Hi all! It's been a while since I've posted in my blog! I hope you all have a great summer this year!
So this is what I would like to share today. I chatted with an old friend of mine on Messenger this morning, and she asked me about my plans after I graduate next year. I told her that I want to teach English in Japan. When she asked me my reason of choosing Japan out of all countries, I told her an answer that I'd never thought of till that time: "Because I've always wanted to try living there. I've taken Japanese classes for a year, and so I thought I wanna make it useful by improving my Japanese in Japan itself and I also wanna teach English there. Just as an experience." I also told her that I plan to live in Japan for a few years (probably move to some parts of Japan where several of my friends live), and then I want to try living in Korea. She sounded surprised and happy that I'll be "living in [countries] where [I'll] find languages...challenging".
This got my thinking, because I guess I want to help Korean and Japanese people to break the language barrier with English speakers. After being a fan of Japanese culture since young and a fan of Korean culture for more than two years now, I've found out that a lot of people in both Korea and Japan are not fluent in English. And that's kind of sad, because Asian culture is now popular worldwide. They need to improve their English so that they can not only communicate with foreign fans, but also to appreciate that foreigners get to love their cultures. I recently watch Korean variety shows, and I laugh so hard when they attempt to speak English (heck! Some of them have lived in English-speaking countries before, so it's a relief that they can speak English well). At the same time, I feel bad for those who try their best to speak English, because I know that English taught in Korean schools focuses more on academics rather than communication. I've watched a Buzzfeed video on Americans taking a Korean SAT test, and the questions look just ridiculously difficult! D: I've even seen videos of Koreans who are challenged to talk to foreigners; they got shy and nervous, yet they tried to at least speak out a few phrases they know.
So I really want to help these people to learn how to communicate well in English. I mean, I have to admit, I may still be a terrible editor. Because every time I hand in an assignment, I always get red marks on grammar errors (psst...because I often don't have time to edit since I hand in a few seconds before the deadline arrives #procrastination :P). However, I am familiar with grammar, and I sometimes help Japanese students with their homework by editing. I once helped a friend with an essay. She actually was upset, because her lecturer told her to redo the whole essay which was due in just two days. I was pissed! I felt like giving that lecturer a piece of my mind! Like what the heck? Can't he extend the deadline or something? She's only been living in Canada for a few years, and she has tried her best to write in English! Why can't teachers give pity to students who are struggling with the second language? But anyway, I gave her tips and checked her grammar. She managed to get a good mark in her essay in the end. And that's when I realize that I want to to do the same thing to my future students.
I also am surprised that I've ended up deciding on becoming a teacher. Since I'm young, I've always been scared of teachers. I'm always known to be the girl with the zipped lips. Even until now, I still don't get to open up often with my lecturers. I only talk to a few teachers, including the Japanese lecturers who I honestly am most comfortable with. Since the Japanese lecturers keep encouraging me to practice talking Japanese with my peers, I become comfortable talking to them as well. I've even got to get permission from a former Japanese lecturer to tutor some of her students with basic Japanese. I've known her since she was my conversation lab instructor in Douglas College three years ago. She transferred to Capilano University (2016) for two semesters only. Even at this short period of time, I'm happy that she let me to help her students. She has inspired me a lot, because her way of teaching was based more on communication. She believes that it's important for students to have a bond with one another, so that they can be comfortable and confident in helping each other with their Japanese. And that's what I want to do with mine in the future.
I have doubts of my dream, because first of all, I'm a cowardly person who is scared of teachers, and now I've wanting to become a teacher. Absurd huh? I'm a nervous person and I want to be a teacher myself. *picturing people snickering at the corner* And two, Japan is a place that is an earthquake zone. I've never experienced an earthquake before, and I'm going to a place that has frequent earthquakes. Wow, Mich, you're dead! But when I push those thoughts aside and focus on what I want to do to make a change for the people, I realize that I want to make my dream happen. Japan is my next destination, and I want to go there. I know I have to go there.
So what's your dream or plan after you graduate? If you're still unsure, don't be afraid to give yourself time to reflect on your life and explore new ideas. I already have a plan, and I hope to make my plan a reality. So can you. :) See you in the next post! <3
