2. Short Response (Required for all freshman applicants)
Directions: Choose one of the following two topics and write a short essay. Recommended length: 250-500 words.
1. The University of Washington seeks to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. How would you contribute to this community?
2. Describe an experience of cultural difference or insensitivity you have had or observed. What did you learn from it?
Any help or correction will be appreciated!
I spent a great amount of time at the country side with my grandmother at the country side when I was young, therefore I could have learned some traditional Chinese culture and customs that even many Chinese don't even know about or follow.
Take spring festival as an example, people used to make paper-cuttings, some really beautiful and amazing pictures that only made from paper and scissors, and put them in their windows, but nowadays it's hardly can be seen and no many people still knows how to make them. My grandmother was really good at it and I learned some simple ones from her. I could turn a paper into a fish, rabbit, or the Chinese character "fu" which means blessing. Apart from paper-cutting, I also learned how to write "duilian", or distich at the country side. A distich is composed of two poetic lines matching both sound and sense that's wrote in red papers and people put them on doors or walls to express their wish for prosperous life. It wasn't so easy that I could only learned some really simple ones.
In addition to my experience at the country side, I myself had a great interest in Chinese culture, I has being learning Chinese painting since I was 12 and I could paint some pretty good ones. I also knows how to cook "authentic" Chinese food, the reason that I mention authentic is that most so called Chinese food restaurant are not, I've been to another country once, and the "Chinese food" there was totally different from here. I likes travel, and I had a gift on learning languages, technically, dialects. I could speak 4 Chinese dialects, don't think that's easy, cause sometimes two dialects could sounds like two totally different languages.
I will be willing to share my experiences and skills with others in the future days.
even many Chinese don't even know about or follow.
This is interesting, but I think you should add another sentence to the introduction paragraph. It is such a short paragraph! And there is room at the end for a great thesis statement that tells the reader about the "moral of the story."
You answered the prompt very well!! And you are a great example of a cultured person. But now I think you should talk more about sharing your experiences. Also, talk about your academic interests and plans for the future.
I could speak
4 four Chinese dialects,
don't think that's and that is not easy, because sometimes two dialects
could sounds sound like two totally different languages.
:-)
