UT Tyler Gate goes to Meiji Jingu Shrine and Imperial Palace

      Meiji Jingu Shrine is a Shintu Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. After the Emperor and Emperess passed away, people commerate their virtues by donating 100,000 tress throughout Japan and overseas and worked voluntary to create the forest around the Meiji Jungu Shrine.

We had the opportunity to witness a traditional Japanese wedding! 

    Shintu does not have a founder, a holy book, as well as the concept of religious conversation. Shintu values for example harmony with nature and virtues such as "sincere heart" or Magokoro. Shinto believes in Kami, divine spirit, that is seen in mythology, nature, as well as human beings. In Shintu, it is believe that there is an unlimited number of Kami.

You can also purchase Ema, a wooden tablet which wishes can be written down and hung around the camphor tree.

Isn't it beautiful? 

UT Tyler's GATE student's also toured the Emperial Palace! This is a brief description from the Japan National Tourism Organization, which I could not have put any better " The Imperial Palaces, where their Majesties the Emperor and Empress reside, is situated in the center of Tokyo. The palace is surrounded by a water-filled moat and tree-covered grounds - a precious taste of nature within the bustling metropolitan city" 

Imperial Palace

UT Tyler Gate at Sensoji Temple

UT Tyler GATE students and professors with Dr. Kagawa from
 Shimane University

 Sensoji is a Buddhist Temple built completed in 645, making it the oldest temple in Tokyo. Japanese legends says that two brothers in 628 fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River. The two brothers returned the statue in the river but it keeps returning to them. The temple was built nearby for the goddess Kanon.

Happy International Education Week!

             UT Tyler Holds International Education Week!!!!

Ashley Ward is AWESOMMEEE!!

This week UT Tyler is hosting different activity each day that incorporates international education. UT Tyler teaches students the importance and the benefits of international education! Being part of the GATE program as well as being born in a different country, I have experience first hand how educating yourself about cultures other than your own enables you to  achieve far more knowledge about yourself, other people, and the world you live in. 

My buddies!! Jelissa Lair and Alberto Hernandez

Today I went with my fellow GATE members to the Food of the World: Afternoon Tea Event! We tried different types of tea as well as scones, sugar, cookies, and finger food like cucumber, egg salad, and chicken salad sandwiches :) 

Bellow are the schedule for the rest of the International Education Events !!! :D 

Tuesday, Nov. 13 in the UC Ballroom 

Global Quiz Night, 6 – 8 p.m., pits students against each other for prizes. Question categories include sports, geography and science. Sponsored by the Center for Global Education and UT Tyler Honors Program.

Wednesday, Nov. 14 in the UC Ballroom

The Henna, Dress and Adornment Workshop, 11 a.m.  – 1 p.m., describes various practices of adornment around the world, including henna tattoos and forms of dress.

Thursday, Nov. 15 in the UT Tyler James H. Stewart, Jr. Administration Building, room 301

A study abroad reception, 3 – 5 p.m., is for students who have studied abroad or are interested in studying overseas. The UT Tyler Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society serves as sponsor.

Friday, Nov. 16 in the UC theater

Student Panel/Study Abroad Fair, noon – 2 p.m., allows students to learn about study abroad opportunities at UT Tyler from other students and explore different Spring Break and summer travel/study opportunities.

"Mysteries of Lisbon"

from: uttyler.edu/GATE

PRESENTS 

      Global Film Series: "Mysteries of Lisbon" 

The UT Tyler GATE (Global Awareness Through Education) is hosting a film night tomorrow night, September 11,  in The University Center Theater at 6pm! 

"Mysteries of Lisbon

                The film follows a jealous countess, a wealthy businessman, and a young orphaned boy across Portugal, France, Italy and Brazil where they all connect with a variety of interesting individuals. This film has won numerous awards and have been praised heavily. If you like mystery, suspense, a bit of old fashion action, and crazy, twisted, story plot then you should come and watch!! 

Watch the trailer @ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1236371/

Nights in Israel

A beautiful sunset in Jerusalem

      Once we finished all of our meetings and events for the day we would usually eat dinner together. I know, food was really a theme on this trip. We would talk about the events of the day and what we thought of all of the different situations. Then we would all say goodnight. Well, kind of.

