Why did I choose Japanese Language and Culture as my major?
I chose to study Japanese Language and Culture because it was my favorite subject in high school. Before I ever thought that majoring in a language was something that I would do, I wanted to be a veterinarian. That had been my goal since I was a child up until I began high school. I had plans to go to UC Davis and I thought my career was decided. However, my mother convinced me to take Japanese my sophomore year and I was fortunate enough to have one of the best teachers and she inspired me to fall in love with Japan and its culture. Senior year of high school, I decided that I wanted to become a Japanese language teacher and I applied to CSUMB and was accepted.
What have I learned from this major and how have my goals changed over time?
From where I was before to where I am now, I can say that so much has changed. My goals still remain the same, I would like to become a Japanese teacher in high school, but I also have new goals that I would like to accomplish. Looking back I realize that I was not really sure about how to use the knowledge that I was getting from these classes. I knew that I wanted to be a Japanese teacher but I did not really understand the reasons why. Now, I know why. I have learned that I really love learning about a new culture and experiencing something that is unfamiliar to me. I also realized that a lot of the things that I enjoy originate from Japan. My goals have also expanded to possibly wanting to become a translator and interpreter for a Japanese business like Nintendo or Sony.
Where do I see myself in the next 10 years or so?
I personally would love to participate in the program called JET and teach English in Japan for a year or two. I am also thinking about pursuing another major or a master in a subject that could potentially help me land a business in the video game industry because I have a strong passion for video games. Two of the best video game companies in the world originated in Japan so it would be a dream come true if I could work for either of them. I hope to have my master's in the next 3 or 4 years and start teaching at that point as well. I hope that I can teach a new generation of high school students to better understand that different cultures can be exciting and that there is a whole new world to be discovered in Japan.