Download a PDF of the 2013 Interim Semester Handbook.

The Old and The New: A Cultural Odysseyin Japan GS14JAPANGLOBAL STUDIESSponsorDan SkiminJay KumpelPriceS$4,000Course Length7 daysPost-Interim Experience:Parent’s night / OnlineReflectionsDescriptionAs they race to develop, many countries lose touch with the cultural heritagethat, for generations,helped hold the fabric of their society together. Japanis a case study for a country that, while experiencing rapid economic andtechnological development, has maintained its cultural/historic identity whileracing to embrace modern society.Through this Interim Semester Course, students will have the opportunityto experience old and modern Japan in a sensory and intimate way. Theywill discover evidence of Japan’s layered past in Kyoto, juxtaposed withthe innovative architecture and frenzied pace of Tokyo today. Throughpersonal interactions during a homestay or meeting Japanese HS students,participants will learn the character and values of the Japanese identity.Students will travel on a Shinkansen, Japan’s iconic bullet train, to visitspecific shrines and historical sites that relate the old Japan to the new. InKyoto, Geishas and Buddhist priests are often glimpsed drifting through theold quarters and at various cultural sites. We will reflect on their presenceand study their history. In Kyoto, students will sleep on tatami mats in aryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.For two nights and one full day, students will stay alone with a Japanesefamily in Hiroshima to gain first-hand experience of modern Japaneseculture and lifestyle. We will also visit Atomic Bomb Memorial and PeacePark as well as the Yamato museum to see the resilience and bravery of theJapanese people. These experiences will provide insight to the peacefulnature of the Japanese, in contrast with the warrior spirit of their past.Through these students will gain a better understanding of the connectionmodern Japan has with its past.Objectives• Students will gain an understanding of the historical context of theJapanese culture through interactive experiences with Japanese people,both adults and high school-age students.• Students will gain an insight into Buddhism and Shintoism and how suchbeliefs have colored Japanese culture and tradition for centuries andcontinue to do so today.RequirementsPre-Course requirements:• Students will attend all scheduled meetings and read articles to gain anideas of Japanese history and culture.• Each student will be responsible for his / her visa if need to submit allrequired forms and paperwork.Post-Course requirements:• Students will create and present a photo essay depicting one aspect ofJapanese society that they believe shows the contrast between historicaland modern day life.SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL interim semester HANDBOOK 45