Hyogo University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific

2019『Dispatched』

  • Name:宮前 歩実 [ 日本 ]

  • Acceptance period:Aug. 23, 2019 ~ May. 11, 2020
  • Acceptance university:セントマーチンズ大学
  • University enrolled:芦屋大学


Opportunity of the studying abroad, purpose

I will study in the U.S. for a year since August 20th in this year. I have two reasons why did I start to decide to study abroad.
First, I had a great longing for study abroad from early childhood. I was study English from the age of three and I like English ever since I can remember. Thanks to,I don’t have uncomfortable studying English rather than I want to study English more.
Also, my cousin was study abroad and take a exchange student and I often actively see a my cousin’s figure. So, I speak with a exchange student.
Second, I have a dream of becoming a Grand staff. Therefore, I need a high English proficiency. English is a common language on the world in now, so English proficiency is indispensable. In addition, it is reasonable for us to speak English.
Forever I can’t speak English like a native speaker. So, I want to try to up a English proficiency strict condition in myself.
I respect each other to be concerned with people of various occupations go over country, border,culture,race and language. If I study abroad I will get a room in dormitory with my roommate. So, I want to expression of one’s will. I think that I’ll have enjoy by no means trouble for the first time. But, I think that it is important for me to try anything to gain experience. So, I will challenge myself. Off course, I thank to my parents and I am a happy home environment. So, I live up to my parents expectations and I’ll go better than they ‘ll have expect and go back to Japan. I’ll study hard.

Experience while studying abroad

Time passes so quickly. My studying abroad in America has been exactly five months. I feel impatient with studying abroad, but I have a sense of achievement, because my studying abroad has been a turning point. I came here, I thought “Am I have a good life that I imagined before I came here? Am I improving my English skills? The more I thought of these, more words run through my mind. However, I’m leading a full life, so I don’t have time to think about it. American life is completely different from Japanese, so it’s full of new things. If I didn’t come here to study abroad, this would be a strange world for me, and I would have had no idea. I have learned a lot of things since I came here. It’s not easy to learn English and we need a sense of self-reliance to take care of ourselves. Of course, we need high English skills, but I have learned to look me at myself objectively. Therefore, I’m taking six classes each day. I have homework everyday in each of the classes. I have recently felt that I can speak English easily with people. I speak with my English teachers by making an appointment with them. Also, I have improved my listening skills by staying at my host family’s house during winter vacation. I learned about the life style of Americans and my off campus point of view has changed. I’m joining a lot of evens and volunteering. These are two of my learning too. In addition, I am blessed with a good environment on campus, good English teachers, and a lot of friends. Everyone is kind to me. There are a lot of people who are bright, friendly, and kind. It’s fun to talk with them. I think that I want to establish good relationships with them. Finally, it is getting really cold. I want to keep this life and the things I have learned, and then I want to have a meaningful life. I want to keep what I have acquired here for the rest of my life.

Results of study abroad, future goals

  I've gained a lot from my studies abroad. Before I went, my goal was to learn English much better than I knew it then. However, during my time in America, I learned and discovered other things too, including my values and who I am. I really appreciate my experience there and all of the people I became close to, and I'm excited to tell you what I learned.
First, I learned a lot of English. When I arrived in the USA, I was constantly comparing my English skills with those of the other Japanese students, and I was worried because my skills were low. However, after a little time, I realized my English was getting better: I could speak in conversations with American friends, and I could speak with my teachers as well. During winter vacation I stayed with a host family and was amazed to discover how much my English was improving and how much I was learning about myself. Homestay makes international students grow in many unexpected ways, so I've learned it's important we place ourselves in different environments to learn new things.
One of the new things I have learned is English isn't the only universal language. A smile is universal as well. Even if your English is poor, you can communicate if you smile. Learning this helped me stop being afraid.
I also learned about cultural differences in values and in ways of thought. If I say, “One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor,” I mean that everyone is made differently by the different environments that they're raised in.
And I learned that many Americans believe the Japanese know our own history. I felt bad I didn't have the knowledge and was sorry when teachers and friends asked me questions; so now I'm interested in my own culture and want to learn about it.
Now I am back in Japan, and studying English online. It’s harder to work in class this way, but I’m glad we're still studying and I want to do my best.
Studying abroad was very good for me. If I hadn’t gone to Saint Martin’s University, I wouldn’t have met my friends and teachers and all of the people who supported me there. Thanks to them, I am here, so I appreciate them.
What I learned from studying abroad will help me for the rest of my life, and the appeal of being overseas will continue to overwhelm me. I can’t wait to discover new strange worlds. I will use what I've learned with gratitude; and although I don't know what I want, I know that it must include English.
My studying abroad is finished now, so now I want to reflect awhile and figure out what to do. I'm so glad I studied at Saint Martin’s. I am proud of it.