Krystle

I was born and raised in a typical Puerto Rican family. My father worked the night shift at the post office, and my mother was a receptionist and secretary at a doctor’s office. My parents worked and I went to school and at the end of the day, we had a hearty meal which always seemed to include fried foods or rice and beans. We all  spent more time than necessary watching television and playing video games, our favorites being those from Japan, such as Dragon ball and Pokemon. This infatuation with Japanese media is probably what led to my later interest in learning the language. Our sedentary lifestyle soon began to impact not just my health, but the way I felt about myself.                                                                                                                                           

Alongside my affinity to fitness, my love for the Japanese language had also continued to develop; by the time I began applying to college, I specifically sought out those with Japanese classes. I managed to receive a full scholarship to Hunter College, where I am currently pursuing Japanese translation as a major through the CUNY Baccalaureate program. I have also just recently enrolled for a personal training certification through the International Sports Sciences Association. I am proud of my successes in both of these career paths and plan to continue to pursue them both well into the future. My aspirations are to become a professional personal trainer, as well as a translator and interpreter for English and Japanese speakers. Acceptance to the New York Needs You program is just one more step towards my future and I am eager to improve my communication and interpersonal skills during the next two years of my involvement in their workshops.