From a young age, I have had a fascination with exploring
new places and experiencing different cultures. My love for travel began
when my family took me to France to visit my grandparents. Since then, I
have been fortunate enough to have visited twenty-nine different countries,
each offering a unique learning experience.
My earliest memories of travel are of standing in awe of the Eiffel Tower in
Paris and feeding pigeons in the Piazza San Marco in Venice. As I grew
older, I had the opportunity to visit other historic landmarks like
Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China.
It was my experiences abroad that first piqued my interest in language. I
began studying French, learning the importance of proper pronunciation when
I stumbled over the name of a Parisian street. My fascination with Spanish
followed, as I discovered the similarities between it and English through
cognates. Later, I became entranced by the intricate characters of the
Chinese language.
My love of language has not only deepened my understanding of other cultures
but has also allowed me to connect with people on a more personal level. I
have had unexpected conversations with strangers in foreign lands and felt
the joy of communicating with them in their native tongue.
I now look forward to continuing my exploration of foreign languages and
linguistics in college. The skills I acquire will undoubtedly benefit me in
my future endeavors, whether in business, diplomacy, or translation.
My journey can be summed up by the Chinese proverb, “I am like a chicken
eating at a mountain of rice.” There is always more to learn, and I look
forward to satisfying my unquenchable thirst for knowledge through travel
and language. |