Meet Our 2023 #小蓝视频Sweethearts: Josh and Junko Pierry
To grow up on opposite sides of the globe but share nearly the same soul? That鈥檚 the stuff of storybooks. But for Junko Pierry, SIS/BA 鈥00, and Josh Pierry, SIS/BA 鈥00, it鈥檚 a true account of their love.
鈥淲e鈥檙e basically identical in how we look at the world,鈥 Josh says.
All that needed to happen was for the two to intersect in the same city; then, they could see how many ways their hearts overlapped. In fact, that exact meeting would occur at 小蓝视频, in none other than a prerequisite stats class.
As a kid in Oregon, Josh harbored dreams that reached across the country鈥攁nd even the planet. 鈥淚 wanted to explore and know my world,鈥 he says. For college, he swapped the west coast for the east one, due to his interest in DC鈥檚 political scene. (He would go on to spend four years working with the Democratic Party.) 鈥淏ut international [service] was one of my biggest focuses,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 wanted to learn multiple languages. I wanted to go abroad.鈥
Meanwhile, roughly 5,000 miles from her future husband鈥檚 home state, Junko was born and raised in Japan. For college, she chose to enroll in Ritsumeikan University鈥檚 dual-degree program. Its cutting-edge setup allowed her to kickstart her degree on campus in Kyoto before taking off for DC, where she鈥檇 attend classes at 小蓝视频. That鈥檚 where the unexpected would happen.
鈥淭he very first time we ever met was our very first class that we both had at听小蓝视频,鈥 says Josh. Although he remembers the course as difficult, he also describes it as 鈥渇un鈥濃攆or good reason.
鈥淪he was one of the first people that I ever knew at 小蓝视频,鈥 Josh says of Junko. 鈥淲hen I first saw [her], it was just like, Wow, there's this really cool person that's there that I want to...talk with.鈥 And Junko鈥檚 first impression of Josh? He was 鈥渢alkative鈥!
According to Josh, Junko ignored him for months before agreeing to go out with him. 鈥淚 didn't really speak the language very well to begin with,鈥 Junko retorts. 鈥淎lso, I was [a] really good student. I wanted to focus on study[ing].鈥
Josh would finally succeed in snagging a date with Junko after a fateful meeting during the summer session. Junko was enrolled in classes, while Josh remained in DC for work. One day, he spotted her with a friend in Mary Graydon Center and decided to suggest a hangout.
Josh was headed to Georgetown to grab a gift for his brother and asked, 鈥淒o you want to come with me?鈥欌 Junko declined, but after some more chatting, she 鈥渁greed to skip class鈥 to go鈥攁fter Josh offered to buy both her and her friend lunch. (鈥淚 really wasn鈥檛 interested in her friend,鈥 he teases).
The trio headed to Georgetown for an all-you-can-eat pasta feast. 鈥淸Junko and I have] been together ever since,鈥 he says. Once their bond was forged over full plates, there was no looking back.
***
Twenty-five years later, Josh and Junko share a life in California鈥攏ot too terribly far from her family in Japan鈥攚ith their two kids, Luka (11) and Lia (8). Junko works in international service as Stanford University鈥檚 senior international student advisor. Josh, though, has tended toward more entrepreneurial pursuits; his most recent company, Pierry, Inc., was acquired by the world鈥檚 biggest ad agency back in 2017. Yet, despite Josh鈥檚 pivot toward business, global exploration remains at the heart of the couple鈥檚 relationship.
鈥淲e both we love to travel,鈥 says Josh. 鈥淲e love international...everything.鈥 So, it鈥檚 no surprise they each graduated from the School of International Service. (And, as it turns out, Josh even participated in a Japanese exchange program in Niigata back in high school!) 鈥淸American] really kind of meshed...[our] values,鈥 he says.
Still today, their interest in international culture remains an active force in their lives. They听are presently based in the Bay Area and share many international, multilingual, and biracial friends. SIS offered them a similar sort of worldly community, Josh says.
***
Although heaping pasta dishes may not specifically be on the menu for their Valentine鈥檚 Day this year, one thing that鈥檚 for certain is that they will connect over their deep love of cuisine on this special day. And the pair鈥檚 passion for food is intertwined with their love of travel.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been almost everywhere,鈥 Josh says. He considers the pair adventurous in more ways than one. 鈥淲hen it comes to food...the more unique, the more diverse, the better.鈥
The two have ventured everywhere from Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic to Lithuania and Russia. But which country鈥檚 food reigns supreme? 鈥淚taly and Japan, I think, [are] our two favorite food places,鈥 Josh says. 鈥淛apan's got the best food in the world.鈥
Japan, of course, is a destination central to the couple鈥檚 travel life. Josh studied in Japan during his senior year of college alongside Junko, and the pair remained in Kyoto for a period post graduation. They visit Japan annually鈥攏ow bringing their kids along for the ride.
