**Question: Many childhood experiences leave lifelong impressions on people. Write an essay in which you describe a memorable childhood experience and explain its effect on your life.**  
  
## Memories from the past and my teaching

  
  
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray..." I remember singing when I was 12 years old as a middle school student. My class sang the song together under our English teacher's direction, Mrs. Lee. In Korea, we did not learn English until middle school, so it was difficult for us to sing an English song at the age of 12. However, singing the song, "You Are My Sunshine" took me away from my small town in the countryside and brought to life a different kind of culture far away into an unknown dreamland.  
  
I don't know what happened when I sang the song, but the song made learning a complicated foreign language like English easier. Actually, I enjoyed singing even though I didn't know the exact meaning behind the lyrics. Through Mrs. Lee's instruction, my English class listened to the song from the cassette player as we sang the song together. Because we did this several times, I noticed myself humming the song when I commuted to school or during free moments. As time went by, we learned the meaning behind the lyrics, in addition to the grammar rules. I applied those grammar rules when I took difficult English grammar tests until I was in high school, humming the song trying to remember the rules. Without a doubt, my English score improved because of Mrs. Lee's instruction and my memory of the song.  
  
Mrs. Lee's Korean name was pronounced similar to the word 'queen', so her nickname was 'queen' starting during her college life. The nickname was given by her favorite professor. When she revealed this to our class, she blushed a little bit and looked like she was in another world. Her tone of voice was always so gentle and nice. It's the kind of voice actor one might expect from a princess or pretty woman. Her voice made English sound sweeter and softer. Her gestures were like those one might see from a queen. They could be kind but strict with authority. I admired her way of talking and teaching especially when she inspired us to dream about bigger dreams, such as becoming a diplomat or president. Even though we lived in such a small countryside without public transportation, she inspired us to think outside the box. Thanks to her, I have dreamed of becoming an English speaking teacher since then.  
  
It's been ten years since I came to the U.S. to study abroad. I am pursuing a teaching degree, like my queen in America. It's not easy for me to pass the many required tests, especially when they involve listening, reading, speaking and writing in English. However, I will not give up in order to make my dreams come true. I've volunteered to teach Korean to Korean Americans, in English here in the U.S for six years, trying to be nice and gentle like Mrs. Lee. In order for my students to avoid feeling as though the Korean Language is difficult, I've tried to have my voice soft and sweet. I am always dreaming that there will be more "little kings and queens" out there, waiting for my help with a sweet and soft sound.