Inaugural Insights: Beginning Our Collective Meaning Global Interviews in Japan’s Heart
Chronicle of Our First Interview in Japan and the Emerging Insights
Embarking on a Lifetime Adventure
We decided to begin our digital nomad travels three days after our wedding reception. Our plan was to leave for our honeymoon without a return date to Brazil.
For our honeymoon, we decided to spend 15 days in Japan (it had always been my dream to visit that country) and another week in Bali. Then we decided to spend another month in Bali to try out our first destination as digital nomads.
It was clear to us that from the first day of our honeymoon, we would have experiences related to our 3 shared “whys” that I mentioned earlier.
What I hadn’t decided was whether I would use the honeymoon as an opportunity to begin the journey of my personal why and start talking to people about Collective Meaning.
Falling in love with Japan and facing the first challenge
As the days went by, we fell more and more in love with Japan. We loved the culture, the beauty in every detail, the politeness and the ever-present smile and the collective sense that was present in 100% of the people we met. And the more I fell in love with these aspects, the more I wanted to start talking to people about Collective Meaning.
But it wasn’t so easy to start interviewing people. I was super excited to connect with them and find out more about their stories, but I hadn’t planned an essential part of the process: how I would approach them.
Until one very hot afternoon in Kyoto, when Arthur and I rented bicycles to explore the Arashiyama district.
We decided to stop and rest on some benches on the shores of the beautiful river that runs through the area. A few minutes after sitting down, we were approached by two Japanese ladies.
They spoke almost no English and we understood no Japanese, but Google Translate made communication possible. They were very interested in where we were from and what we were doing on the other side of the world. We loved talking and they were very interested and friendly, so the conversation flowed very well.
And then when I answered what I do for a living, I saw the opportunity to tell them about the research and ask them if they would like to answer some questions about it.
They had the same reaction that I later witnessed in several of the people I interviewed along this journey: shyness accompanied by curiosity and interest. So, even if they were a little wary, they agreed.
The conversation was very pleasant, and they told us that they were Jehovah’s Witnesses and that much of the Collective Meaning in their lives was being part of this group whose purpose was to let people know about God.
Key Takeaways from Our First Exchange
Two thoughts stayed with me after this first episode of the Collective Meaning exchange:
- I may have missed several opportunities to meet incredible people and stories because I was hoping to find “the perfect way” or “the right way” to start a conversation about this topic, but there is no such way. Just as my husband and I were open and loved it when those two ladies approached us, people are usually open to connection and sharing. In fact, it’s part of our nature as human beings.
- My initial research on Collective Meaning during my postgraduate studies in Positive Psychology was very much focused on applying the concept in a corporate world, in teams, which has been my context throughout my career. But in fact we can find Collective Meaning in any group we are part of in our lives.
I would love to hear your stories of cultural immersion and personal discovery. How have your travels or interactions with diverse cultures influenced your personal or professional life?
I believe that sharing our experiences with people from various cultures helps build a more connected and understanding global community. Please share your stories and insights below. Let’s learn from each other and celebrate the diversity that enriches our lives!
