What is your topic? My topic is Japanese Language and Culture.
Why? My mother is Japanese and I've been studying the language/studying the culture for about eleven years. I would like to grow in it, becoming fluent and to help others to realize Japan is more than just what American's visualize it as. There's more to Japan than just anime/manga, pretty clothes, cute people and festivals.
What do you hope to accomplish after studying this topic all year? I hope to be able to speak Japanese more fluently than I currently do. Also, summer of 2012, I plan to travel to Japan to live with a host family. I hope to be able to transition fluidly and not have to rely on the English my host family speaks, but the Japanese I understand. I also hope to accomplish what I stated above about changing my peer's perspective about Japan.