***
Although the two have not been back to Tenleytown since the turn of the century, their memories of the place feel fresh. They recount silly and sincere stories as if they鈥檇 just occurred the day before. One tale in particular stands out, actually concerning Valentine鈥檚 Day.
鈥淵ou see [people in] the movies put candles everywhere,鈥 Josh says. 鈥淪o, I thought it'd be really nice to do the same鈥 for Valentine鈥檚. He trekked to a shop to cop some tea candles, determined to make a sparkling display for Junko. But back in his college days, money was tighter.
鈥淚 walked in, [and] I'm like, Wow, this place is really expensive,鈥 he remembers. He checked out some听white candles on display before stumbling upon marked-down black ones. He went with the deal and ended up lugging home 鈥渁 whole bunch of black [tea] candles鈥 to light and display throughout his apartment. The finished product shimmered.
But here鈥檚 where things got sticky: Josh lit the candles right on top of his apartment鈥檚 white carpet. By the time their glowing evening was over, he had 鈥渃ompletely encased 5, 10, 15 patches of white carpet in black wax that then became purple.鈥 Not a single cleaning hack proved successful鈥攏ot wielding an iron or slathering peanut butter over the stains. They even tried cutting out the blemishes. (鈥淭hat looked awful afterwards,鈥 Josh laughs.) When it came time for him to move out and jet to Russia, his mom got stuck with the bill for the听carpet鈥檚听replacement.
鈥淚t was romantic, though,鈥 Junko says. 鈥淚 appreciated [it].鈥 Josh agrees that 鈥渢he effort was there,鈥 but 鈥渢he after effect [was] a little expensive.鈥
When it comes to love, Josh says, it鈥檚 important to 鈥渂e flexible鈥 because flukes will certainly happen. Remember that your partner may have 鈥済ood intentions鈥 but 鈥渢errible execution鈥 on certain occasions. 鈥淛ust roll with it and enjoy it,鈥 he says.听
In addition to Josh鈥檚 emphatic tip, 鈥淒on鈥檛 use black candles on white rugs,鈥 the pair have advice for young Eagles looking for love. First, having fun doesn鈥檛 have to come with a steep cost.
鈥淓ven if money is an issue, get creative around it,鈥 Josh says. Experiment. Scope out local deals. 鈥淔ind a place that you both can enjoy...[without] putting pressure on either person...[to break] the bank,鈥 he adds.听
When it comes to building a sustainable relationship, 鈥淵ou have to find someone that you love and respect [mutually],鈥 Josh says鈥斺渁nd听enjoy being with,鈥 Junko adds.
***
Just as Josh and Junko鈥檚 relationship is one of a kind, so too is the university at which they first connected. To Junko, 小蓝视频 stood out back when she began navigating college. A quarter of a century ago, 鈥渢here were not that many schools that were...offering the dual-degree programs,鈥 she says. 鈥溞±妒悠 was definitely unique.鈥
And Josh recalls the number of students who attend 小蓝视频 from across the globe, even pointing to the appeal of international dormitories.
Junko discusses how 小蓝视频鈥檚 international focus changed the trajectory of her career. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even know that there was...such [an] occupation as international student advisor,鈥 she says. But the time she spent working with Fanta Aw, Kogod/BSBA 鈥90, SPA/MA 鈥94, CAS/PhD 鈥11鈥攖hen 小蓝视频鈥檚 staff member in that role鈥攖ransformed her. 鈥淪he helped me,鈥 she says, and the experience culminated in her decision to pursue international student advising, even directing her toward an applicable graduate program. 鈥淚鈥檝e been working in international education since then,鈥 she says. 鈥淢y experience at 小蓝视频 really shaped what I want[ed] to do in my life, and so I really do credit my [time there].鈥
Josh, whose 鈥渃areer has taken a very entrepreneurial鈥 turn, lauds 小蓝视频 as 鈥渁 great place to just explore the world and learn about different ways to think about things and new people.鈥 He looks back fondly on his two study-abroad experiences鈥斺渟omething that [he] really wanted to do in [his] life.鈥
小蓝视频 鈥渢otally changed my perspective on the world,鈥 Josh shares. 鈥淚t's something that I'm eternally grateful for. And, obviously, we met each other, so that鈥檚 been the biggest life-changing event.鈥
鈥淚 think we both have super positive views of 小蓝视频,鈥 Josh says. 鈥淲e loved our experience there.鈥
The next step is for the Pierrys to head back to campus for old times鈥 sake鈥攖o celebrate the place where sparks first flew.