Overall Integrative Narrative
I am very impressed with CSUMB's Japanese Language and Culture program. Most schools will have language, literature, linguistics (MLO 1) and sometimes history for a particular foreign language, but not many include Japanese Major-specific cultural courses (MLO 2) like CSUMB does. Being able to take four courses that all dealt specifically with Japan's culture and history, I felt much better prepared for going to Japan and Interacting with the people there. I would even sometimes know more about their religion(s) and history than they did! Taking all of what I learned about Japanese language and culture and putting it into my own lesson plans for Service Learning Class was a great experience for me. I got to see these children's eyes light up when they heard that we would be doing origami or playing the Japanese version of tag. I'm sure that those teaching experiences helped me get into the JET (Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program) in Japan.
Learning about a second culture gave me a fresh perspective for looking at the Japanese culture (MLO 3). By studying Mexican-American history, I was able to reflect on some of Japan's special characteristics, such as, its collectivism, long history, and beautiful cultural products. The capstone project (MLO 4) has prepared me wonderfully for what lies ahead after my graduation from CSUMB. Through this class I have become more acquainted with technologies such as Google Drive and Microsoft office as well as research databases like Ebsco Host and Jstor. I feel much more confident now about creating graphs, presentations and websites like this one thanks to this course. Finally my study abroad experience (MLO 5) become fully immersed in a culture completely different to that of my own country. Going to study in Japan for a whole year allowed my ample opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and take chances. Every time I did this my confidence grew, not just in my language ability but also in my ability to handle difficult situations in general. If I can go to the post office and mail a package back to American using Japanese, everything I do back home in America becomes easy after that. It's all a matter of perspective, which I got a lot of in Okayama, Japan.
I became interested in international studies and learning a foreign language (French) while studying at Cuesta Community College in San Luis Obispo, CA. Around that time, I started attending a Judo Dojo whose Sensei is a 75-year-old Japanese native. My Sensei believed in continuing many of the traditions of Japan through his teachings of Judo. When we counted, we counted in Japanese and we were very respectful when entering and exiting the Dojo. I became fascinated with the language and culture and decided that I might want to learn Japanese instead of French. After visiting and talking with Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott at California State University Monterey Bay, I decided to major in Japanese Language and Culture at CSUMB.
I have reached a high intermediate to lower advanced level of Japanese in only 3 years of study while at CSUMB. I have far surpassed my initial Japanese language goals. I would say that my greatest take-away from this program would be the language-learning techniques that I have learned. I now know how to study a foreign language outside of formal education. This is a technique I will be able to use for the rest of my life.
I am very proud of my capstone project into which I put so much effort, and my ability to communicate with native Japanese speakers. I now feel comfortable striking up a conversation in Japanese without any kind of preparation.
I want to keep on honing my Japanese skills for the rest of my life. My goal is to become so fluent that when a Japanese person speaks to me on the phone, they don't realize that I'm not from Japan. I would also like to learn enough Kanji to read a Japanese newspaper. For now, I will do self-study while teaching English for the JET program in Japan.
Learning about a second culture gave me a fresh perspective for looking at the Japanese culture (MLO 3). By studying Mexican-American history, I was able to reflect on some of Japan's special characteristics, such as, its collectivism, long history, and beautiful cultural products. The capstone project (MLO 4) has prepared me wonderfully for what lies ahead after my graduation from CSUMB. Through this class I have become more acquainted with technologies such as Google Drive and Microsoft office as well as research databases like Ebsco Host and Jstor. I feel much more confident now about creating graphs, presentations and websites like this one thanks to this course. Finally my study abroad experience (MLO 5) become fully immersed in a culture completely different to that of my own country. Going to study in Japan for a whole year allowed my ample opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and take chances. Every time I did this my confidence grew, not just in my language ability but also in my ability to handle difficult situations in general. If I can go to the post office and mail a package back to American using Japanese, everything I do back home in America becomes easy after that. It's all a matter of perspective, which I got a lot of in Okayama, Japan.
I became interested in international studies and learning a foreign language (French) while studying at Cuesta Community College in San Luis Obispo, CA. Around that time, I started attending a Judo Dojo whose Sensei is a 75-year-old Japanese native. My Sensei believed in continuing many of the traditions of Japan through his teachings of Judo. When we counted, we counted in Japanese and we were very respectful when entering and exiting the Dojo. I became fascinated with the language and culture and decided that I might want to learn Japanese instead of French. After visiting and talking with Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott at California State University Monterey Bay, I decided to major in Japanese Language and Culture at CSUMB.
I have reached a high intermediate to lower advanced level of Japanese in only 3 years of study while at CSUMB. I have far surpassed my initial Japanese language goals. I would say that my greatest take-away from this program would be the language-learning techniques that I have learned. I now know how to study a foreign language outside of formal education. This is a technique I will be able to use for the rest of my life.
I am very proud of my capstone project into which I put so much effort, and my ability to communicate with native Japanese speakers. I now feel comfortable striking up a conversation in Japanese without any kind of preparation.
I want to keep on honing my Japanese skills for the rest of my life. My goal is to become so fluent that when a Japanese person speaks to me on the phone, they don't realize that I'm not from Japan. I would also like to learn enough Kanji to read a Japanese newspaper. For now, I will do self-study while teaching English for the JET program in Japan.