Task 1: What’s in your bag?

Hi Everyone!

My name is Nick, I am in my 7th course for the MET program at UBC. I am currently the Technology Coach at Yokohama International School in Japan, working with students, teachers, and administration across the entire school from Early Learning Center (3 year olds) to our graduates. My focus recently has been on developing a Makerspace, Robotics Program, and guiding my school through the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in the learning process. I previously worked for Apple, and was a High School English, PE, and Multimedia teacher in Canada, Macau SAR, and Shanghai.

It is fun to be on the other end of this assignment, I have conducted a similar task with my students in a wellness class years ago but now it’s my turn to be the student, what fun! In my bag I have a wide collection of things that I would not typically carry with me if I were living back in Canada. However, as I am in Japan and am often travelling to other countries for conferences, I find that I carry some items with me that I didn’t used to. Please see my image below!

What is your daily need for the items in your bag? 

Water Bottle – to stay hydrated as I take the train from Tokyo to Yokohama everyday for work and back. My commute is about an hour each way so it’s important to have water with me! This bottle was a gift from Apple when I was an employee with them so it also holds sentimental value. 

Camera – I love photography and you never know when inspiration will strike. I carry my camera with me everywhere. This is a fun way to document my life and express myself creatively. 

Contact Lens’ – I find that sometimes my contacts need to be replaced and it’s not fun if you don’t have an extra set with you! So I carry this around just in case. 

Battery Pack – With the long commutes, it’s important to keep your phone charged! Also just in case I get stuck somewhere then I don’t have to worry about trying to find a charger. 

Keys – I have my apartment keys and the keys to AnyTimeFitness with me at all times. I also have the key for my bike with me, the bike locks so it can’t be taken out of my parking spot at the train station. 

2 Wallets – A small one for my regular cards (credit and drivers license) and some cash. My larger one stays in my bag but holds things like membership cards (popular in Japan), emergency cards, boating license, etc. 

Airpods – I like listening to music or podcasts on my way to work. I often chat with my parents on Facetime while I bike to work from the station to my school so I can connect with them. Airpods make it easy to do this privately. 

Sunglasses – I hate not having them when I need them so I have a dedicated pocket to ensure I always have it with me. 

Passport and Pen – Living in a foreign country, you never know when you’ll be asked for your passport. I’ve kept mine with me at all times since I started living abroad 5 years ago. The pen is so I always have something to write with, which is often needed at the airport for customs declarations. 

Towel – It gets hot in Japan, this towel is with me at all times to take the sweat off my face.

Tissues – After living in China where the bathrooms don’t have toilet paper, I’ve learned to always carry some with me! 

Lactose Pills – I am lactose intolerant and you never know when cheesecake might show up on the menu! 

How might these items be considered “texts” and what do they say about you, the places you inhabit, the cultures with which you engage, and/or the activities you take up?

I hope that I have answered a bit of this in my descriptors above, but beyond the obvious of my passport being a literal text that keeps track of all the places I visit, the country I am from and where I live now, it also is a book of memories. Each stamp inside holds a special place in my heart and life and reminds me of the experiences I have had from each country that I’ve visited. The Apple branded wallet and water bottle tell an interesting chapter of my life that is now over 8 years old, but one that I hold dearly. Being items that only employees can attain, they tell a story that was important in shaping who and where I am today. I hope that the items in my bag demonstrate a sense of “preparedness”. I am always ready to jump on a bus or train and leave for an adventure which could be a big night out, or an overnight trip. I try to carry as little with me as necessary, but want to be prepared for anything at the same time.

Thinking about the title of the course, what are the “text technologies” in your bag, if any? What do these items say about how you engage with language and communication?

I think my camera is the best example of a “text technology” that I carry in my bag. It allows me to create my own “texts” at any time and document them for the future. It shows that I like to engage in visual communication and semiotics. I prefer visual communication over others, creating meaning out of signs and symbols, and love telling and stories. The camera is a physical representation of this and also a technological tool that allows me to take part in this medium. 

What do the items in your bag say about the literacies you have?

My camera and technology items demonstrate I possess both visual, reflective, and technical literacy. My passport represents global literacy and travel abilities. My tissues, contact lenses, and gym key can demonstrate health literacies, while my reusable water bottle and bike key can represent environmental literacy. 

How does the narrative of the (private) contents of your bag compare with the narrative produced by the image you have of yourself or the image you outwardly project?

I believe that they are one and the same. There is nothing in my bag that I would not be willing to share with a stranger on the street if asked. I try to live an open, honest, and transparent life and therefore I see my bag and its belongings as an extension of myself. Just as I have shared the personal anecdotes here on a public form regarding the bag and the items within it, I try to do the same with all aspects of my personal life. I hope that I demonstrate a level of confidence and humility, while being organized and well prepared.

What would this same bag have looked like, say, 15 or 25 years ago?

It would have still had a camera and a pencil in it, but would have also contained a laptop and a packed lunch as I would have been in university. Textbooks, notebooks, and scrap papers everywhere with a french fry or two at the bottom are also to have likely been found. Having grown up to work in education, it feels like I have been carrying a backpack for most of my life.

How do you imagine an archeologist aiming to understand this temporal period might view the contents of your bag many years in the future?

I think an archeologist would see me as a prepared, but technologically dependent individual. While I try to be ready for anything, I am also reliant on technology to function in my daily life. As someone who is not Japanese, living in Japan, my bag likely contains things that are both similar (Pikachu Airpod case) to the culture I live in, but also vastly different from the others around me (only 15% of Japanese people have a passport). My passport also is from Canada and so it would be clear to an archeologist that I was not “from” the place my bag was discovered. The items in my bag, I believe, would lead the archeologist to see me as a person who is balancing tradition, embracing culture and progression, and trying to navigate a complex world.