" My English ability has improved dramatically. Before coming to Gibraltar, I never imagined that I would be able to enjoy conversations in English so much."
Studying English for 3 weeks at the University of Gibraltar Language Centre.
How was your experience on the course?
It was great! It was my first experience studying English for such a long time in a foreign country, but I had travelled and studied abroad several times before studying abroad this time. So, to tell the truth, I was a little confident in my English when I was in Japan. However, at the beginning of this course, I couldn’t even catch what the teacher said, and I couldn’t understand anything about the content of the class . I was very impatient that I could not keep up with the class. However, thanks to 20 hours of English classes a week and an environment in which I cannot live without using English, my English ability has improved dramatically. By the third week, I could enjoy smooth conversations with my classmates and teachers that I had never imagined during the first week. I improved my English ability and gained confidence by taking this course.
What did you think about your tutors?
They were very kind. They taught me a lot of things both in class and outside class. I enjoyed many conversations with tutors. In conversation class, I could talk with my tutors and classmates about ourselves and our ideas. I enjoyed the time so much. In the class, the tutors didn’t just enjoy the conversation, they pointed out my mistakes when necessary. Thanks to that, my English ability improved and my motivation to speak English increased significantly.
How was your experience on the Spanish trips and Gibraltar trips?
I had never been to either Spain or Gibraltar before this course. So, everything I saw was beautiful and impressive. Everything was very different from Japan, On the trips, I experienced Gibraltar and Spanish cultures. Of course, I enjoyed the landscape of the region, but I enjoyed the conversation with the local people the most. Each trip was accompanied by a local person who acted as a guide and someone who knew the place well. By talking with them, I learned about cultural differences and the thoughts of the people in the area, and I enjoyed it very much.
What extra activities did you enjoy and why?
I enjoyed all of the activities because I’d never experienced most of them before this course. I joined many activities, sup, coasteering, tapas tour, and so on. I cannot experience many of these activities in Japan. I think they depend on the environment and the culture. I enjoyed the activities which were intimately associated with the culture. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of Gibraltar by experiencing the environment and culture of Gibraltar through the activities. It was a lot of fun because I had never experienced so much in one foreign country.
How did you find student life in Gibraltar?
It was great thanks to the help of many professors and staff members. Before coming to study abroad, I had a lot of anxiety about living abroad. But when I had to go back to Japan, I still wanted to stay in Gibraltar. I am very grateful to the tutors who taught me a lot and the local people who talked with me. Through my student life in Gibraltar, I came to like the character of the people there. Also, this study abroad made me want to see more countries and learn more about them.
How has the course helped your English language skills?
Definitely, I improved my English skills by taking this course. Before coming to Gibraltar, I never imagined that I would be able to enjoy conversations in English so much. By taking this course, I became more confident about my English skills and motivated to speak in English with many people. In the test I took at the end of the course, I could objectively evaluate my English skills and what I had learned during this course. It was difficult for me, but I got a better score than I could have ever imagined. Because of that, I could recognise my hard work over the past three weeks, and I changed my mind to work harder to improve my English skill more. Now, I am planning to study abroad in another country. Without a doubt, this course made me want to visit many different countries and improve my English skills, as well as learn more about the cultures and ways of thinking in various countries. I want to thank everyone involved in this course.
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