Polyglossia

Click to enlarge; red signifies where I’ve lived; blue, where I’ve been; and green, where I want to go.

① California

I was born and raised in southern California, and, no matter where I end up, I’ll always consider myself a Californian.  I grew up mostly in the suburbs, about forty-five minutes out of Los Angeles.

② North Carolina

I’m currently going to school on the opposite side of the US at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.  It’s been a much different atmosphere from what I’m used to, but I like it enough.

③ China

I spent a year or two in China when I was really little—a toddler—and I’ve been back a number of times on family vacations.  I used to hate these vacations, back when I really didn’t understand or appreciate them enough, but, nowadays, I find myself missing China and missing those times.  I was born in the United States and stick out in China as a foreigner, but I’ve been trying to reclaim this part of my identity.  Currently, I’m working on strengthening my Chinese language skills (or lack thereof).

④ Europe

In the summer of 2007, I was fortunate to be invited to be a part of the Sound of America.  This program invites about 180 high school and college students to be part of an honor band and chorus.  The group goes through about four or five days of intense rehearsal—on par with the rigor of an All-State group—and then gives a Bon Voyage concert in the United States before departing for about a month-long tour of six western European countries: Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and Germany.  On this tour, the group gives a number of goodwill concerts while traveling and learning about various European histories and cultures.  The program is entirely nonprofit.

⑤ Southeast Asia

In the summer of 2009, I was accepted to be a participant in the Carolina Southeast Asia Summer (SEAS) program.  This program is open to 25 rising sophomores from any academic discipline and is funded entirely by a private scholarship.  The program lasts for about eight weeks, with four weeks spent at the National University of Singapore and four weeks spent at Mahidol International University in Salaya, just outside of Bangkok, Thailand; there were also excursions to Melaka, Malaysia and Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi in Thailand.  Academic work consisted of two courses: international migration and the history of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.  This program was the impetus for my current interest in world Englishes and in Singapore English in particular.