I chose the Japanese Language Major due to my interest in foreign languages and cultures in general and my decision to attend CSUMB. I had originally only been interested in the school, not necessarily the Japanese department, but after finding out that CSUMB did not offer a French major (or anything aside from Spanish as an alternative to Japanese), I thought that Japanese would be a fun challenge. I mostly wanted to do something very different from what I had previously done (specifically, French), and also thought it was a pragmatic choice considering that there are many jobs offered for those with secondary language degrees. I ultimately regretted my choice, but I have gained a lot through my experiences learning Japanese. I’ve learned a lot about life, decision-making, and navigating certain social situations in particular.
Aside from the general life lessons I’ve gained through my experiences, I also learned a significant amount about the mechanics of Japanese through my courses. Throughout my college career I have fulfilled the major learning outcomes (MLOs) for the major (see the MLOs and terms sections for more information). I learned a lot about the Japanese culture, including food, customs, history, geography, and various other nuances that cannot actually be taught, but are tacitly absorbed. I learned how to present and speak in Japanese through the many, many projects given in my courses. I also learned quite a bit from my classmates, and particularly the Japanese exchange students. Many of them had far more familiarity with Japan and pop culture in Japan than I did, and they gave me insights I wouldn’t have otherwise been privy to.
In regards to MLO 1, most classes in the major include this in some way. Even those taught in English integrated a lot of Japanese vocabulary, which is important to increase understanding of subtle differences between Japanese and English. We did presentations in every class, and often did projects such as story writing and videos. My linguistic accuracy improved a lot through these processes. I also learned how to speak more clearly and fluently, and apply presentational skills to Japanese. I learned all of the basic grammar and vocabulary points necessary to gain a grasp of Japanese, of course, but I was later introduced to business Japanese, presentational and academic Japanese, and more conversational Japanese as well. My courses often allowed me to compare the linguistic components of Japanese to English, particularly the translation and interpretation course.
MLO 2 and MLO 3 are both related to culture. The fulfillment of these MLOs was my favorite part of my academic career. I took numerous Japanese culture classes to fulfill MLO 2, including Social Issues in Japan, Cool Japan Today, and Japan in Asia. These were all taught in English, however, there were some language courses that were heavily culture-based. I consider Japanese Literature and Business Japanese an important part of my fulfillment of MLO 2. I wrote three papers concerning the issue of suicide in Japan for my culture classes taught in English, each focusing on a different facet of the issue. I also wrote numerous papers about the readings and learned quite a bit about Japan’s place in the world.
MLO 3 is fulfilled by taking in a secondary culture, and my absolute favorite class was used to fulfill this: The Chicano Novel. By consuming Chicano literature, I was able to gain a nuanced perspective of a culture other than Japanese, and spend time comparing the two while also examining my own culture. This was one of the richest experiences I’ve had in my college career. MLO 4 is one of the most important, in my opinion, since technology can be applied to any number of situations in the world. It is important in our society to be proficient at using various types of software and hardware, and we did just that in classes such as WLC 300 and WLC 400. We also did some technology-based projects in pretty much all of the other classes in the major (i.e. presentations and videos).
MLO 5 was fulfilled by studying abroad. I immersed myself in Japanese culture in a great number of ways. Firstly, I spent a lot of time in a lot of different areas of Tokyo. I had several very distinctive experiences through doing this. I got to eat at a traditional Ainu restaurant. I got a view of various subcultures and art movements by making friends with people I met in different neighborhoods. I saw the more metropolitan areas and the more suburban areas. I saw historical sites and modernized centers of innovation. The comprehensive view I got from these experiences made me aware of a lot of the nuances of Japanese culture.