Shantel Acuna
Global Learning Activities
During my time as a Global Medallion student, I have participated in various enriching activities and talks on global issues. Some activities are worth 1 to 5 points. Below are some of the most memorable events I participated in.
Ainu: Indigenous people of Japan
1-point activity
Ainu are the indigenous people of northern Japan. They continue to practice their culture and language and educate the rest of the world about the indigenous people of Japan. Members of the Ainu came to FIU and gave a presentation about their culture, music and history.
Walking the Kiso Road
1-point activity
The Kiso Road is a legendary route between Modern Day Tokyo and Kyoto that still exists in modern times. This road was used by the shogun and daimyo, Japanese military warriors and feudal lords during the Edo period. To this day, People can walk on this road and experience history. William Scott Wilson, the author of "Walking the Kiso Road" came to FIU to talk about his travels and experience on the Kiso Road and travel tips for anyone interested doing this journey.
Cultural Appropriation
1-point activity
This event held a forum for students to discuss the fine line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation can be harmful and portray a group of people in stereotypical situations. Its important to be educated why this behavior is not acceptable.
4+ Semesters of Japanese Language
5-point activity​
I have taken 5 semesters of Japanese at FIU. In class we used Genki Vol 1 and 2 and now I can now speak, read, and write intermediate level Japanese. Since I was in elementary school, I wanted to be able to speak and understand Japanese. My goal at the time was to travel to Japan, so far I have studied abroad and made international friends. Learning Japanese has been one of my greatest accomplishments. I plan to continue studying Japanese and improve my linguistic abilities.
