El Oriente se Une al Occidente
Historia de Vida
by Kumiko Watanuki
This narrative is a telling of one person’s past, present, and future between two different worlds: East and West. Watanuki tells an extraordinary recollection of how one young woman coped, and continued to cope with Western values and beliefs that are so different from her Eastern principles. Her personal journey begins with the family and cultural history. Her espoused philosophical and ethical values are deeply rooted by blending of Shintoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. She is often asked how a person of Eastern ideas and values could function in the United States where the Western philosophy dominates.
“Not easy,” she says. She explains “When I came to the United States 40+ years ago I brought with me my own psychological and behavioral qualities, including language and the arts, religious practices, family structure, and values and attitudes. These psychological and behavioral qualities work either against each other or together to form and shape new immigrant into a participant in the culture of the United States.” In this process, she became and is a bi-cultural person.
Watanuki is a lifelong learner. As such, she was able to recognize unlimited educational opportunities in pursuing higher education in the U.S. When she was attending the Weekend College at Mundelein College in Chicago, she observed great leadership models and acquired strong educational experiences from BVM Sisters. She firmly believes that Mundelein College prepared her with a quality education as a stepping stone in the preparation of her life in the United States.
“Watanuki’s inspiring story is one of continuous growth, development and adventure. It is a testimony to all that the banquet of life has to offer from someone who continues to go back to the table for greater and greater fulfillment.” --Veronica Buckley, Adjunct Faculty, DePaul University.