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Personal StatementGrowing up in a bilingual environment it was not uncommon to hear code switching between English and Spanish upon starting university at California State University Monterey Bay I wanted to expand my skill set so instead of furthering my Spanish I began taking Japanese lessons and subsequently fell in love with the language. I soon began courses dedicated to Japanese culture taught by passionate professors, as I was exposed to more Japanese culture I was enthralled by how different and how similar it was from my own culture. Having studied in Japan at Obirin University for one year, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand many of these differences and similarities. These instances made me realize how important multicultural acceptance is and opened my eyes to how many Americans never get a chance to broaden their horizons in this way. It is my dream to help students in America realize that the world is becoming more and more interculturally dependent and there are ways for every individual to be a part of this process. I am Lizet Martinez, and I will become a driving force in creating a more understanding and global community.
I have always had a passion for learning about new cultures and places. That is because culture is something that is always changing, it grows with its people while at the same time holding on to traditions. During my time abroad I had the chance to immerse myself in Japanese culture but I wanted the opportunity to share my own culture as well. As a part of CPY’s pilot program at Walter Colton Middle school, I help facilitate classes and guide them in a new cultural activity every week, one thing that has struck me the most is how flexible one must be in order to teach effectively. It is at times a bit difficult with this age group because they are in a transitional time in their lives, but I think of it as a great way to challenge my ability to quickly adjust my teaching methods. For example, lecture style teaching works for about 15 minutes of every class, in that 15 minutes I must have both their attention and intrigue in order to insure the success of the hands on activity. If the students are not fully interested in the activity I must quickly find a way to make it more interesting for them. I have realized the importance of backup activities and I have come to truly enjoy such a fluid like working environment. It is my goal to one day lead a class of my own and expose students to language and culture they would never get to see otherwise. Many students are made to believe that the only avenue to higher education is through more practical disciplines such as math or science. They are rarely shown other avenues such as foreign language or arts as viable means to a brighter future. I believe that foreign language, if taught with enthusiasm, can become an amazing pathway for students like it was for me. |