Integrative Narrative
Since I was a child, I have always loved watching anime, especially with my mom. I quickly became fascinated by Japanese culture depicted in these anime, and decided I wanted to learn more about the Japanese language and culture. So, when I had the opportunity to take Japanese classes in high school, I jumped at the opportunity. As I studied the language throughout all four years of high school, I felt my interest in experiencing Japanese culture for myself growing along with my language ability. In my junior year, I finally decided to apply for a youth study abroad opportunity through Youth for Understanding, and was shocked to later find that I was awarded a slot in their summer scholarship program a few months later. It was then that I realized how passionate I had become about Japan, and decided that I wanted to pursue a degree in Japanese Language & Culture.
Because my end goal was to eventually become a translator/interpreter for Japanese, I initially wanted to focus on expanding my vocabulary and building relationships with my peers and foreign exchange students to prepare myself for my future career. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my ability to form connections with my peers was affected due to quarantine and social distancing procedures. However, despite this downturn in events, I was still able to learn a significant amount about the Japanese language, fulfilling MLO 1. One of the most important classes that contributed to my understanding of Japanese was JAPN 401: Structure of Japanese course. It was here that I was able to understand the importance of pitch accent while speaking Japanese to differentiate between different vocabulary words of the same spelling. This was particularly significant to me as although I had a decent grasp on Japanese grammar and vocabulary, I often found myself being misunderstood when I spoke to native or fluent Japanese speakers, which I now know was caused by my lack of pitch accent. I have since developed my speaking skills more so that I can be understood clearly when speaking, as well as expanded my knowledge of Japanese kanji radicals to ease my study and understanding of kanji used in writing.
JAPN 311: Social Issues in Japan was another significant class in my college career, fulfilling both my GWAR and MLO 2 requirements. It was in this class that I was able to expand my understanding of Japanese society and the problems that they often face there. Up until I took this course, I had only ever considered Japanese social issues to be consisted of bullying, mental health stigma, and suicide or death by overwork. I never would have realized the discrimination that Burakumin and other minorities face in Japan or the failure of social safety nets in the Japanese economic sphere if it were not for JAPN 311’s close insight into these issues. The research paper I conducted in this course also fostered my understanding of research techniques and how to use the CSUMB library database for my research needs. I later expanded and applied my knowledge of research techniques and methods required by MLO 4 through close collaboration with my professors in JAPN 403: Pre-Capstone, where I focused on formulating a research survey on college student’s perceptions of various racial and ethnic groups in both Japan and the U.S.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was never actually able to study abroad for my MLO 5 requirement, which lessened my opportunities to experience Japanese culture for myself again. However, as much as I wish I had been able to attend a university in Japan, this allowed me to focus more on my own experiences as an Asian American, which came to a full circle with HCOM 322. HCOM 322: Asian American Literature completed MLO 3 for my major requirements, and later inspired me to pursue a minor in Writing & Rhetoric. It gave me a new sense of direction for my future and 322 helped to refocus my interests and connect everything I had learned about Japan back into my own experiences as an Asian American. Now, with both my major and minor degrees combined, I hope to bring a voice back to these Asian American experiences through my writing, hoping to foster global perspectives of understanding by bringing insights to social and cultural practices in Asia.
Because my end goal was to eventually become a translator/interpreter for Japanese, I initially wanted to focus on expanding my vocabulary and building relationships with my peers and foreign exchange students to prepare myself for my future career. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my ability to form connections with my peers was affected due to quarantine and social distancing procedures. However, despite this downturn in events, I was still able to learn a significant amount about the Japanese language, fulfilling MLO 1. One of the most important classes that contributed to my understanding of Japanese was JAPN 401: Structure of Japanese course. It was here that I was able to understand the importance of pitch accent while speaking Japanese to differentiate between different vocabulary words of the same spelling. This was particularly significant to me as although I had a decent grasp on Japanese grammar and vocabulary, I often found myself being misunderstood when I spoke to native or fluent Japanese speakers, which I now know was caused by my lack of pitch accent. I have since developed my speaking skills more so that I can be understood clearly when speaking, as well as expanded my knowledge of Japanese kanji radicals to ease my study and understanding of kanji used in writing.
JAPN 311: Social Issues in Japan was another significant class in my college career, fulfilling both my GWAR and MLO 2 requirements. It was in this class that I was able to expand my understanding of Japanese society and the problems that they often face there. Up until I took this course, I had only ever considered Japanese social issues to be consisted of bullying, mental health stigma, and suicide or death by overwork. I never would have realized the discrimination that Burakumin and other minorities face in Japan or the failure of social safety nets in the Japanese economic sphere if it were not for JAPN 311’s close insight into these issues. The research paper I conducted in this course also fostered my understanding of research techniques and how to use the CSUMB library database for my research needs. I later expanded and applied my knowledge of research techniques and methods required by MLO 4 through close collaboration with my professors in JAPN 403: Pre-Capstone, where I focused on formulating a research survey on college student’s perceptions of various racial and ethnic groups in both Japan and the U.S.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was never actually able to study abroad for my MLO 5 requirement, which lessened my opportunities to experience Japanese culture for myself again. However, as much as I wish I had been able to attend a university in Japan, this allowed me to focus more on my own experiences as an Asian American, which came to a full circle with HCOM 322. HCOM 322: Asian American Literature completed MLO 3 for my major requirements, and later inspired me to pursue a minor in Writing & Rhetoric. It gave me a new sense of direction for my future and 322 helped to refocus my interests and connect everything I had learned about Japan back into my own experiences as an Asian American. Now, with both my major and minor degrees combined, I hope to bring a voice back to these Asian American experiences through my writing, hoping to foster global perspectives of understanding by bringing insights to social and cultural practices in Asia.