I want to be an aircraft crew. So, I thought I need to be able to speak fluent English for the job. This is the reason I began thinking about wanting
to study abroad.
English is nothing more than a language. So, If we want to master it, we must use it every day, every time.
I often talk to my friends who are foreigners studying in Japan. They told to me to use English more often and helped me by talking to me in English very frequently. I then began noticing that speaking with anyone is more effective than studying English by myself.
These days, studying abroad is becoming more and more popular in Japan, however it is still a big step to take.
When I first arrived in New Zealand I thought kiwi people spoke very fast because we didn't have any opportunity to speak English in Japan. That's a reason why I couldn't understand the immigration officer when I first arrived.
However, now I have to use English on my own and I hear people speaking English everyday, so my English skills day by day have improved.
My English improvement can be seen through, for instance, when I first started my first class in the Pathways college academic course I was lower than level 3, but now I am sitting at level 7, which is one short of the maximum level 8.
Who would've known that I would be in level 7. No one around me expected that, including myself. Therefore, through deciding to study abroad I was able to improve myself overall.
Before I went studying abroad I wanted to speak English fluently. However, I realised that it was not a specific enough target to get to fluency. So, I tried making friends and also created some opportunities for speaking. As a result, I was able to get the highest score for my presentation in class. This result gave me confidence and courage. I believe that these kinds of feelings and beliefs are very important. However, in Japan there are not many chances to speak English, so I have to study English in order to keep my English skills. Fortunately, I have a lot of friends, so I want to keep in touch with them.
