My life at Monash / report from M.H.

Australia is a multi-culturalcountry so there are many international people. I was lucky to be able to learn not only Australian culture but also the cultures of the people who came from other countries. For the first month I started living there, I could not speak English well because I worried about grammar mistakes. Since my hostmother taught me English patiently, I was soon able to speak English better.

I took Speaking and General English classes. Each class was small and we had a lot of discussion activities. We had to have our own opinions and show them in English. Most of my classmates came from different countries, so I learned a lot from them. It changed my views about the world. Sometimes we went to city as a class activity through which I learned how people lived there.

After class I usually went to ILC (Independent Learning Centre) to study by myself. There were a lot of study materials,and workshops were held from time to time. It gave me a chance to communicate with teachers and other students. Moreover I often joined the activities organised by the Japan Club. We exchanged cultural information. It was a good opportunity to understand each other.  

Comment from EAGL staff: Thanks, M.H. It's good to learn something about other cultures. M.H. came back to Fukuoka in 2008.

My greatest memories in the US / report from M.H.

I was in Washington for half a year. Central Washington University, where I studied English, had a beautiful campus surrounded by mountains and trees. I met many people who were interested in international communication. My friends often invited me over to watch movies and have dinner together. They were so friendly and really nice to me.

American students were hard workers. Every time I went to the library, I met friends there. It was an ideal atmosphere to study and work together.

I was not happy all the time, however. When I argued with a friend, I could not express my feeling well in English. Such an experience encouraged me to study English harder, and I learned how important it was to express my feelings and opinions in English. My experience in the US is truly precious in my life. 

Comment from EAGL staff: Thanks, M.H. You became strong through the programme. M.H. came back to Japan in 2008.