Essay for My Goal

I'd like to put my essay which I wrote for Rotary Scholarship a year ago. How fast the time passes. I must not forget my ultimate goal. "Study Classics in U.K." Before that, I must try the scholarship again. Before that, I must graduate from a university in Japan and be able to state my original thought in style, at least in English. I must not hasitate to be called a dreamer. If you can dream it, you can do it. I still have a dream.
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Autobiography

When I was a high school student, I was a member of chorus group which sang the chorus of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This experience changed my life.

On the way to understanding Beethoven’s fraternal world view and seeking the best way to express myself, I learned a Greek word, “mousike”, in the course of singing. “Mousike” is the origin of the word “music”, and it was the general term of arts and knowledge. It sounded ideal and very positive to me because all ways of expression are embodied in this word. The experience of Beethoven and “mousike” led me to major in German Literature at Tokyo Metropolitan University where I became interested in Classics. I majored in German Literature, because the lyrics of the chorus were written in German, and I wanted to know their meaning.

When I was studying at the university, 9-11 was occurred and US attack on Afghanistan followed. I was upset by the chain of events and one question came to mind: “Is it worthwhile to study the Humanities in this situation?” I left the university before I had finished my studies due to other circumstances, and I was faced by the great academic challenge of finding meaning in the Classics.

Now I am certain that Classics cannot be unnecessary in times of war. It seems to be difficult to find a definite value in Classics, but they can provide us something important in the future. It is Classics that change the uproar of current affairs into background music. At the same time, this background music is necessary indeed. And it is also Classics that whisper like background music when the world is completely immersed in the most incomprehensible world affairs.

Although I majored in German Literature at the university and have worked for months in foreign-affiliated company, I have continued to have an interest in world issues. There are international managers or technicians from Italy, France, Spain, Korea and other countries in my factory. My manager is from Pakistan, so I have to speak English to communicate with him. Experience as desk worker has not only improved my English communication ability but also taught me how to get along well with the people whose cultural background is different from mine.

I believe that my personal, educational and business experiences have prepared me to succeed at scholarship, because I have learned the value of, among other things, patience, concentration and perseverance. I am certain that these qualities will serve me as a student not only in my studies but also in the Rotary activities.

I am proud of having got high grades in German, French and American Literature. I also did well in foreign languages. I believe these achievements will serve me as a student in Classics and as a visitor to different countries. Although I have been away from the academic field for two years and have worked at the firm, the deeper my interest in Classics becomes and the stronger my desire to improve my understanding grows. I have kept my interest in studying alive and I have continued to develop my English abilities. Fortunately, my efforts have resulted in TOEFL score which more than satisfies the scholarship’s minimum requirement.

Classics is Pan-European subject, so there are many papers and reference books that are translated from French, German, and Italian into English. But there is much material that has not been translated. Considering this, I believe my language skills combined with my understanding of European literature will be useful in my studies and in my future career. I understand that I must acquire more basic knowledge of Classics before starting, since my undergraduate major differs. However, I will start to prepare as much as possible by studying myself.

My ultimate career objective is to be a teacher at a school. And there, I would like to help to promote the importance of liberal arts by using my knowledge of Classics and languages which I will acquire at the assigned institution. Also, I would like to translate Classics and publish books on ancient Greek and Roman culture. I want to work to contribute to the Humanities and to further world understanding and peace.