Hi guys! My name is Akari, and I am from Tokyo, Japan, but I grew up in Singapore! I also spent the last three years in a boarding school in Andover, Massachusetts. I have structured my gap year to take some time exploring my hobbies, academic interests, and community service.
First, I will be attending culinary school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for three months, where I will learn basic culinary skills such as knife techniques, butchery, and food safety.
Starting in January, I will begin an internship at a university in Japan that aligns with my future in biomedical engineering. My research will focus on developing rehabilitative technologies for patients with mobility impairments. Alongside this internship, I will also volunteer at a non-profit organization that supports children from single-parent households. In this role, I will tutor kids in English/math and may also contribute to the organization’s food bank by preparing and serving meals for the kids.
Finally, I plan on travelling to Mongolia, engaging with their rich cultural heritage, complex history, and lots of nature, vastly different from the large cities I’ve grown up in.
I am so excited about each of these opportunities, and I look forward to sharing my experiences!
