Why I Study English―Learning Language Stories

Our daily life depend on languages. Everyone speaks their native language and learns a foreign language. Now I'm studying English as a second language but having trouble to learn. Learning languages is deep and difficult but so fun. Then I often think such things; Why am I studying English? What does it bring me? How am I have to do become a good speaker of English?

When I was small, I often read a picture book and made a fairy tale with my mother. I liked Japanese language, and especially writing a composition and making a poem and haiku. But when I began to learn English at the junior high school, I took to like it better than Japanese language though I'm not good at. When I became a high school student, I began to watch many Hollywood movies and listen to the U.S. music, and be more interested in English. I wanted to know about cultures of other countries. I wanted to study English more. Then, I decided to study English at KGU.

I had a homestay at Hawaii last summer. I wanted to feel real English with my skins for a long time. I studied at the language school there, met any kind of people, and talked with my host family everyday. I could barely understand other people to say, but had trouble to tell other people my mind. But I realized pleasure of communication in English. One day, I enjoyed talking with an American student that I encountered at the bus stop in the morning. He said "It's strange to talk with a stranger at the bus stop in Japan, isn't it? But it's usual here." I thought then I’m feeling real English with my skins, and wholeheartedly enjoying it.

I also enjoyed chatting in English with the French, the Swiss and the Italian there. We talked about some phrases of each native language. I had a good time. We can talk with various countries people through English. I heard that we can understand other languages if we understand English. In brief, I think that English broadens our horizons. I took a French class last year. However it was very difficult for me. It'll be pretty cool if I can speak French. So, before anything else I would like to master English.

I studied at the language school in Hawaii. There were students from Japan, Korea, China, Switzerland, France, Italy and German. I thought Europeans are good at speaking English. Japanese are not good at speaking though are good at reading and writing. Many Japanese are very shy and I'm also shy. I want to speak English better than reading and writing well. My friends and I encountered the Irish man who had taught English in Japan before. He said to us "Don't be shy." He took us to a birthday party of his friend's son age 2. The family welcomed us though we went uninvited. The father showed us around his house. The mother said to us, "You can eat anything as much as you want." We had a good time there. I like Americans because they are very kind and friendly.

Someone asked me "Why are you studying English?" I didn't know what I should say, but answered honestly "I just like it." Then he said "That's best." I was glad to hear that word. Now I have not a job I want to do in the future. I have not seen what I should do now. Some of my friends study at the language school aiming to become a flight attendant. I often feel pressed when I hear that because I don't have an aim. I sometimes think, "What am I doing here?" But I really like English so much, so I study. I will spend the rest of my life learning English. I don't care about even taking the long way.

I have a lot of assignments of English language courses everyday. For example, writing essays in blogging, reading English books and newspapers, learning vocabulary, and the group projects. Those are hard for me, but I’m enjoying it. Especially, I like reading class. The teacher gives us opportunity that read some newspapers. One assignment is making problems from the newspaper. We read a newspaper, choose one topic we like. We have to understand matter of the article well and make problems. That is perplexing but fun and instructive. The teacher always says, "You should read a newspaper and know many things." After I entered the University, I felt that learning English is not only studying grammar.

I think learning more Japanese is important to help me become a good speaker of English. I realized through writing essays that description in Japanese and English are not always equal. We choose appropriate Japanese expressions and translate to appropriate English expression. So, I recently read a novel and write an essay in Japanese to increase my vocabulary. I think that learning Japanese leads to learning English, and learning English creates an opportunity to learn other languages. Now I have a lot of opportunity to write more than before. We have to post on the blog everyday. I think it is hard for me but very instructive. I find new things whenever I write in English. That is not only things about English, but also about myself. For example, I find a new part of myself by thinking and writing something that I don't think usually. So I think "to write" is very important.

I began to study English because of compulsory education, but I’m studying it on my own will now. It not has especial reason; I just like English. Through the experience oversea and daily work at the University, I found out what English brings me, and realized my real intention. Now I’m studying at KGU, and thinking what I should do in my own way. I wish I find an aim soon. At any rate, I believe "What one likes, one will do well.”

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