I am working hard every day to learn English with the goal of finding a job at a global company in the future. Studying abroad has been my dream and goal since elementary school. I have been supported and helped by many people in my life. Through this study abroad program, I would like to not only improve my language skills, but also develop the ability to live independently. In addition, I would like to experience a culture and history different from that of Japan and meet people of various nationalities to understand diversity and acquire an international sense of values. I will do my best to actively use English and live each day without regrets. I am full of expectations and anxieties about what my life as an exchange student will be like, but I want to challenge myself and try new things for the first time so that I can return home one year later proud that this program was meaningful to me and lead to my personal growth.

More than four months have passed since I came to study in the United States. Now I have gotten used to life in the U.S. and have made many friends. Compared to when I first arrived, I feel that my listening skills have improved, as well as my ability to express what I want to say in English. Although there are still many areas that I need to work on, I have more opportunities to have my local friends tell me that my English is better than before, and this gives me confidence.
I went on a trip to New York during the winter vacation. New York was a very lively city with a completely different atmosphere from the area where I live now. We rented an apartment together and enjoyed shopping and sightseeing in Times Square every day. And for the first time in my life, I welcomed the new year outside of my country. I miss my family and New Year's in Japan, but I also enjoyed the American Happy New Year with thousands of fireworks. I never imagined that I would spend New Year's in New York, so it was a memory that I will never forget! I would like to devote myself even more to the remaining four months and show you how much I have grown since I returned to Japan.

The day has finally come for me to return to Japan. The past nine months have flown by and every day has been fulfilling. The thing I think I have grown the most is that I am not afraid of failure. Before I came to Japan, I had very few opportunities to speak English, and I did not know how good my speaking and listening skills were. Because of this, I thought I had to speak using the perfect grammar I had learned, and I was afraid of speaking with incorrect grammar, which made me uncomfortable in English conversation. However, as I met and talked with many friends there, I became more confident in English conversation, even though I had been nervous and afraid to speak at first. I used to think about grammar in my brain before speaking, but now the words come out naturally without being conscious of grammar. I also feel that my listening ability has improved significantly. It took me some time to understand what my friends were saying, and I had some frustrating experiences when I could not carry on a good conversation with them. I will continue to challenge myself without fear of failure, and I will work hard every day so that the next time I meet my friends from my study abroad experience, they will say, “Your English has improved even further.’’