Knowing Languages Can Open Doors

I can't believe this is my last blog post. It's been a rewarding journey for me and I hope its been for all of you as well. For my last blog post, I want to leave what one more reason why learning your mother language is important in today's society. Whether its your mother language or a language you're learning at school, knowing languages can open many doors. As the world's population increases and international barriers shrink, citizens need to be able to communicate with one another in a variety of ways. By taking Japanese at school, I've been able to open many doors and opportunities that have helped me to realize my educational and career goals. During my four years in high school, I've been able to attend the Virginia Japanese Governor's Academy, travel to South Korea, and also discover how the power of languages. With that in mind, I hope to use my language skills through a career in international arbitration law. I want to help people of Asian descent through a career in international law in Asia by fighting against social justice and resolving international legal issues in an international dimension. I want to coexist not only in Asia but also in the United States where I plan to use my linguistic abilities to reach out to many people. This summer will hopefully be another life-changing time for me as I'll be in Japan for a month with other high school students across the United States who've only experienced the culture and language in school. Ever since I was a freshman in high school, I've dreamed of an opportunity like this to come along. I never thought I would be able to go to Japan through my own hard work and dedication. I thank my teachers and mentors for helping me along the way and giving me opportunities to grow academically. I thank God for hearing my answers and most importantly answering them.

"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls”-Joseph Campbell 

 

Connecting Bridges Across Countries

A few weeks ago, I applied to the JET-Memorial Invitation Program run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. This program started two years ago when two Americans died from the disaster that struck Japan on March , 2011. This competitive program allows 33 high school students from all across the United States and the minoring islands the chance to go to Japan for free. The essay prompt this year was  "How can you act as a bridge between Japan and the United States?" With this essay prompt, I wrote a sincere essay that encompassed my views of an ideal global bridge. After the first paragraph, I started to delve into the topic and use my own personal experiences to show my connection to the bridge that's going on right now. 

"With that in mind, I have connected my part of the global bridge of Japan by mentoring my fellow classmates and fostering my own love of the language and culture through taking part in the world language school community. The small step I took toward a future I did not know I would embark on has helped me to learn not only the language but also my mother tongue, Korean. As a Korean-American, I have already been acting as a bridge between South Korea and the United States by representing the Asian community, which is often underrepresented in American society. I want to change how the Asian community is represented and to contribute to society by becoming involved in the lives of many people who have been unrecognized in spite of the unique qualities they possess. I want to tear down the walls of isolation that keeps the Asian culture and language confined. I believe my study of the Japanese language and culture has helped me to "break down the boundaries" between South Korea and Japan that the older generations embraced. These same principles can be applied to bridging the United States and Japan together through common areas in diplomacy and language. I can contribute my time and dedication to bridging two nations thousands of miles apart. I want to bridge the gap and connect two countries in friendship and to promote world peace through my personal experiences. Although my experience in the Japanese culture and language has been limited so far, I'd like to take my perspectives and revolutionize my broad view on both the world and my Japanese studies. Japanese has not only opened my eyes to the power of languages, but it has also broadened my horizons of different cultures. Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations once said 'We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.' I believe the human race is yearning to bridge the gap in our international community. "

Languages can help start new bridges and improve foreign relations among different cultures. Through my mother tongue, I've been able to learn another language and act as a bridge to many of my mentors and peers. My part of the bridge didn't start with learning Japanese, it started when I took the time to learn important to myself and the international community.