Letters to Sophia, Pt. 4

Speaking to Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not something I imagined doing or even having an opportunity to ever do. When Dr. Rooks first told me at LMU that I would be asking a question at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I didn't think anything of it because I thought we would only be talking to the representatives/admin. The day before going to MOFA, he really emphasized to our class but specifically to Genelle and I that this was a very important setting and that we only had about 15 minutes to listen and ask our questions that were already written and sent to MOFA ahead of time. I became nervous and began to wonder why I was even chosen to ask a question in the first place because I am shy and don’t really enjoy public speaking. I knew however that I needed to compose myself and act confident because I am representing not only myself but America as well. A few hours before we arrived at MOFA, Dr. Rooks gave Genelle and I our questions to ask and I practiced it a million times, even though I would still have the paper with me and be able to read it at MOFA too. When we arrived at MOFA, we all sat in our assigned seats and the conversation started exactly on time as stated. When it was my time to ask my question, I began to shake a bit as I felt a bit tense because everything was so serious but I picked up the mic and read as confidently as I could. The Parliamentary Vice Minister of MOFA looked at me intently as I asked the question even though he couldn’t understand what I was saying and also knew the question already ahead of time. When I saw him look at me as I asked the question and also as he was answering the question, I didn’t feel any type of intimidation that I thought I would feel, but rather I felt confidence. Confidence that I could speak to such an important figure and that I was put in the position to do so. The fear and shyness I once felt, disappeared in the moment and it made me feel proud of myself. After the conversation, we were positioned to take pictures with him and after that I was told prior to give him a thank you letter and message as we’ve always done with all the other places we visited. I believe MOFA was made unaware that I was going to be doing that as when I was reaching out to hand him the letter, his bodyguards reacted and stood alert thinking that I was planning to attack him. They halted and watched me give him the letter. He opened it, looked at me, and unexpectedly shook my hand and the photographer took a picture of the interaction. I was shocked and pleased that he shook my hand and it gave me an even bigger confidence boost that I can really do anything I put my mind to. After the MOFA visit, Dr. Rooks expressed his joy and told Genelle and I that we did a great job. That put a smile on my face.