Kajin M̧ajeļ: https://chikinmelele.com/grand-champion-nan-ri-jikuul-in-university/
This Namdrik beauty, from Majuro, is a student at the University of New Mexico. She lives in Albuquerque where she goes to school. Before the COVID pandemic, she worked in a chemistry lab. When university housing closed, she stayed with friends because she couldn’t return to the Marshall Islands. She is now a in-home care provider. Her graduation date way pushed back because she studied abroad in Taiwan. She has a few semesters to go. Nice work Kathy! Hilary Hosia wrote about Kathy when she was a student at Majuro Cooperative School in a past issue: August 24, 2016.
Meet Kathy Liu: grand champion of the 12th Japanese Speech Contest held in May at the International Conference Center in Majuro — three weeks before she graduated with flying colors from Majuro Cooperative High School. The contest enables non-Japanese students from various schools throughout Majuro from middle school grades up to college-level contestants to showcase their Japanese-speaking abilities. Kathy competed with four others in her speech category, including three college students. Her flawless performance persuaded the seven-judge panel, including Japanese Ambassador to Marshall Islands Hideyuki Mitsuoka, to unanimously nominate her as champion. Amazingly, three of Kathy’s younger siblings participated in the same contest and won prizes. The grand prize: three-week education round-trip to Japan.
Let’s step inside Kathy’s shoes for a while to better understand the aspiring 18-year old Namdrik beauty. Kathy has a Marshallese mom and a Taiwanese father. She grew up speaking Mandarin, Marshallese and English and is fluent in all three. During her freshman year she began learning Japanese in her elective class and had continued learning since. Like many millennials born into dual-ethnic parents, English speaking is the language of choice when visitors arrive at the Liu’s home in Uliga or when they are in school or in public. Being the middle child, Kathy is used to multi task between chores, something she jokingly said she wouldn’t miss when she pursue higher education at the University of New Mexico in the US in August.
Boarding the United Airlines flight from Amata Kabua International Airport to Hawaii will be the first time the teen has ever set foot on an airplane. “I’m actually looking forward to the day I travel because I’ve never been inside an airplane before and this would be first time for me to travel outside of Marshall Islands,” she said with a huge grin on her face. She said the longest time she’d been away from her parents was two days and that’s when she was in camp in a nearby island.
Although she wants to keep her options open in the future, Kathy will pursue Environmental Science. She also plans to enhance her skills and love for basketball in college. Throughout her four-year in high school, she has been a vital part of the school varsity team and have won four consecutive years. When she’s not in school, playing ball or doing chores, Kathy turns to her camera, which she is often seen carrying. “I love taking pictures, she said. “Photojournalism” is something I consider doing in the long run.” Many of Kathy’s photos and work of art has been displayed in the Jambo Arts festivals, an island-wide forum where artists showcase their talents and artwork.
Kathy understands the road ahead has hurdles and challenges. With the support of her family combined with quality knowledge and experience gained from the best school in Majuro, Kathy is up for the challenge.