コンソシオ　生徒様によるエッセイ

To Be Practical or Not to Be Practical: That Might Not Be the Question.

Why am I learning English? It is hard to answer in a simple way. First, I am learning English for an extrinsic motive.
As I work in an English conversation academy as a clerk, I need basic English skills for my job. I must keep learning and improving my English ability to survive. I have to cultivate my English skills comprehensively so that I can communicate with my coworkers without a hitch. However, my extrinsic need is not enough to keep me studying the language.

Considering an intrinsic motive, which is more imperative for me, it is to acquire generosity. Just because I am learning English does not necessarily follow that the only purpose is not to have a command of English language. No doubt that English is a communication tool. However, while I am learning it, I am eager to know other peoples’ opinions over what is going on around the world. When I encounter an interesting event, it is natural that I would like to speak out my opinions and listen to others who have different cultural backgrounds. I realize that there are wide varieties of ways of thinking. English allows me to know and absorb the differences. Watching and reading English news articles, I find myself disappointed and irritated with unfair societies or unclear futures.

Then I ponder what or who invited the situations in order to discuss with my English teachers. According to the news reports I read, there are staggering facts in which one out of seven people in the world are suffering from starvation and 1.2 billion people on the earth are being tormented with dire poverty, living on less than one dollar a day. English enables me to have opportunities to put my mind on the searing facts. I think that paying attention to current affairs and exchanging points of view is the first step to change the things for the better.

I am sometimes overwhelmed by a sense of frustration when I struggle with coming up with right words and expressions in English and I cannot feel any improvement in my skills; nevertheless I find myself making a reservation of English lesson again. Fortunately, I have an extraordinary teacher who provides me with inspiring lessons. I am now addressing timed activities to ameliorate my frequency, spontaneity. Whatever the reasons or motivations I have for learning English, if I could not meet a good mentor, I would not have been keeping high motivation. Eventually, the biggest driving force for me to continue learning the language is a great lesson with my hospitable and capable teacher.
※読み易くする為、掲載時に段落を一段落空けさせて頂いております。

The Reason I Study English

I’ve travelled abroad alone to Angkor Wat , Cambodia in 2009. It was my first trip. Angkor Wat is an amazing place that is famous ruins.

The differences between Japan and Cambodia are easy to notice. A lot of Cambodian children are working around there during the day. The children said “Sir!! Do you want to buy this photo book? very very cheap!! Please!!”

in Japanese , English and foreign languages. I was very surprised and culture shocked. Japan is a very rich country. Japanese people notice it if they go there.
That made me interested in foreign culture and I wanted to speak to foreigners after I came back to Japan. In order to do it, I have to study English harder.

I’ll quit my job this month then I will go to study abroad in Phuket, Thailand.
I hope that my English will be better than now.
But I’m just getting old. “Am I all right?”