Study Abroad

Salutations!

I haven't mentioned this yet but I am planning on going to Beijing, China this year for my fall semester. I have taken a year of Mandarin Chinese in college and I really love the language. I want to immerse myself in the language and Chinese culture. I want to become as fluent as possible. I also want to see all of the amazing historical sites and have an awesome time. I would also like to make some friends. Overall, I am very excited about it even though I have to be away from my fiance for almost four months. I think I can get through the pain of being separated from him as long as I can keep myself incredibly busy. I'm more worried about him than I am about me. I also hate the fact that I'm costing my mom so much money. She wants me to have everything that she never had. She didn't get to graduate from college because of family and money problems so she is going to do everything she can to make sure I can graduate and make whatever I want out of my life. She also thinks going to China is an amazing opportunity for me (which it is) and that it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing (which it is) and she doesn't want me to miss out because of money. I am trying to help her out as much as possible though. For example, I will use my own money as spending money. I am also going to apply to as many scholarships as I can even though my course load this semester is frightful. I have just applied to a scholarship in fact. The NAU GO Study Abroad scholarship. If I win I will have to write a blog. I do not think that will be a problem ;) I am afraid that I won't be eligible for the scholarship though because I am going to a program that NAU does not directly run. I think I will be crushed if that is the case even though it doesn't say how much the scholarship is worth. It just says "amount varies." But anyway, here is the essay I wrote for the scholarship.

I believe I should be one of the recipients of this scholarship because I am a sensitive, brilliant American with an active, imaginative, and open mind. I would make an excellent representative from the US of A. I would not wear tropical shirts, point obnoxiously, or speak English loudly and slowly. I would be respectful and immerse myself in the local culture. I would experience life in China without judgments or reservations.

I believe I should be one of the recipients of this scholarship because I want to learn how to speak fluent Mandarin Chinese and I understand the importance of language. I am sick of being monolingual. The majority of the world is multilingual. I want to join them. I understand that language is an expression of culture and identity; the way people speak reflects the way they view the world. Every language is unique and complex and there are words and phrases in each that cannot be translated. I love using the English language to express my thoughts, feelings, sense of humor, etc. but I want to express myself in multiple dimensions. I want to learn how to express myself in Mandarin Chinese and learn how its native speakers view the world. I want to expand my global vocabulary.

I believe I should be one of the recipients of this scholarship because I would write an amazing blog. I am an English major. I know how to create vivid and engaging imagery. I know how to portray human emotion. I could show other students who are considering studying abroad my experiences in Technicolor and inspire them to strive towards their own.

I believe I should be one of the recipients of this scholarship because I am a spoiled child. My mother refuses to let me get any student loans to pay for my Cadillac of study abroad programs. She refuses to let me give her any of my money and insists I use it only as spending money. She insists on paying my half of the rent and utilities for the apartment I share with my fiancé for four months so that he doesn’t have to find another place to live and I don’t have to find a place to store my stuff. She wants to pay the tuition so that I can take three summer school classes so that I can make sure I still graduate on time even though I’ll be gone for a semester. She is willing to do all of this even though it will strain her substantial resources. I deserve this scholarship so that I can at least help her – my amazing, generous mother – in some small way.

I believe I should be one of the recipients of this scholarship because I am an incredibly motivated and hard-working individual. I have been an overachiever since I was in preschool. I have always given my entire being to my education. I have cried more tears for school than for family tragedies. I am disappointed in myself when I get a B. I am not exaggerating. I put so much effort into the education system and I think I deserve for the education system to support me in some monetary way. I am the future and I deserve to be bright.

~Brianna