Ten Years from now… (Jan. 2001)

Ten Years from now…
By Maiko Takenaka, Koyo Senior High School
January, 2001
Wakayama Prefecture Essay Contest

I would like to get a job at an international relations company ten years from now. I have had this dream since I was an elementary student. I have thought that I wanted to study abroad since I was a junior high school student and, at last I’ll try to do so this year.

“Why do you want to study abroad?” If you wanted to study outside Japan, why did you apply for admission to Japanese universities?” I did so, firstly, I would like to speak English well and second I don’t feel as strong an attraction to Japanese universities as I do to American ones. American universities offer elective subjects that are not available in Japan; they also have excellent facilities. Moreover, they have counselors to help international students.

Last year, I went to America and visited a university. My first impression of the campus was “It’s very, very large!” I thought, “I want to study at a university like this!” and the desire to study abroad became even stronger. I’ll make an effort so that the experiences I gain at college and university will enable to me to be a useful worker in the next ten or twenty years.

A decade from now, I would also like to work as a volunteer for those who suffer in the world. In reality, I don’t actually know the true state of affairs in developing countries since I grew up in Japan, which is too rich. For instance, we eat sumptuous meals, wear luxurious clothes, make free use of everything and have the right to education and so on. On the contrary, many people in the world don’t have food to eat, clothes to wear or the chance to study. I want to know what they are thinking and be very useful to them.

When we think of the future, there is a chance that global society may go wrong, but I wouldn’t think so. Now, we have to take the lead. The environment is in crisis; for example, globa warming, desertification, acid rain, and pollution of oceans, rivers and lakes, in short, the whole world has been polluted. People, especially those in developed countries, have primarily caused this destruction. My grand father said, “We are responsible for this society.” But I think that we are in way to blame for it, too. So we have to try to repair the damage and think about conditions in developing countries.

Ten years from now, if I were to ask the question “Do you have a worthwile job? Or “Do you have pride in your job?” I want to answer, “Yes.”

I’ll work hard to reach my goal and will never give up my dream; I will show you I can reach my potential!