{"id":4756,"date":"2024-02-28T23:25:21","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T23:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eascenter\/?p=4756"},"modified":"2024-04-23T18:02:59","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T18:02:59","slug":"christian-nieto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/eascenter\/2024\/02\/28\/christian-nieto\/","title":{"rendered":"Christian Nieto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Christian Nieto<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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How did you become interested in the Global East Asia Kyoto Maymester?<\/b><\/p>\n

During my time at USC, I became interested in Japanese literature. I enrolled in as many\u00a0elective courses as possible within the EASC Department. My primary interest within this\u00a0discipline was folk tales and ghost stories. Thus, when I discovered the Kyoto Maymester, it\u00a0struck me as the perfect opportunity to conduct my own research in the field. Kyoto is deeply\u00a0connected to traditional folklore, with countless sites to visit. But the most exciting prospect\u00a0about researching in the city was that the study of folklore is still vibrant and alive in\u00a0contemporary culture. In modern Kyoto, you can stumble upon restaurants themed after folkloric\u00a0monsters, discover their plush toys in gift shops, and experience rides modeled after them in\u00a0various theme parks. Such a sense of exploration and discovery in academic studies is\u00a0something that is unique to research trips like these.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Kyoto has always been a city I wanted to visit, separate from my research. It\u2019s the\u00a0home of many of my favorite authors, the site of my favorite films, and \u2014 I believe \u2014 showcases\u00a0the finest aspects of Japanese culture.<\/p>\n

What was your research focus and in what ways did the Global East Asia Kyoto program impact or help your research?<\/b><\/p>\n

My research focused on the presence of folk tales in consumer culture. During the Maymester, I\u00a0wrote a profile on \u201cY\u014dkai Street,\u201d a folklore-themed shopping district that I encountered while\u00a0exploring the city that characterized this theme. The shopping center was decorated as if it were\u00a0invaded by the monsters of Japanese folk tales (y\u014dkai). For instance, homemade monsters sat\u00a0outside each shop, like mascots; it included an interactive museum, a haunted house, and even\u00a0monster-themed cuisines. The opportunity to research Y\u014dkai Street was unique because there\u00a0was no pre-existing academic writing about it, giving me more freedom than a typical\u00a0undergraduate essay. The project involved conducting interviews with its creators, patrons,\u00a0academics, and writers to capture and convey its significance to the study of folklore.<\/p>\n

The program was hugely supportive of this endeavor. The trip was supervised by Professor\u00a0Jason Webb, who oversaw each of our projects. His support was tremendously helpful. Even\u00a0though the course was not explicitly about folktales or monsters, Professor Webb was always\u00a0eager to help me work through my ideas. He invariably suggested relevant books, resources,\u00a0and practical advice throughout the course.<\/p>\n

Can you share any anecdotes about your experience?<\/b><\/p>\n

I loved the opportunity to connect with Kyoto residents. For instance, during the trip, I met one of\u00a0the creators of Y\u014dkai Street, Junya Kono. We kept in contact and reconnected months later in\u00a0New Mexico, where he was involved in creating a Japanese-themed Haunted Train ride.<\/p>\n

But all of the memories created with fellow classmates were priceless in their own way. The\u00a0Maymester was the type of experience where it is nearly impossible not to become friends with\u00a0your classmates; it made everything, from exploring the city to trying the cuisine and even down\u00a0to the day-to-day routines and minutia, feel like an adventure.<\/p>\n

Is there any research or project you are currently working on that you would also like to share?<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019m currently writing an honors thesis on the novel Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann. I\u2019m\u00a0focusing on the way it adapts the German Faust myth. I\u2019m very excited because it\u2019s a\u00a0semester-long project that allows me to work intimately with two professors in the English\u00a0department who are guiding my research. It also allows me to further my study of myths and\u00a0Folktales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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