The reason why I hope to study abroad is I’d like to improve my speaking skills. After entering university, I felt frustrated that I couldn’t speak English the way I wanted to in English classes. So I practiced presentations and speeches in English and kept studying English by myself. As a result of these efforts, I was able to get a higher TOEIC score.
However, I still couldn’t express my thoughts well when I had discussions in English, and I felt disappointed. These experiences made me think that I want to improve my practical English skills by increasing opportunities to use English in environments where English is used.
During my study abroad, I will try to speak actively by using the experience I gained from presentations and speeches at university. Also, I’m in the faculty of economics, and I studied bookkeeping hard in my freshman year. I’d like to study bookkeeping and accounting in English and get more practical knowledge of economics.
It has been seven months since I started studying abroad in the U.S. This semester, I am taking all undergraduate classes, and the Business Communication course has been especially meaningful for my personal growth. In the last semester, I often could not speak up during discussions and found it difficult to participate actively. However, this semester, even when I am in a group of native speakers, I try to be brave and speak first. Even though my English is not perfect, I feel more confident because I can express my opinions. Through this experience, I feel that I have grown not only my English skills but also mentally.
In my daily life as well, I have become more comfortable living in the U.S. At first, I was nervous about everything, but now I can act more confidently. I go to the gym with my friends, share meals from their home countries, and organize a birthday party to celebrate together. Through many new experiences, I am enjoying my study abroad life. With only a short time left, I want to keep learning and do my best so that I will have no regrets during the rest of my stay.
