integrative narrative
Even if I hadn't know it at the time, there were always some Japanese influences in my life. I am a quarter Japanese which makes my father half Japanese and my grandmother full Japanese. There were just little instances when my father and grandmother spoke to each other where they were using some Japanese, but I didn't realizes this until I took my first Japanese language class freshmen year in high school. These were just simple phrases like if my dad burnt himself he would yell atsu (hot) or he would refer to my grandmother as okaa-chan. I think it was a combination of me finding an interest in anime and manga, with my strong family ties to Japan that made me want to continue exploring this interest I had in Japanese language and culture. Although I knew I had a passion for Japanese language and culture, I am also and indecisive person at heart.
After graduating high school I still had no clue what career path I wanted to go down so I entered Hartnel Community College and tried my hand as a variety of subject to see what I liked the most. I graduated Hartnel College and entered California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) with a major in marine biology. It was only on a whim that I decided to take a Japanese language class on top of my science and math classes my first semester at CSUMB. I learned later in that semester that I was horrible in chemistry, but I had rekindled my love of Japanese language and found out it was a major at CSUMB. That was when I realized just how much I had love learning Japanese and changed my major. I really had no initial goal beyond learning to speak Japanese fluently when I choose it as my major, but since then I have learned so much more about Japan than just the language. I've gained new friends, and became independent. I've been able to expand my |
knowledge in the rich culture of Japan, by living there and experiencing new wonders for myself. From this major I have not only learned more of Japan and its culture, but through my study abroad experience, I was finally able to grow as a person by learning for the first time how it was to live by myself. I really came out of my shell and went out of the way to challenge myself. I joined a cycling group consisting of both Japanese and foreign students which at first pushed me out of my comfort zone. I was able to travel and experience different aspects of the different cities in Japan. I was also able to experience the different customs in Japan such as Hatsumode (the first temple visit of the year) in Kyoto, Hanami (cherry blossom viewing), Sports Day, and summer fireworks. I felt that that one year I was able to spend in Japan and the experiences I had are some of the proudest moments I have in the Japanese major program.
Through the 5 MLOs I have been able to expand my knowledge of the Japanese language and culture. Each individual MLO had a specific goal, but they all came to be combine to gave a comprehensive learning experience of Japanese. While learning about grammar structure through MLO 1 I was also leaning about the Japanese culture through examples and stories. It is also true that through MLO2 I learning about the Japanese culture but in order to learn about some Japanese cultural aspects, Japanese language was also important to understand. I feel know that I have complete the Japanese Major and its MLOs that it is like an ecosystem. One aspect of the MLOs cannot survive without the others present. All of the MLOs have helped mold me into the person I am today, and had shown me that language learning is not something that I will be finished with just because I graduated with a major in Japanese Language and Culture. Language learning is a life-long learning path, and you can always learn something new about a language you are studying no matter how long you have studied it for. Through the MLOs I have come to appreciate another culture besides my own, learned the structure of its language, and how it is used in society. There is just so much more to learning a language than meets the eye. Even for me it is hard to believe that I have only been in the Japanese major for two and a half years. Because it is such a part of me now two and-a half years seems so short, and yet at the same time I have learned so much in these two short years. Although I am nowhere near fluent yet, that only means I can improve from here on. My goal from now on is to continue my language learning in Japan through the JET Program and thereafter complete my Master's Degree in interpretation and translation at the college I chooses at the time. |