School: DC International

Grade: Rising 10th grader

Fun Fact: I can juggle and bake.

Future Career:

In the future I would like to do something related to the STEM field, one of my main interests being an engineer. I want to do them because I want to make a difference in the world, and leave a positive impact.

Why I joined the program:

I joined Japan in DC because it really aligns with why I am interested in my potential future careers. I want to learn about the culture not just to educate myself, but to connect with, and help others. This could be great because I will not just go unnoticed, and I can make the impact I have always wanted to. Not only that, but also one day I hope to travel a lot and if I ever do, educating myself on other cultures could help me get a feel for how it is to live in another country, and gain a new level of respect for other cultures. Japan in DC could be the start, or it could be the end of a new curiosity, or hunger to learn about countries I do not know much about, so that is why I joined Japan in DC.

Personal Statement:

I was born and raised in a Latino/African American household, where I tried to find who I was, and who I would be. Though many years have passed I am still searching, and figuring out so much on the way. People are like puzzles where all of their pieces together give you a picture of who they are, and I think that no one will ever have all their pieces because the nature of humans is to change, so people are constantly changing and finding new pieces while losing old ones. Personally I think I have very few pieces, but the real thing that I think matters most is being able to realize that, and being able to accept it is very important.

For me a quote that really helps me think is “if I don’t, who will?” and that really shows that you really do more than it seems. For example when I am feeling lazy and don’t want to do any homework or work, then I just think “if I don’t, who will?” and I realize nobody else will and only I can do my work. It also connects with some of my biggest dreams in life which are to make a change on the world (or at least a little impact) and be seen for who I am, and not what I do/did, and being different from others. Asking myself the question I see that so many people can do this, and have the potential to, but so many don’t because of so many different reasons, so I want to be the one who does. I am a person who is usually quiet and calm in new areas, but once I get to know people, I become metaphorically bigger (that’s the best way I can put it). Since I do not want to write much I will leave it there but just know that someone can seem boring but be so much more. Thanks for reading!