Prompt #2 (all applicants)
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?
Among my personal experiences, the most important to me was going through my parents' music albums. About twelve years ago I listened to Wakin Chou's album and song, "Peng You." After listening, I began to become more interested in Chinese music and more importantly, culture and heritage. Shortly after listening to the album, my mother enrolled me in a Chinese school to learn Mandarin. My interest in Chinese music motivated me to learn Mandarin and Chinese culture and history. Today, I'm fluent in both Cantonese and partially in Mandarin and my mother was glad she didn't waste her three-hundred dollars weren't wasted per semester. I began reading Chinese books, watching television shows, and researched about China and Hong Kong's history. The more I learned about my ethnicity it became more interesting.
My two brothers don't know much about the Chinese language and culture, but my little brother, Terence, was curious despite going to the same Chinese school. I decided to teach him about the language and culture. Everyday when we walked back home, I taught him a few words. When we arrived to our house, I showed him the characters of the words I taught him. After finishing our schoolwork, I told him facts I knew about Chinese history. My little brother began working harder in Chinese school; on top of that, my mother started tutoring him after she figured out how I helped my little brother get back on track. I felt very accomplished and now my little brother is also fluent in Cantonese and partially in Mandarin.
I communicate with my family, especially older relatives, in Chinese and enjoy watching Chinese television shows. Chinese newspapers and books are easily readable to me. Listening to the song "Peng You" influenced me and definitely changed my life for the better. I feel proud knowing what I accomplished has a lot of meaning to me. Even though learning Mandarin and Chinese culture did consume lots of time and hard work, I am thankful that I stumbled upon my parents' music albums many years ago. That experience possibly alternated my life in a positive direction.
Word count is 353 words.
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?
Among my personal experiences, the most important to me was going through my parents' music albums. About twelve years ago I listened to Wakin Chou's album and song, "Peng You." After listening, I began to become more interested in Chinese music and more importantly, culture and heritage. Shortly after listening to the album, my mother enrolled me in a Chinese school to learn Mandarin. My interest in Chinese music motivated me to learn Mandarin and Chinese culture and history. Today, I'm fluent in both Cantonese and partially in Mandarin and my mother was glad she didn't waste her three-hundred dollars weren't wasted per semester. I began reading Chinese books, watching television shows, and researched about China and Hong Kong's history. The more I learned about my ethnicity it became more interesting.
My two brothers don't know much about the Chinese language and culture, but my little brother, Terence, was curious despite going to the same Chinese school. I decided to teach him about the language and culture. Everyday when we walked back home, I taught him a few words. When we arrived to our house, I showed him the characters of the words I taught him. After finishing our schoolwork, I told him facts I knew about Chinese history. My little brother began working harder in Chinese school; on top of that, my mother started tutoring him after she figured out how I helped my little brother get back on track. I felt very accomplished and now my little brother is also fluent in Cantonese and partially in Mandarin.
I communicate with my family, especially older relatives, in Chinese and enjoy watching Chinese television shows. Chinese newspapers and books are easily readable to me. Listening to the song "Peng You" influenced me and definitely changed my life for the better. I feel proud knowing what I accomplished has a lot of meaning to me. Even though learning Mandarin and Chinese culture did consume lots of time and hard work, I am thankful that I stumbled upon my parents' music albums many years ago. That experience possibly alternated my life in a positive direction.
Word count is 353 words.