Overall Integrated Narrative
Several years have passed since the day my father came through the door and asked me if I wanted to learned Japanese. His question took me by surprise, I had been thinking really hard what I wanted to do back then, my main option was Graphic Design. Eventually, I just decided I did not want to do something that so many people wanted to do, thus I continued searching for that something that could get my attention, something I could grow to love. Without hesitation I answered "yes!" My father did not do such things frequently so I had to accept or let the opportunity slip. I began taking Japanese classes in Mexico's Mexican-Japanese Cultural Institute and I fell in love with the culture and the people immediately, as well as the language. When I transferred to CSUMB, I did it because I heard their Japanese program was very good, which it is.
It had been almost 10 years since the last Japanese class I took in Mexico, so I was not sure where I wanted to start. I was asked to start with intermediate levels but my confidence just wasn't there, hence I went back to the basics. Going back to the beginning helped me appreciate more what I had learned in the past; it was all there. I began listening, practicing the phonetics, writing papers, communicating with others in a language I love. Throughout my time at CSUMB I have been lucky enough to learn more and more about the language, to the point where I can communicate in a better way now with native speakers (MLO 1). The courses at this university have taught me a great deal about the Japanese culture, art, history, literature and other interesting aspects of that beautiful country (MLO2).
After I became able to connect with other people through a common language, I realized that the world is indeed too big and I needed to know more about it. I took other language courses through my college career such as German and French, both beautiful languages. Interestingly, I even had to take Spanish courses, and classes on Hispanic and more specifically, Mexican culture (MLO 3). They all have helped me get to where I am and have somehow shaped me into the person I am as well. I am passionate about cultures and languages, a passion that continues to grow stronger as time goes by and more knowledge is gained.
There is no better way to gain more knowledge than experiencing everything first hand, which is exactly what I have been doing the last two years. Going to Japan helped me obtain a better understanding of the Japanese culture while allowing me to fully immerse myself in it and the language too. Feeling, seeing, smelling, tasting, and living Japan was not only memorable in the way that I saw beautiful buildings; it was memorable because of the many things I learned from it (MLO 5). While in Japan I began to appreciate more my own culture, I realized Mexico's history and culture is almost as rich as that of Japan, and I was right to be proud of it. I understood more about why people behave they way they do in their respective cultures, it was easier to do it since I had already had the experience of living in a foreign country by coming to the U.S. so I could focus more on things that were worth learning and observing and less on how much I missed my home.
The experiences I got while in Japan were extremely useful after I came back to this nation. I had to do my service learning, that was the way I saw it at first, as something I "had" to do, rather than something I "wanted" to do. I was wrong, fortunately my life in Japan had already opened my eyes and I was ready to perform my service learning the way it should be. As a father of two it was somehow easier, but it was also easier to deal with controversial topics such as racism, discrimination and social injustices in general. I has lived and experienced 3 different cultures which was indeed an advantage in this case. My time doing my service learning was gratifying and very rewarding when I looked at every child's face and realized how grateful they were to have us, and I knew, and I hoped they knew it too, that the feeling was mutual. "We fix what is broken, we helped those we deem weaker but we only serve those we see as our equals" something like this was the definition I learned during that semester, and it is still stuck in my mind.
It all started with a dream of someday going to Japan about 15 years ago, last year I finally did it and I am proud of myself for that. But I am prouder because I now have a legacy to leave for my children through the little knowledge I have acquired throughout my years at CSUMB, Japan, Mexico and the U.S. overall. I know I will never stop learning and I like it that way, I want to learn more about this beautiful country, but also about this beautiful world.
It had been almost 10 years since the last Japanese class I took in Mexico, so I was not sure where I wanted to start. I was asked to start with intermediate levels but my confidence just wasn't there, hence I went back to the basics. Going back to the beginning helped me appreciate more what I had learned in the past; it was all there. I began listening, practicing the phonetics, writing papers, communicating with others in a language I love. Throughout my time at CSUMB I have been lucky enough to learn more and more about the language, to the point where I can communicate in a better way now with native speakers (MLO 1). The courses at this university have taught me a great deal about the Japanese culture, art, history, literature and other interesting aspects of that beautiful country (MLO2).
After I became able to connect with other people through a common language, I realized that the world is indeed too big and I needed to know more about it. I took other language courses through my college career such as German and French, both beautiful languages. Interestingly, I even had to take Spanish courses, and classes on Hispanic and more specifically, Mexican culture (MLO 3). They all have helped me get to where I am and have somehow shaped me into the person I am as well. I am passionate about cultures and languages, a passion that continues to grow stronger as time goes by and more knowledge is gained.
There is no better way to gain more knowledge than experiencing everything first hand, which is exactly what I have been doing the last two years. Going to Japan helped me obtain a better understanding of the Japanese culture while allowing me to fully immerse myself in it and the language too. Feeling, seeing, smelling, tasting, and living Japan was not only memorable in the way that I saw beautiful buildings; it was memorable because of the many things I learned from it (MLO 5). While in Japan I began to appreciate more my own culture, I realized Mexico's history and culture is almost as rich as that of Japan, and I was right to be proud of it. I understood more about why people behave they way they do in their respective cultures, it was easier to do it since I had already had the experience of living in a foreign country by coming to the U.S. so I could focus more on things that were worth learning and observing and less on how much I missed my home.
The experiences I got while in Japan were extremely useful after I came back to this nation. I had to do my service learning, that was the way I saw it at first, as something I "had" to do, rather than something I "wanted" to do. I was wrong, fortunately my life in Japan had already opened my eyes and I was ready to perform my service learning the way it should be. As a father of two it was somehow easier, but it was also easier to deal with controversial topics such as racism, discrimination and social injustices in general. I has lived and experienced 3 different cultures which was indeed an advantage in this case. My time doing my service learning was gratifying and very rewarding when I looked at every child's face and realized how grateful they were to have us, and I knew, and I hoped they knew it too, that the feeling was mutual. "We fix what is broken, we helped those we deem weaker but we only serve those we see as our equals" something like this was the definition I learned during that semester, and it is still stuck in my mind.
It all started with a dream of someday going to Japan about 15 years ago, last year I finally did it and I am proud of myself for that. But I am prouder because I now have a legacy to leave for my children through the little knowledge I have acquired throughout my years at CSUMB, Japan, Mexico and the U.S. overall. I know I will never stop learning and I like it that way, I want to learn more about this beautiful country, but also about this beautiful world.