My long-term goal with Japanese is fluency, and I feel that having the opportunity to study in Japan would not only accelerate the learning process, it would be imperative to achieve the level of fluency I desire. One of my future career options that I have been considering would be to either teach English in Japan or to work as a translator in some regard. For this, I feel that not only is fluency necessary, but being more connected to and understanding the culture I would be working with is crucial. Being in Japan, I will have the chance to immerse myself in the language completely, as well as constant interaction with the culture. After graduating from The Evergreen State College, I am interested in exploring graduate programs at colleges in Japan and more focused language school certifications. With this in mind, I believe that being associated with more universities in Japan would be exceptionally advantageous, so I’m setting my sights on TESC’s student exchange program with the University of Hyogo. I will be participating in the program this upcoming Fall and in Hyogo, I will be able to create even more meaningful connections in an entirely new region of Japan and experience local customs to broaden my knowledge of Japanese Culture. During the program, I will spend a year in Japan studying the language, participating in club activities, attending cultural events, as well as taking classes in the University’s global business course.