Konichiwa! Hajime Mashite! Watashi wa Gonktahlanee Thongphoon desu (My name is Gonktahlanee Thongphoon.) Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. I am currently a third year student at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts. My major is in Computer Information Technology and my minor is Asian Studies – Japan. I have an interest in Asian culture and really like learning Asian languages. I am planning to go study abroad at the University of Kochi in Japan later this year. Before I go on the long term exchange program, I will be traveling to Kochi, Japan this May with nine other students for a two and a half weeks program, where I will be living with a Japanese host family and also be taking up a level two Japanese language course at the University of Kochi. For the long term program later this fall, I am looking forward to taking a variety of courses that will be Japanese language intensive learning. I am very excited for the opportunity of studying abroad in Japan because I will be able to use the Japanese language and cultural skills that I have been studying during this past school year. After I finish college I would like to work for the U.S. Embassy either in Japan or Thailand. I believe that studying abroad in Japan will help me to improve my Japanese language skill and help me prepare to work internationally in the future. This is an exciting year for me I can't wait to go to Japan! I promise I will do my best!