I started studying English when I entered JHS. At that time, I liked English only because I could easily get high score. But, at the end of first grade, my attitude toward English had totally changed; or rather my whole life had definitely changed. That’s because I fell in love with an American singer who is a member of Hanson; Jordan Taylor Hanson. At this time, I strongly wished to marry him in the future. So I decided to study English more and be a good English speaker to talk with him someday. I watched Hanson’s video everyday after I came home and listened to their English carefully to understand what they were saying, not by subtitle but in English. The more I loved Hanson, the more interest I took in English. So, in those days I made a lot of efforts. For example, I listened to the radio program American Forces Network, watched the TV program Tossanohitokoto or overseas dramas and bought foreign magazines and read articles about Hanson. As for the radio, I didn’t get it at all, for the English is too fast. So I just listened to it. Also I looked up the words of Hanson’s songs that I didn’t know, listening to their songs. However, it was really difficult to understand all the meanings of their songs at that age. Later, I began to listen to not only Hanson but also Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Steps, Boyzone and so on. Gradually, I came to be interested in foreign countries, too. When I closed my eyes, listening to those songs, I always felt as if I had been in foreign countries. At the same time, I fancied myself speaking English fluently. I liked these times so much, because I felt like I could get out of this small world.

After that, I entered a HS which had an English Department. I was definitely sure that I would be able to speak English before my graduation. I studied English very hard, because I believed that “If I do everything I learned at school, I will be able to speak English.” I always memorized every sentence of reading textbooks and grammar textbooks before examination, for I didn’t want to make my English grades bad. I learned a lot of words and idioms by heart by myself as well. I really liked English and I thought I was good at English in those days, but on the other hand, there was a time I thought I better stop studying English. That’s because I don’t like listening. Whenever I take a listening test, I get tense and get tired mentally. Still, I realized that it’s because I like English so much that I become stressed. So I made up my mind to keep studying English. My high school life was over and I wasn’t able to speak English after all.

When I entered Dokkyo University, I thought I do want to be able to speak English this time. Yet, there were no differences between English classes in high school and those in university, so I wanted to go back to high school. But now, I think no more of it, because I am really happy to be in this Honors English class. I think I was pretty lucky. Recently I noticed how I haven’t practiced speaking English until now. There was no English conversation class in both junior high school and high school. Even more, when I was a freshman, I mostly talked with my friends in Japanese during English conversation class. So, I was amazed to take this class at first. But I am happy to notice this important thing early. Now I got to think “I try to do my best! If I never give up, I will be able to speak English someday.” I really want to thank my teacher and classmates who gave me courage. I want to know many things through this class from now on too and make my dreams come true.