InmythreeyearsasChairpersonoftheDepartmentofHispanicStudies,IwasblessedwithcolleagueswithwhomIcouldspeakfrankly,andthisIthinkiswhatenabledmetosomehowpullthroughwhenIalsobecameDirectoroftheSophiaResearchOrganization,partwaythroughmytermasHead.Duringthatperiod,IwasinvolvedinLAP(theSophia-NanzanLatinAmericaProgram,anInter-UniversityExchangeProject).InthecourseofsendingstudentstoLatinAmerica,thisnotonlygrantedmeexperienceconcerninginter-departmentalcooperationbothwithinandbeyondtheUniversity,butitalsoallowedmetowitnessfirst-handthegrowthanddevelopmentofmanyofourstudents,andthiswasincrediblysatisfying.FromthatperiodonwardsthereweremoreissuesIhadtodealwith,regardlessofwhentheyaroseorwhereIhappenedtobeatthetime.Howtoutilizemytime,howtodirectmyattention,howtomaintainacertainnumberofhoursofsleep,andothersimilarissues,becameadailychallengeforme.Asmytimeintheclassroomwasessentiallysetinstone,whatwasmosttryingwasfindingtimeforthepreparationofclasses,writingpapers,andsoon.In2020wesuddenlyfoundourselvesinthemidstoftheCOVID-19pandemic,concerningourmeansofcommunication.JustasIassumedmypostattheResearchOrganization,myestablishedroutineofleavingmydepartmenttwiceaweektovisittheResearchOrganizationofficeforpaperworkchecksanddiscussionswiththeadministrativestaff,wasabruptlyinterrupted.Ibecamekeenlyawarethenastohowmuchthosecasualchatsweusuallyhadbeforeandafterourregularmeetings,provideduswithchancesformutualcommunicationonavarietyoftopics.Thisinturnallowedadministrativematterstoproceedsmoothly.Mycurrentmeansforreducingstressincludeswimming,walking,andbakingcakes.BeforeIreceivedmyCOVID-19vaccineIdeliberatelystayedawayfromtheswimmingpool,butafterayearofnothingbutonlineclassesandmeetings,thesituationbegantohaveanimpactuponmebothphysicallyandmentally.Ithenbeganmakingeffortstoswimandwalk,evenmoreoftenthanbefore.WheneverIamstuckforideasorfacesimilarissues,Ialwaysfindthatcontactwithwaterclearsmyheadandassistsinevokinggoodideaswithinmymind.Iamoftheviewthatemptyingone’smindinwatercouldbetheultimatewayofrefreshingoneselfmentally.Forthepastfewyears,Ihavebeenreallyinvolvedinpreparingsweetfoodstuffs,andwhenIgetcompletelyabsorbedinkneadingpiedoughorwhenmygolden-brownapplepiecomesoutoftheoven,Ifeelasthoughithasdonesomegoodformybrainaswell.Ithinkthekeytodoingwellasaleaderliesincommunication.Anorganizationisreallyjustagroupofpeople,andsoIthinkitvitaltobeawareofthefactthateventhosewhomyouthinkyou’llneedtostruggletogetalongwith,aresuretohavetheirgoodpoints.Similarly,youtoomightcomeacrosstosomeoneelseasthetypeofpersontheymighthavedifficultiesindealingwith.Neverthelesshowever,misunderstandingsareboundtocropupinallsortsofscenarios,andunexpectedeventswilloccur.Intimeslikethese,trytotakeadeepbreathandsmile.ThisissomethingIlearnedfromLatinAmericanpeople.Nowheredotheycrackasmanyjokesaswhentheyfindthemselvesintoughsituations.Inmomentsofdifficulty,puttingonaseriousfacewillonlymakethepeoplearoundyoumoretense.Itisalsocommonforsomethingtoappearlikeadisasteratonetime,buttolaterturnouttobeatrivialissue.Thisisprobablywhatismeantbydevelopingenduranceandbuildingupthecurrentlymuch-talked-aboutqualityofresilience.Tobeabletodothis,Ithinkitvitaltoachievedailyasenseofbalancewithregardtobothmindandbody.andissuesaroseAttheeventco-hostedbySophiaUniversityandJICA(October2018)wherejournalistsandstudentsfromLatinAmericainteracted12ReducingStressandTryingaChangeofPaceAMessagefortheNextGeneration
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