Why I Want To Pursue My Education

Through the course of my studies, travels and firsthand experiences in the world, I have become the person that, as a child, I had wished to become: an open-minded and intelligent person. By engaging with different cultures, I am able to see things with a global perspective. In order to widen and improve this perspective, also pursue my academic passions, I hope to have the privilege of continuing my education at the University of California. My interest world is not limited to how the world composes, functions, or develops, but extends to how the whole of global society operates and how people live in different parts of the world. These interests led me to my enthusiasm for International Relations.

I first discovered my passion for International Relations when I was a child. I have always wanted to explore and understand more about the world. My family was able to support and encourage me to explore the world in the way that I enjoyed. I was able to travel alone without any accompany since the age of 15. Traveling without chaperones built up my

self-reliance, self-confidence, and problem solving skills. Backpacking around the world as a teenager certainly broadened my horizons. I am now able to see the world in a multi-dimensional manner and experience the world in a new way.
I was born into a Chinese ethnic heritage, and my formal education began in Taiwan. Taiwan’s educational system has its strengths, but also its limitations. While Taiwanese public education provides students a solid background in factual knowledge, it is inadequate in developing students’ ability to think critically. Rote memorization takes the place of analysis at Taiwanese schools, stifling students’ thinking ability. Therefore, studying abroad has become an important goal for me.
Studying abroad in the United States is definitely a turning point for me.

My inquisitive nature is well-suited to the American style of education that spotlights a person’s critical analysis ability and individuality, even though at first, adapting to American-style education was a challenging adjustment after I had spent my earliest years in Asian educational system. This challenge was somewhat alleviated by my previous experiences as a teenage backpacker. Through different experiences I gained in different cultures, I became more adept at adapting efficiently to various situations. In addition, I am able to challenge myself to become not only a better student, but also a better individual, achieving personal and emotional independence early. Additionally, I exposed myself to a broad variety of different ethnicities and cultures due to the multinational composition of the students at Pasadena City

College.
Outside of the classroom, I have participated in numerous club activities. As a founder and president of the Chinese Culture and Art Club, I was able to share Chinese culture with different ethnicities. By sharing and discussing cultural differences between Chinese culture and Western culture in a multiracial society, I was able to learn to view things with a global perspective. The club experiences helped me to develop my skills both in leadership and communications and further stimulated my passion for international affairs.
Undoubtedly, a well-rounded education helped me to become a better person. As a Taiwanese, I have adopted a passion for the open-mindedness of Western society. I hope to broaden my global perspective by gaining access to higher education at the University of California.