Studying Asian theaters has impacted my education by introducing me to a different way of thinking and learning. I now see my professors as Gurus, who are using their knowledge to guide me in the right direction. My professors are not just lecturers, they are performers and the students and I are the audience. The same way the audience plays a role in balinese and japanese theater -- whether it be through reciprocated emotions or by entering a trans -- I also play a role in my classes by becoming entrenched with the material.
I have learned that the most important aspect of coming in contact with the material is not simply taking notes, but listening. Primary orality is essential in learning because it allows one to interpret the material directly from the teachers perspective and at the same time it facilitates processing the information. Taking the time to write down what the professors are saying interrupts his or her narrative and thus takes away some of the meaning. Although some people may be able to multi-task, I am personally not very good at listening and writing and as a result do not take in the majority of the information I am writing down because the profesor is speaking.
By studying classical asian theater I am raising my own awareness about Asian culture and as a result will now be able to pass down this knowledge. Whenever I retell an Indian epic, I will repeat it the same way I heard it. For example, I will always remember Guru's story about the Ramayana. Retelling these stories will impact Asian theater by making others more aware of what it is.
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