There are tons of occupations, and it is hard to know which is the most appropriate for a person. One may think that making good money is important, while another may think that gaining satisfaction from the job is essential. My philosophy of choosing an occupation is that there should be some kind of purpose and love behind the choice. What I can do for American students is to introduce them to a broad international perspective through teaching English - a language that has become a world language. For example, when students read a piece of literature, I would like them to see that there can be multiple interpretations and points-of-view, something my own experience as a Japanese citizen majoring in English at an American university has made clear to me.

I completed my pre-internship at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek. I was happy to have two classes there: English and Japanese. In the English classroom, I learned the reality of American high school environments. I also had a chance to try out my mini-lesson, an introduction to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, for two classes. This experience was very successful, yet it also inspired me to want to improve as an English teacher. I worked individually with students who needed extra help with grammar and also worked with students learning English as a second language (as I had years before). In the Japanese classroom, I was impressed by how many American students were learning an Asian foreign language as their second language. I had a chance to give two mini-lessons for three classes on Japanese popular music and the Japanese school system.

I have been tutoring elementary school students in the Japanese language and culture on Saturdays in Battle Creek. I started this because I was very interested in how young students absorb a foreign language. In addition to a regular English placement, I am also open to some focused work with ESL students.

To experience both Japanese and American elementary and secondary schools was one of my valuable experiences growing up. I used to live in New York City and, then, later in Battle Creek with my family as my father moved for Japan's department of education. I also have been around the world and stayed for a short time period in such as Jamaica, Mexico, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Europe. I learned how to adjust to various settings and cultures and to interact with new people.

In college, I have been actively participating in the Chinese language and culture club as one of my extra-curricular activities. I started learning my third language, Chinese, three years ago, and now it is one of my minors. I attend the Chinese Conversation Corner every Friday, where I can practice my speaking Chinese with native speakers. I also eat food and watch movies related to the culture and discuss both food and film with my Chinese language partners.

I have been playing tennis for more than ten years. Although I don't play for WMU, I actively play tournaments in Battle Creek. I also take tennis lessons every Saturday morning to cultivate my skills. Along with tennis I have been skiing for almost fourteen years. Whenever it snows, I will have to find some time to ski, because I enjoy it so much! I love sports overall and am always interested in learning to play new sports. As my application indicates, I am open to supporting, coaching, and cultural activities after school.

I have already created a pretty cool bilingual website for my future English students -please check it out: http://www.geocities.com/parasurf22/

I am sure students can learn from me not only English, but also from my attitude, situation, and courage.

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Absolut English: Autobiography [written on 4/2/01] (11/14/01)

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