11/23/2007

Preface

"English and me" by Akio Kobayashi


Preface

I have been studying English for five years. But this is incorrect.
From a Junior high school, in Japan we study English for 10 years.
To be more precise with myself, I had been to an English school for kids for about a year when I was an elementary school student.
So, the total year is 16. It's a very long time.
But, all I can remember from the elementary school days is to sing ABC song.
So, that one year shouldn't be added on my English study career.
The ten years from the Junior high school to an University were almost for tests.
I used English to solve the questions about English. But, I had not used it for communication.
Thus, it is not wrong to say "I have been studying English for five years."
These five years are at Aeon. This is longer than my University days.
If anybody asks me which school I went to, "Aeon" may be a valid answer for me.

Through the English study, my thinking has widened and I have good experiences.
It gives me nice influences to communicate with others in English.
But there is a thing of wonder.
My interest is not strongly directed towards English-speaking countries.
In fact, I had never been to English-speaking countries in my life.
I had only been to Chinese-speaking country; China. But, even China visit was short.
Some students at Aeon are motivated to go abroad.
In my case, I don't have such a motivation. This is mysterious.
This doesn't mean that I am not interested in other countries. Now I am more sensitive to other countries’ culture and the relationship of other countries with Japan, than before.
Following my thinking, I start to write with China.