Welcome to my graduation portfolio, which documents my time as a Japanese language and culture major
at California State University Monterey Bay.
at California State University Monterey Bay.
Personal Statement
My journey into language learning began while I was in junior high school in preparation for a concert tour in Japan. Having been introduced to Japan as a child through its food and popular culture, as well as growing up with bilingual peers, I became interested in learning Japanese as a second language. As soon as I returned from performing in Japan, I knew immediately that I needed to continue my studies in high school, and have yet to stop.
Since I have started here at CSU Monterey Bay, I have had the lucky opportunity to be able to continue my studies in Japanese. Although I suddenly became the youngest in many of my major courses, the experience was not nearly as traumatic as I had expected, seeing as the new techniques and information I had gained helped me acclimate to the university setting. I worked as a Japanese tutor with CSUMB’s tutoring program during my second year, and as students continued to visit me, I noticed that the people preparing to study abroad were very concerned with their Japanese conversation skills. Soon after, my co-tutor and I created the Language Café, a weekly service in which students could have one-on-one conversations with Japanese native speakers in a relaxed setting.
By my third year, I was able to fulfill my goal of returning to Japan to study for one academic year at J.F. Oberlin University in Machida, Tokyo, where I was able to develop my understanding of Japanese as a language and culture while also becoming more independent. While living in the Fuchinobe International House, I began working as the English-speaking resident assistant, which involved planning cultural events and interpreting presentations for residents with minimal Japanese proficiency, such as safety drills lead by the local police department. As I continued to interact with the other English-speaking residents, I noticed that they, too, were worried with their conversational Japanese. I voiced my peers’ concerns to my manager, and thus the Japanese Café was born. Like the Language Café at CSUMB, the Japanese Café brought residents together to build their Japanese proficiency, as well as develop friendships. When it was time to return to California, my confidence in coordinating cultural events and lessons, as well as balancing different opinions and values, had grown.
My experiences abroad and my interactions with the diverse student body of CSUMB have continued to aid my approach to intercultural thinking and multilingual situations, which I know will help me in my future career endeavors, such as my plan of participating in the JET Program as a Coordinator for International Relations, as I aim to build cross-cultural community programs that benefit students of all ages.
Since I have started here at CSU Monterey Bay, I have had the lucky opportunity to be able to continue my studies in Japanese. Although I suddenly became the youngest in many of my major courses, the experience was not nearly as traumatic as I had expected, seeing as the new techniques and information I had gained helped me acclimate to the university setting. I worked as a Japanese tutor with CSUMB’s tutoring program during my second year, and as students continued to visit me, I noticed that the people preparing to study abroad were very concerned with their Japanese conversation skills. Soon after, my co-tutor and I created the Language Café, a weekly service in which students could have one-on-one conversations with Japanese native speakers in a relaxed setting.
By my third year, I was able to fulfill my goal of returning to Japan to study for one academic year at J.F. Oberlin University in Machida, Tokyo, where I was able to develop my understanding of Japanese as a language and culture while also becoming more independent. While living in the Fuchinobe International House, I began working as the English-speaking resident assistant, which involved planning cultural events and interpreting presentations for residents with minimal Japanese proficiency, such as safety drills lead by the local police department. As I continued to interact with the other English-speaking residents, I noticed that they, too, were worried with their conversational Japanese. I voiced my peers’ concerns to my manager, and thus the Japanese Café was born. Like the Language Café at CSUMB, the Japanese Café brought residents together to build their Japanese proficiency, as well as develop friendships. When it was time to return to California, my confidence in coordinating cultural events and lessons, as well as balancing different opinions and values, had grown.
My experiences abroad and my interactions with the diverse student body of CSUMB have continued to aid my approach to intercultural thinking and multilingual situations, which I know will help me in my future career endeavors, such as my plan of participating in the JET Program as a Coordinator for International Relations, as I aim to build cross-cultural community programs that benefit students of all ages.
Resumé
resume_2016.docx | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: | docx |