[寫作指導] 課堂作文 Essay ｜大學申請練習 College Application｜人生轉念 Challenge a Belief｜學生作品 Writing Clinic

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

“All students must bring the same pencil case and stationery utensils as assigned by the school.” This is a line from my Japanese school rule book, which required all students to carry the same belongings including backpacks and to wear the same clothes. As said in the Japanese proverb “deru kugi wa utareru” which can be translated into “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down,” conformity plays a big role in defining Japanese society. The proverb states that if a person behaves and speaks differently, they will gather unwanted attention and criticism. We were awarded for how well we could mimic others and blend in the community without standing out, instead of our individuality.

When I was in sixth grade, I moved into an international school in Taiwan. Everything changed completely including my environment, languages, and the expectation. Language barrier creates struggle and suffering in my life in Taiwan, especially in school. Even though I am half Japanese and half Taiwanese, I spent most of my life in Japan and used Japanese as my mother tongue, so my Mandarin and English abilities were limited. At first, I could only understand my teacher or my friends vaguely. I always needed to focus on every single word that the teacher would say to understand what I was required to do during class. I was frustrated but I felt people were trying to talk slower to me.

‘明日水着忘れんなよ！(Don’t forget your swimming suits!)’ One email came to my mailbox. It was from one boy from my grade who is also half Taiwanese and half Japanese. Even though we have the same nationality, I didn’t talk to him that much. He wrote an email to me about not forgetting to bring swimming suits in Japanese. I was very surprised because I didn’t expect him to send an email to some girl who is new who doesn't know anything and isn't close to him. I was very touched because if he didn’t tell me then I wouldn't have even known there was swimming class and I found that I’m not the only one in grade who could speak the specific language in an environment with a different language than before. Being different was a shameful experience in Japan but I receive help and kindness to keep up with everyone in Taiwan. I started to reflect upon the experience. Is being different so scary? Or does it make me a special only person in the world? I sank into the idea and the cooling swim water when I attended the class.

I wonder: Why does the nail that sticks out get hammered down? I don’t religiously believe in the proverb that much. I realized that it is okay to stick out and be different from others. Being different from other people is not a wrong thing. Being different is natural – being different is not special because everyone is different. Before coming to Taiwan, being different made me ashamed and wanted to hide to make sure that I was not standing out. However, in Taiwan, it was not. Everyone knows that I am not the same as other people who can speak fluent English and came from Taiwan, but still they didn’t hammer down just because I am different from others and stand out. They tried to help me as a team but didn’t just expect to blend in the fixed idea of their group. And I love this beautiful story of the reminder letter because even if the language barrier created a painful journey then, I didn’t suffer alone. I learned. I embrace my individuality even if it is not always pretty.