Early Childhood
Elementary Education in Hong Kong
Mia moved to Hong Kong primarily because of her father’s job. Her parents put her into an elementary school for Japanese expats because her mother was of Japanese nationality. Reflecting on her childhood and the cultural differences in her education, Mia noted many differences between her schools. She found that in her Japanese elementary school, students would clean the classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, etc, on their own accord after lunch because the school did not have cleaning staff.
"I think going to a Japanese elementary school taught me a lot about respecting my belongings, environment, people (whether they’re teachers or cleaning staff) who support my everyday life."
Living in Japan
After moving to Japan around 7th grade, Mia experienced a huge culture shock when transferring to an “American School” (the actual name of her school). Mia’s family moved around because of her Dad’s job but ended up settling in Japan because it is her Mom’s country. This school was for international students, and it was the first time in middle school that she was taught in English rather than in Japanese. Mia also noted that in her elementary school, she never practiced her public speaking skills. It wasn’t until this switch to her international school that she was taught public speaking skills.
"I noticed I would get complimented by adults in Japan a lot after switching schools because I was more comfortable with public speaking compared to people my age."
