Danniyang
Nov 7, 2012
Undergraduate / 'The Chinese and American way of life' - Essays for common app [4]
This is the topic that I'm writing about: A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
My name is Danni Yang, and I'm from a beautiful beach city, Qingdao, which is located on the northeastern coast of China. My hometown is very small (Beijing is approximately 20 times bigger than my city), but it is ranked as the city in China with the highest quality of life. Qingdao used to be a German colony; therefore, one can find European elements mixed with Chinese architecture there. During the 2008 Olympic season, Qingdao was the venue for sailing.
My life was good and busy in this beautiful city, and I never thought I would leave there. However, I had opportunities to study abroad in 7th and 8th grade (England and Germany). These experiences really broadened my view of the world. By living with a local family and going to a local school, I experienced a collision of cultures. I completely fell in love with the western way of teaching.
Therefore, three years ago, I came to America alone, in search of a better education, a new cultural experience, and of course my version of the "American dream". The American way of living is so different than what I am used to. For example, Americans drink ice water, but it gives me headaches; they want to be tan, but I have tried everything to make myself whiter. American food seems super sugary to me. I still remember the first time I tried olives; I almost threw up and wondered who in the world would like to eat them! And leaving my family for the first time, I had a new understanding of traveling: it's not always exciting.
All my traveling experiences have taught me that there is a lot more going on in the world than just my little "bubble". They have taught me to be open minded and welcoming to new experiences and cultures. And most of all, they have taught me to give back to society. As a result, when I went back to China in the summer, I joined the International Red Cross, and I participated in a program called "Sunshine Baby," This program helps children that struggle with Autism. I went to the local children's hospital and played with those little angels, and told them stories about my experience in other countries. Even though they didn't want to talk to me, I could tell from their gaze that they were interested in my experience. Volunteer work not only fulfilled my heart, but also made me realize that I am capable of making changes in society even if the change is very small.
Life is just like a long journey; people will see different views, have different stories, and reach different destinations in the end. Since I was thirteen years old, I have left my footprint on over ten countries; all these experiences have been a valuable treasure to me, and they have shaped me into this special, unique person that wants to share my story with more people.
This is the topic that I'm writing about: A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
My name is Danni Yang, and I'm from a beautiful beach city, Qingdao, which is located on the northeastern coast of China. My hometown is very small (Beijing is approximately 20 times bigger than my city), but it is ranked as the city in China with the highest quality of life. Qingdao used to be a German colony; therefore, one can find European elements mixed with Chinese architecture there. During the 2008 Olympic season, Qingdao was the venue for sailing.
My life was good and busy in this beautiful city, and I never thought I would leave there. However, I had opportunities to study abroad in 7th and 8th grade (England and Germany). These experiences really broadened my view of the world. By living with a local family and going to a local school, I experienced a collision of cultures. I completely fell in love with the western way of teaching.
Therefore, three years ago, I came to America alone, in search of a better education, a new cultural experience, and of course my version of the "American dream". The American way of living is so different than what I am used to. For example, Americans drink ice water, but it gives me headaches; they want to be tan, but I have tried everything to make myself whiter. American food seems super sugary to me. I still remember the first time I tried olives; I almost threw up and wondered who in the world would like to eat them! And leaving my family for the first time, I had a new understanding of traveling: it's not always exciting.
All my traveling experiences have taught me that there is a lot more going on in the world than just my little "bubble". They have taught me to be open minded and welcoming to new experiences and cultures. And most of all, they have taught me to give back to society. As a result, when I went back to China in the summer, I joined the International Red Cross, and I participated in a program called "Sunshine Baby," This program helps children that struggle with Autism. I went to the local children's hospital and played with those little angels, and told them stories about my experience in other countries. Even though they didn't want to talk to me, I could tell from their gaze that they were interested in my experience. Volunteer work not only fulfilled my heart, but also made me realize that I am capable of making changes in society even if the change is very small.
Life is just like a long journey; people will see different views, have different stories, and reach different destinations in the end. Since I was thirteen years old, I have left my footprint on over ten countries; all these experiences have been a valuable treasure to me, and they have shaped me into this special, unique person that wants to share my story with more people.