Name: Kunihiro Kondo

Year: 1997

 

 

     My LLH began with one encounter when I was in 5th grade. I met a foreigner who lived near my house. Unexpectedly he spoke to me in a little strange English and we could become friends quickly. As his family lived all over the world when he was young, he knew a lot about many countries. So he would often talk to me about many cultures. Gradually I came to feel like learning English and knowing more.

     Then I decided to go to a private English school near my house with my friends. Though it was  tough for me to go there after elementary school was over and sometimes I became disgusted, I came to like English little by little. This was partly because the teacher told us "Learning English is fun, so let's enjoy learning." We learned many foreign songs and we sang a lot in each class. One time I took part in a speech contest in Nagoya as a representative of the school. Now I can't believe that I could speak English so fluently in front of many people when I watch the video of those days.

     After I became a JHS student, I studied English so hard. I would often listen to many foreign songs, especially the Beatles. Now I have a habit of singing songs while I am walking or riding a bicycle. So I would sing Beatle's songs like "Yesterday..." very loudly while I was on my way home and people would look at me strangely. I also longed to visit their hometown in England. My dream is still unchanged, to go and live in England one day.

     After entering HS I came to dislike studying English because classes became so logical and grammatical that I couldn't have interest. And I was very disappointed that teachers thought English was just a tool for entrance exams only. Of course my grades went down. But I had a friend who encouraged my desire to learn.

     Luckily, I could enter this university. What I was most surprised at after entering this university was "OC class." As I didn't make an effort to be able to speak English at all in school, I was embarrassed to speak only English and not Japanese at first. I thought it was impossible  for me. But now I have come to feel  it is not difficult to speak only English in class, so I try to speak as much English as possible in class. And before I came to this university, I expected to communicate with many foreign students. But I also realized that I could speak English with a lot of Japanese students too! I actually came to feel that is the first step. So I tried to speak more to classmates in English and to help my partners learn more.

     By the way, I found it helpful to speak English outside of class, at home, and to think in English whenever I think something. I sometimes speak English to my mother while we are eating dinner. Though she can't speak English very much, she only has to listen to my English. I believe my effort will surely be useful for my future.

     My goal is to go abroad to study and to communicate with many people in the near future. I am sure that my next three years will be even more wonderful. I would advise next year's first year students: "Make a specific goal so you can improve what you want to learn and you will surely succeed." And the most important thing to believe is that "You can do it!"