My experience in CO

News Article

I’m in America now. That was my longest and biggest dream.

I went to Michigan in America when I was 14 years old for 1 month. Actually, I was thinking that experience was really bad for me before coming to the U.S. now. Because I couldn’t speak any words at that time. Speaking no words was because of my crazy pride. I didn’t want to make mistakes by speaking English. I was always praised by everyone when I speak English. So I didn’t want to realize my poor english skill by using wrong English and being pointed out.

That’s why I started to think about my one-year exchange program. I wanted to try again to speak English. So I started to persuade my father when I was 15 years old. And I managed to persuade him right before the day of the due of sign up paper. It took 3 years. In these 3 years, I thought many thing. About my future, my school, money, Japanese society, American society, others’ feelings, and so on. That made me happy, and also sad, depressed. Sometimes I recognized that I could go to America, but sometimes I started to give up to persuade him. But whenever I was depressed, my mother helped me. My mother cheered me.

But now, she’s not standing by me.She can’t help me. I have to do everything all by myself... I was thinking like that before coming this house.

My host family lives in Windsor, and there are two children. I’ve been here for only one month. I feel like I’ve been for four or five months. That’s because of this family. They are so nice to me, and make me feel comfortable. I’m not missing my friends , family, and of course my mother. I began to speak English after coming this house. I don’t hesitate speaking wrong English after coming this house. This was my first growth. Now I think that the experience in Michigan was not bad. As I had that experience, I can speak English without my pride now. I was thinking that was my shame, but I can talk to anybody about that now. These are all because of my best host family and my best experience in Michigan.

One famous lady talks about exchange program. She is Hilary Clinton, the secretary of America. She says that many exchange students who come the U.S. to learn about America will be the leader of their own country and she suggests Americans to host exchange students. I am so glad that she is promoting student exchange. I feel much confidence than before.

I will try my very best here in Colorado. And I will say “This exchange program was the best experience of all.”