I will introduce my best friend who came from Italy. His name is Alessandro. I call him Ales. As I found out later, “Ales” means “wing” in Latin. As his name suggests, he is a cool and kind man. And I like his smile very much. However sadly, he is leaving Hirosaki in February. That is why I decided to try to write about him.
One day, I asked Ales what bring him learning Japanese. He told me about his background. He originally studied biology at his university. But he found it difficult and went to US for three months to study English. And then, he worked as a waiter in Luxembourg, or one of the richest countries in the world! After that, he returned to Italy and worked in a restaurant. However, Ales, who does karate and who is interested in Japanese culture, finally made a decision to start studying Japanese. And now, he is here. He was able to come to Hirosaki University.
Through Ales’ story, I realized the importance of the ability to do what you want. I also found that taking on challenges helps you experience many things and enriched your life. Like Ales, I will try as many things as I can. And I would like to improve myself through various experiences. Ultimately, I will convey the joy of trying something to others.

Even as a non-native speaker, the English Language was always there, present for as long as I can remember. Not exactly there for me, yet not always a barrier. Sometimes, English was just… there, be it in the songs my mom listened to on the radio, or in the names of companies or stores, or even in the opening songs of my cartoons and children’s shows. So, when I started to pick up on the language, not only was I able to bridge the gap between me and the content I wanted to consume in English, but I also started to see lots of things –daily-life details, that I had never paid much attention to— in a new light. I was going a little further, looking for new meanings in everything. For example, who would know that “kindle” is an actual word and not just invented for the sake of naming the device? Or that Twitter’s logo is a bird because “tweet” is the onomatopoeia for a bird chirping? Or that shopping malls (in Portuguese, “shopping”) have that name because you go there to shop? Or that “cooler” is something that “cools off” your device? Certainly not someone without a good grasp of English. Studying this language has enabled me to expand my horizons – my interests, my circle of friends, my academic opportunities— and also to better understand the world I live in, even in Brazil or Japan, and I think that is something most people overlook when talking about the impact learning English can have on one’s worldview.

When learning English, you may come across pronunciations that are difficult for Japanese people. If our understanding of them is vague, we often face communication problems and gaps.
Speaking of pronunciation problems, the biggest one is the difference in pronunciation between “l” and “r”. Distinguishing between these two sounds is a very difficult task for Japanese people who do not usually use their tongue to pronounce words. In Japanese junior high school English classes, we are often taught to pronounce “l” with the tip of the tongue touching the base of the front teeth and “r” with the tip of the tongue does not touch the mouth. It’s easy to understand when you hear it, but it’s hard to actually try it. I think this is the impression many people have, including myself. I have an experience that I felt embarrassed because I was not able to distinguish these pronunciations.
When I was in junior high school, I was chatting with my ALT and the topic of food came up. When I started talking about rice, the ALT frowned and explained that “lice” is a disgusting insect and that he doesn’t want to hear this word when talking about food. It was the first time that I realized how big the impact of the difference between “l” and “r” is. Since this incident, I have become sensitive to the difference between “l” and “r”.
There are many kinds of miscommunication caused by “l” and “r” around us. For example, “light” means something that shines, and “right” means the qualification to do something. Of course, they are often distinguishable from the context, but Japanese people need to make an effort to pronounce these two sounds correctly in order to communicate correctly.

“Take it easy,” the bus driver briskly said to me, who had overslept until I found myself being at the last bus stop and was completely alone in the cold dark. He drove me home without any signs of reluctance, even though it was not his duty to do so. This memory is just a small part of my precious memories in New Zealand. My friends and I stayed there for two weeks to study English at AUT, enjoyed shopping after school and appreciated Māori cultures on a short trip to Rotorua. (See attached video to see how it looks.)
Every time a sudden happening occurred, the “Kiwis”, the New Zealanders empathetically listened to us to help us overcome difficulties. Such a valuable experience would not have been possible without learning English and my decision to study abroad. That is why I think the most significant benefits of speaking English is that it enables me to interact with English speakers and have wonderful exchanges. I strongly encourage you to feel whether they are kind, humorous, or even angry by communicating directly with them. I guarantee you that talking with many people will enrich your life experience. Even among Japanese students, you can make friends with people who share the passion for studying English.
Needless to say, I am not a native speaker, and none of my friends I had a great time with speak perfect English. The frustration of wishing you could have spoken better at the time should lead to improving your speaking. No one speaks ill of your English. As far as I know, the harder you tried to speak, the more people will lend a hand. Why not talk with English speakers and experience the heartwarming kindness of them? You can do it. “Take it easy.”

Why are you learning English? How would you answer this question?
Some may have clear answers, such as “to watch foreign movies without subtitles,” or “to speak with locals when traveling abroad,” while others may not be able to give satisfactory answers themselves.
The answer to this question is, of course, different depending on the person. We will probably conclude that it is important for each person to find the meaning of learning English, which will greatly help them learn.
In this blog, I would like to introduce the following two TED Talks to anyone who is struggling with the meaning and purpose of learning English.

1. The secrets of learning a new language (Lýdia Machová)

2. 4 reasons to learn a new language (John McWhorter)

These two TED Talks are so well known that you may have already seen them. However, when I saw this video, I suddenly realized that it is okay to learn English because it’s “fun”.
I’m sure that some of you have had at least one experience where learning English was “fun”. I was so happy when I understood what Michelle was saying in my favorite sitcom “Full House,” and I still remember how much enjoyment I got from talking about “One Piece” with people from other countries.
Learning English is “fun”. We should take in the little “fun” that comes from learning English. That is more than enough motivation for us to learn English, and that is probably what will be important when we learn English.