Differences and a Curry Feast

by Kendyl Silveus – 2nd year Film Production Major

Our trip to Japan has not been identical to what I expected. 

By no means does this indicate that the trip has been negative. Rather, I have been very pleased with the current state of this course. As part of the crew for the documentary, I have been able to interact with the Asian Rural Institute from a unique perspective. Thus far, the approach has included us as both observers of and participants in the program. We rise early with the rest of the campus for morning exercise at 6:30 am, then move to the fields or animal pens in order to aid the harvest of ARI’s organic crops and animal products. While working, it is common to interact with others around you. I have enjoyed getting to know participants of the ARI program, and I appreciate that aspect of this trip.

On May 11th, we continued to interact with participants through the curry workshop, led by Vero, the caretaker of the Nasu Seminar House. Vero comes from Nagaland, a state in Northern India. He instructed us on how to cook traditional curry. Many used pork as a protein for their curry, however, I am a vegetarian. 

While here, I have talked to citizens of Japan who either are or desire to be vegetarian, but they have stated that it is hard to do so in Japan. Despite this, ARI makes an effort to provide options for many diets, especially considering that their participants hail from different cultures, religions, and regions across the world. Vero was understanding, and he provided vegetables and egg for the curry we were to make for me and a vegetarian participant.

For me personally, the curry dinner has been a major highlight of the trip, I tend to shy away from spicy food, but I was willing to be bold with this dish, and at the end of the night, many agreed that the vegetarian curry had turned out quite spicy. Sitting with my peers and the ARI participants, we talked, listened to music, and ate the curry together. Watching everybody smile and enjoy the result of our work made me feel proud and grateful to live in the moment.

The companionship I have found on this trip has been clear. Everyone works closely, as a team, to make sure that we are moving forward, despite the presence of two separate crews. Though I am the photographer, and not part of either group, both have a welcoming energy meant to build each other up, and I am extremely grateful to be part of this experience.