A Japanese person whose thoughts and emotions were partly shaped in 2010s Philadelphia
Today's post is a personal recollection from the past, while reflecting on contemporary American society.
PhiladelphiaThere was a woman named Alisa, the sister of a roommate from my Temple University days. She studied Art Education and worked as an art teacher at a public middle school in Philadelphia. Looking at her profile recently, it seems she is now working as a server at a restaurant.
In Japan, people might wonder, "Why, after getting a teaching license?"
But to me, it seemed strangely natural. That is because it is the very essence of the Philadelphia I knew around 2010. She was already working as a server when I first met her.
As some of you may know, public school teachers in the U.S. are poorly paid. Regarding Alisa, my impression is that she entered the world of school education with ideals, but eventually returned to the hospitality industry she was accustomed to. It is a very modern American story. However, in the U.S., this move of hers is not necessarily treated as a "defeat."
Especially in major East Coast cities like New York or Philadelphia,
“I worked in education, now I’m in hospitality.”
coexist relatively naturally. In fact, it is sometimes recognized as work where interpersonal skills, empathy, communication, and community are all connected.
Back then, Philadelphia was full of people like artists, servers, bartenders, grad students, public school teachers, and musicians. They worked at universities or schools during the day and at restaurants at night. And in their spare time, they continued their art, music, activism, writing, and community work. It was full of people like that.
While attending Temple University, I lived in an area called Manayunk. Alisa was a server in that area. Looking back on my memories with Alisa, I realize now that I wasn't just "studying abroad in America" back then.I feel that my personality was being formed within the "2010s East Coast urban liberal culture."Temple University is not what you would call an Ivy League school. It is closer to the city. It is diverse, with many working-class students, children of immigrants, and graduates of public schools.
And above all,
Philadelphia itself is a unique city that is rough, heavy on sarcasm, possesses a working-class realism, yet has a deep love for arts and music. It is not as refined as New York. It is not as bureaucratic as Washington D.C. It is a more human city.I recently realized that
part of my mental OS was formed in that city.For example, I dislike things that are "fake." I am strongly drawn to vulnerability. Sarcasm comes out naturally. I immerse myself deeply in niche topics. And I have a strong tendency to value authenticity. This is connected to the reason I am drawn to
John Frusciante. At the same time, this is quite close to the culture of Philadelphia.Recently, Alisa said, “Love on the spectrum is so endearing.” Seeing that, it made perfect sense to me. In the art/education culture around Temple and Philadelphia, understanding of ASD, ADHD, learning differences, and mental health was far more natural than in Japan. Of course, it is not without its problems. American public education is exhausted. Teacher pay is low. Burnout is common. But at least, it was not an atmosphere where people with a "non-standard Operating System" were immediately excluded.
Now, I am facing the family business in a rural part of Japan, far from Philadelphia. But somewhere in my personality, Philadelphia still remains.
The atmosphere of the artists, teachers, servers, musicians, and politically progressive people I met in that city is still within me.I am Japanese. But at the same time, I am also one of those
people whose thoughts and emotions were partly raised in 2010s Philadelphia. I realized this recently. I wasn't just studying abroad in America.I was having my personality formed within the "atmosphere of 2010s Philadelphia."Back then, I didn't cherish it at all. Temple, Manayunk, White Dog Cafe, the Eagles, the sarcasm—it was all just "daily life."
Humans cannot perceive the air while they are inside it. But now, facing family business, management issues, and social structures in rural Japan, I understand it in reverse. I was quite natural back then. I didn't think my time in Philadelphia was anything special. But now I understand. I cherish all those memories now. It was a very precious time. Compared to the average Japanese person, I have had a unique experience. It is not just youthful nostalgia. I think the nostalgia I have for Philadelphia now is a "reconnection with a lost OS."
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