnessing firsthand the transformations that have reshaped these cities over time by comparing my own photographs with my parents’ memories proved to be an enlightening experience. Starting my journey in my mother’s hometown of Tainan, I visited Houjia Junior High School, the very institution that had shaped her adolescence throughout middle school. I shared my photographs of the campus with my mother, who was shocked by how much the school had changed over the years and all the new buildings that now adorned the neighborhood. Filled with emotions after reminiscing about her childhood in Tainan, my mother conveyed heartfelt appreciation for the unexpected surprise of revisiting her old school.

As I ventured northward from Tainan into the farmlands where one of my uncles grew up, the simplicity of the rural town provided a stark contrast to the city from which I had just departed. I can only imagine how my family dealt with the drastic change of moving from a small farm in Taiwan to a big city as hectic as Los Angeles. However, not all of my relatives were as fortunate to have had the opportunity to move to the U.S. In Taipei, I met three of my father’s eight siblings for the first time in my life, due to the fact that they had remained in Taiwan my entire life. I was awakened to a newfound perspective on the abundant opportunities that the U.S. offers. Witnessing some relatives steadfastly maintaining their roles as farmers tending to their fish farms and others working over sixty hours a week for low salaries despite being accomplished engineers, I felt a profound sense of gratitude for the endless opportunities that have arisen due to my parents’ decision to move to the U.S., persevering through numerous hardships in their pursuit of a better life for their children.

Such reflections draw parallels to the vision of the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, which endeavors to make the American Dream attainable for everyone. My parents were able to pursue and ultimately fulfill their version of the American Dream. Now, as I navigate through my own American Dream, I look forward to extending support and encouragement to anyone yearning to achieve their own version of this aspiration.

Throughout my trip to Japan and Taiwan, the exposure to different cultures and lifestyles has greatly improved my self-awareness and empathy, as I am always looking to meet people with different backgrounds so that I can learn from their stories and grow as a person. From my interactions with the Japanese locals, I was reminded of how living a meaningful life encompasses the inherent desire to extend kindness, lend a helping hand, and spread joy into the lives of others. It is through acts of altruism and compassion that we unlock the true essence of our human existence. Whether it be volunteering our time and resources for a charitable cause or simply brightening someone’s day with a compliment, every act of kindness holds the potential to transform lives and foster a sense of interconnectedness. These lessons, along with reuniting with my family in Taiwan, have really taught me how to think as a community instead of as an individual, as one so often does in an individualistic society like the U.S. To help others lead productive and satisfying lives first starts with a genuine concern for their well being, and as a Milken Scholar, I’m uniquely positioned to help bring about that change. I have learned about so many ways that different societies are structured to help others, and with the support of the Milken Foundation, I hope to bring these values and concepts into my everyday life at home, contributing to the collective well-being of humanity.

Meeting several my father's siblings for the first time.