In a middle-school in South Korea my interest in international studies and relations has been sparked. I was always watching the headlines of TV news when I watched North Korean launch intercontinental missiles. Then, I wondered why we couldn’t unify. After reading articles on the subject, I understood that it was more than a simple matter. It was a political, economic, and social issue. In order to understand the world beyond the headlines, I would like to learn more about international affairs, politics and foreign policy. Second, I believe that we must support LGBT. In eighth grade, my project was about sexuality. I learned that teens who are bullied are four-times more likely to take their own lives than straight teens. After that, I became very interested in LGBT. I believe that everyone has the right to live in a world free of violence and discrimination. Violence against LGBT is a growing problem around the globe. On June 12, 2016, 49 people were killed in a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. My heart was moved by the LGBT community as I began to learn more. The opportunity to travel and experience other cultures was great. Since I was in kindergarten, I have attended an international middle and high school. This has allowed me to meet people from around the world and learn new perspectives.
My multicultural upbringing has given me a broader perspective on the cultures of other countries and global issues. In addition, i am keen to understand how my country’s influence on others is reflected in the world. Ritsumeikan is the perfect place for me to learn the skills necessary to be a professional.
It was a proud moment when I started a dancing team with friends for extracurriculars. The fact that I was president of the dance team at high school helped me to develop my teamwork, leadership and confidence. The school I attend is a Korean one in Japan. However, the number of Japanese students outnumbers that of Korean students. As a result, I thought that this club would be an excellent opportunity to share my culture with others and strengthen bonds within the school. Also, I improved the club’s quality by getting to know the opinions of all the people in my group. My second proudest experience is being chosen to be a representative of my school for the Jeju Youth Forum during my first high school year in Japan. Jeju Young Forum includes students from all around the world who discuss global topics and express their views. In 5 different groups, we discussed our respective issues. In my group I learned a lot about different perspectives, from the economic to the environmental. A video was also made to raise awareness. Moreover, while working together, we learned about each other’s cultures.
I am happy to be able to share with others my culture. Growing up, I was able to learn about many different cultures. I went through three different education systems, the American, Canadian, Japanese. As a result of this drastic learning approach in different environments, my adaptability has been improved and I am now able to speak three languages. These valuable experiences allowed me to become trilingual. Because I am willing to work on many projects and eager to learn about international affairs.