       Depending on where we were we would do one of two things. We would go to bed or we would go adventuring. Now the second sounds much more exciting I understand, but sometimes we really didn’t have a choice. When you are in the mountains of the Golan there is not much to do besides go to bed, but sometimes we would try to figure out something to do because 7:00 is just way too early to retire for the night! So we would walk around for a while, or possibly just congregate in our room and talk about anything and everything; from political issues to school work to future goals! On nights when were actually near bigger cities, we of course had to have this time for further exploration of local life. A few classmates and I would catch a cab and head into town for the night! We would walk the streets and hit up all the local shops and street venders, though we never did really buy anything. While wandering we would run into random people and get the chance to talk with them for a while. See, we REALLY looked and sounded like tourists most of the time. The usual group was me and two other girls who were also blonde and loud. So this would usually strike up a conversation asking why we were there and where we were from. Sometimes people would take an interest in what we had to say and even offer to let us interview them about our papers. Other times, which was much rarer because the Israeli people are incredibly nice, the conversation would end at a simple response of “Good luck with your class and enjoy Israel!” It was during this time that we got the opportunity to see the current Israel, and really get to know its people.

Afternoons in Israel

Afternoons in Israel

Me with my Pita!!!!!

Most afternoons were filled with adventures in eating and speaking. My adventures in cuisine, I admit, may have been limited to mainly Pita bread but that was only because it was so delicious! I am not sure why I was so obsessed with the idea of stuffing bread full of falafel, shawarma, veggies, and humus, but for some reason I could not get enough! Almost every chance I got I would eat Pitas and Humus. There were a few times I would experiment with other types of food like soups and pastas, but none could measure up to the wonder that is Israeli Pitas!

After these adventures, we would make time for meetings with Israeli professionals. We got to talk with members of Knesset (this is like Israeli Congress), Demographic experts, Terrorism victims, city officials in the Golan, local members of Kibbutz, and military professionals. It gave us the opportunity to ask the questions our questions about the Israeli Palestinian conflict and get an answer from people who are on the front lines of the conflict. We were able to get great answers and honest perspectives from people that we learned to really respect and admire.    

One of my favorite afternoons we got the opportunity to interview the head of the Golan Heights settlements committee. The legend goes “An Israeli woman named Romona wanted a town, so her husband went out and built her one.” Although she denies it, Romona and her husband were the original settlers in the Golan Heights. We were able to discuss the importance of the people that chose to live in the Golan, and how it feels to see a city grow from the very beginning.  I probably honestly liked this meeting because of the appeal of some sort of love story, but I also felt like the people in the Golan were very unique. The members of the committee we met with were candid and personable, at no point did I feel like they tried to dodge our questions, or talk down to us because we were only students. Absolutely a unique experience… it’s like the stuff of legends ya know?

Mornings in Israel

This sign pointed to all of the important places in or around Israel like Jerusalem or Bagdad.

So I spent the majority of my Spring break in Israel. As in that country across the ocean fondly referred to as ‘the Holy land’ not to be confused with the violent place seen on TV. I went with The Center for Global Education on a Political Science study tour. While there my classmates (who later would become my friends) studied the conflict between Israel and Palestine and talked to some crazy influential people; but we will get to all that later. I have been trying to figure out how to break this blog up, which is why it is slightly overdue. I experienced so many things in Israel and I THINK it is all very important, although the truth is some parts could probably be left out. So I am going to inform you on MY VERSION of the Israel trip and you can fill in the gaps and conclude from it whatever you wish. Deal? Deal. I am going to break this into three separate parts. Mornings, Lunch (because let’s face it meals are basically a time of day and this one happens to be my favorite), and Nights in Israel.

MORNINGS IN ISRAEL

GLOBE trotting on February 24th!

             GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) will be hosting an event on February 24th. This event will be like no other event on campus, this one will be at night going from 6 until 8. The title of this event is "Star Hunt Party". They will be meeting on the UT Tyler practice soccer field located on University Blvd and Old Omen Rd.

If you have never looked at stars or if you have but don't know what the constellations are or what they mean, then this party is for you!

Come and join GLOBE on this night of fun with all other GLOBE chapters around the world who will all be gazing at the sky.

For more information, please visit here.