Aku

I'm a hungry person. I'll happily eat almost anything vegetarian from anywhere: sandwiches from America, rotis from India, borscht from Ukraine, and much more. All of these foods have their own ingredients and recipes. While they have much in common, every food has something unique about it. As I learn to cook these foods, I grow even hungrier for what I have and will cook. Every dish has a signature of the local culture, history and even social-philosophy.

Similar to food, languages are no different. Words are ingredients of sentences, added to dishes via a recipe, and those dishes make a conversational meal. As my knowledge of ingredients increases, more people enjoy the meals I cook. For the same reason, I study languages. Consistencies between languages provide a sweet comfort as I learn. Starkly different linguistic concepts add an exciting spicy atmosphere. The surrounding in multilingual media to me is similar to the delight of combining multicultural foods. When I cook under a new cuisine, I come across unfamiliar tastes; in one language, I say things I wouldn't normally say in another. These new experiences drive me to delve even deeper to find new perspectives.

I'm also passionate about music. The sensation when I sing or play an instrument is comparable to that of an exotic meal. Music can "parallel process" multiple thoughts simultaneously with universal notes. Similar to food, the sequence of notes can sometimes be almost contradictory from one culture to another but still the harmony is exquisite. Individual groups of ingredients may sometimes sound bland, but put the whole orchestra together, a beautiful symphony is created. The balance and depth of such combinations fascinates me, and makes me eager for more.

Science has always been a big part of me, since witnessing the curious reduction of friction using solid graphite instead of oil for race cars in kindergarten, to today, building a high speed transistor as a research student in a university, using single layer of graphite called graphene in a chemistry lab. The ideas do not come from thin air but are reflections of the culture and interpersonal communication. Similar to a chef or composer trying new approaches, pushing limits, constantly searching for new ingredients or more refined spices, science operates in the same way. Healthy food keeps us alive, and science helps keep society alive in the same way. Scientists are chefs working for the good of humanity.

Language, music, science, and food, to me are all ideas that transform us.? But most important to me is learning the diversity up close. I am only sure of one thing about college. I am about to get even hungrier.