Name: Aya Sasaki  

Year: 1996      

                                                                                                                                 

    I'm crazy about English. So many people are surprised to hear that I did not have much interest in English in junior high school. Exactly speaking, I did not hate English, but I did not love English. All I did was just prepare for the tests and take classes normally.

     Then in high school, one day I noticed a paper about a trip to the U.S. on a board. At first I hesitated to apply for it, but my mother encouraged me, "Just try."  Fortunately I was chosen, and I had a really wonderful experience in the U.S.

     I thought American people were generally cheerful and friendly, because many people even strangers spoke to me in the U.S. However, owing to my lack of English ability, I could not understand well. For example, when I talked with a host-mother, I could not catch even easy words such as "many" or "cat". Also, when I left the U.S., I wanted to say many things to my host-family. But I could just repeat "Thank you" again and again. Although I believed that host-family understood that I thanked them for a precious and enjoyable stay with them so much, I regretted "If I could speak English well, I could talk with them and tell them my feeling much better.”

     The two-week-trip changed me greatly. I cannot express how delighted I was when I could communicate with my host-mother in English for the first time. Since the trip, I realized that English is very interesting and useful. So, I tried to make opportunities to speak English. I joined E.S.S. When Assistant English Teachers came to our school, I visited them in the teacher's room and talked with them in English for a while.

     I also participated in an English conversation class that my town held for beginners for some months. Almost all the classmates were adults. Some brought children with them to the class, others came to the class from their offices directly. Even a 70-year-old man took part in the class. I was also surprised at the fact that so many various people were eager to learn English. Because they had graduated from school, they tried to study hard. I was inspired by them and had rare, good experiences outside school. I made friends with a family through the class, and even now we keep in touch with each other.

     One of the best memories in my history was when an exchange student came from New Zealand when I was in the eleventh grade. He studied in my class for a year. I was just so curious that I wanted to talk with him very much. "What in the world does he think?  What is his country like?  Why did he come to Japan?....He came from a totally different part of the universe...That is great!" 

     As he could not speak Japanese at all at first, I had to speak only English with him. But I thought it was a very good chance to study English. We talked about many things like ourselves, our families, dreams in the future, Japanese customs, etc. We have been very good friends. We promised to meet again without fail.

     The first impression of English classes was "This is what I have wanted to do!" Especially I was amazed and impressed by oral communication classes. Almost all the lectures were so much fun to me. I think "shadowing" and "self-talking" are quite effective.

     "Talking with non-native speakers" is a good way, too. I should have known these ideas earlier. Above all, I was greatly moved by "I love mistakes,” because we were always taught not to make mistakes. If we made mistakes, that led to a bad grade. Few teachers had said such a thing. Thanks to the classes, I feel I became positive and dared to love mistakes.

     At University I am learning not only English but also important things through English. In addition, I meet a lot of people who are making great efforts. They always inspire me to further efforts. I think I must be a very lucky and happy person.

     I have mainly two goals now. One is that I would like to be a teacher after graduation, for teachers can learn a lot from students. Also, I think  feedback from students is interesting. The other is the goal throughout my life; "I would like to be an attractive person such as people think they want to talk with me more and more."