This is a compilation of the work and experiences I have acquired during the last few years at California State University Monterey Bay's Department of World Languages and Cultures, as well as the University of Shiga Prefecture in Japan. They reflect the work I have done in order to accomplish my goal of obtaining a BA in Japanese Language and Culture.
Statement of purpose
When I was little, my mother used to sign to me a French song that I truly liked despite not being able to understand its lyrics. Then when I started elementary school, my professor taught us a Japanese song of which I cannot remember either the name or the lyrics; all I can remember is that I loved it and used to sing it a lot back then. Almost 30 years have passed since those days when those two very important persons sparked my interest in the study of foreign languages.
As an individual born and raised in Mexico City, my choices when it came to learn a second language were limited, as was money. I did not have the opportunity to start learning a second language until I was about 17 years old. When my father came one day talking about the daughter of a friend who was studying Japanese. I had been listening to Japanese music for a while I wanted to learn the meaning of those songs, so when he asked me if I was interested I immediately said “yes.” I then began taking Japanese classes at the Mexican-Japanese Cultural Institute which was funded by the Japanese Embassy in Mexico City.
It took one class at the institute for me to fall in love with the language and decide that I wanted to continue learning until I could master it and someday go to Japan to live and work there. Unfortunately, I was not able to study at that institution for more than six months due to the lack of students interested in the language, classes were cancelled for a while. I then decided that I could travel to the United States and thinking that here I could further my knowledge in not only the Japanese language but English as well.
Learning English was a priority if I wanted to enter a university in this nation, so I worked hard to become sufficiently proficient to take my TOEFL examination and start classes at a community college. There, I took a French and German course while improving my English skills through writing and speech classes. Nevertheless, I was still aiming at continuing my studies of the Japanese language, hence I began doing some research on the schools that included Japanese as part of their curriculum. Luckily, I found CSUMB and transferred there hoping that would get me closer to my goal of traveling to Japan.
During the few years I have studied at CSUMB, I have been able to not only improve my Japanese language knowledge; I was also able to participate in a one-year study abroad program at the University of Shiga Prefecture in Hikone, Japan. That experience, as well as all those I have gotten at Monterey Bay, have deepen my understanding of the Japanese culture but also that of my own culture and language (Spanish) through my involvement in community and school projects. I am looking forward to learning more and sharing that knowledge with others in the future; I know that everything I have done up to now will open new doors for me.
This is my résumé , which includes part of my educational and professional experiences.
When I was little, my mother used to sign to me a French song that I truly liked despite not being able to understand its lyrics. Then when I started elementary school, my professor taught us a Japanese song of which I cannot remember either the name or the lyrics; all I can remember is that I loved it and used to sing it a lot back then. Almost 30 years have passed since those days when those two very important persons sparked my interest in the study of foreign languages.
As an individual born and raised in Mexico City, my choices when it came to learn a second language were limited, as was money. I did not have the opportunity to start learning a second language until I was about 17 years old. When my father came one day talking about the daughter of a friend who was studying Japanese. I had been listening to Japanese music for a while I wanted to learn the meaning of those songs, so when he asked me if I was interested I immediately said “yes.” I then began taking Japanese classes at the Mexican-Japanese Cultural Institute which was funded by the Japanese Embassy in Mexico City.
It took one class at the institute for me to fall in love with the language and decide that I wanted to continue learning until I could master it and someday go to Japan to live and work there. Unfortunately, I was not able to study at that institution for more than six months due to the lack of students interested in the language, classes were cancelled for a while. I then decided that I could travel to the United States and thinking that here I could further my knowledge in not only the Japanese language but English as well.
Learning English was a priority if I wanted to enter a university in this nation, so I worked hard to become sufficiently proficient to take my TOEFL examination and start classes at a community college. There, I took a French and German course while improving my English skills through writing and speech classes. Nevertheless, I was still aiming at continuing my studies of the Japanese language, hence I began doing some research on the schools that included Japanese as part of their curriculum. Luckily, I found CSUMB and transferred there hoping that would get me closer to my goal of traveling to Japan.
During the few years I have studied at CSUMB, I have been able to not only improve my Japanese language knowledge; I was also able to participate in a one-year study abroad program at the University of Shiga Prefecture in Hikone, Japan. That experience, as well as all those I have gotten at Monterey Bay, have deepen my understanding of the Japanese culture but also that of my own culture and language (Spanish) through my involvement in community and school projects. I am looking forward to learning more and sharing that knowledge with others in the future; I know that everything I have done up to now will open new doors for me.
This is my résumé , which includes part of my educational and professional experiences.