Japanese has always been an interest of mine.  Though I am of Japanese descent, this Asian side of me is a big question mark in my life.  I've frequently found myself asking questions such as 'what is Japanese culture like?' and 'what would learning this unique language be like?'  Finally, after living 19 years without knowing much about Japan and its language, I made the decision to explore this language so foreign to me.  In fact, I was so eager to dive right into Japanese that I chose to take the intensive course here at Notre Dame.

Both of my parents speak Japanese, although only my father is of Japanese descent (my mother has roots in Lithuania and Ireland) .  This makes me even more excited to learn the language.  As I begin my journey of learning Japanese, everything about the language seems so intriguing--the characters, the alphabet system, and especially the culture that comes along with it.  I remember my father always telling me stories about his visits to Japan, portraying to me the rather chaotic but culturally rich city of Tokyo.  I cannot wait to not only learn the Japanese language, but also indulge in the country's unique culture.