Judges and winners of the First Edition of the "Japan the Cool, and I" Competition (2023)
July 15, 2023: The winners of the first edition of the competition are:
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My desire to study Japanese in college was, in fact, triggered by an impulsive choice that then led to an absolute chain reaction of events. My passion for Japan however was born from my love for art and anime, which then in turn led to love for Japanese culture, mythology and literature, and in general for everything Japanese. |
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My passion for Japan began when I first encountered Japanese language. I was instantly fascinated, and after a short while, I started studying it. Thanks to the language, I was gradually exposed to Japanese culture, thus growing to love both the traditional and modern aspects of Japanese music and fashion. Here I am now, continuing on this path at the West University of Timișoara in the Japanese Language and Literature Program and enjoying every second of it. |
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I first came into contact with Japanese culture through kendama, a Japanese wooden skill toy that became very popular among kids in Romania a few years back. From there I started reading English translations of Japanese authors. and... the rest is history. I've always liked to immerse myself in cultures different than my own and I find the study of language and literature to be the best way to do that. I hope that one day I can help others discover their passion for Japanese culture and my long term goal is to become a teacher. |
The winners of the first three places received Japanese literature books as well as guaranteed seats in the Japanese language and literature program at West University of Timișoara, where they are now freshmen (first-year students).
The competition judges were:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. George T. Sipos
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eliza Filimon
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sorin Ciutacu