Two Languages and Two Cultures

川同志社国際中学校１年

﨑凜

I had been in America with my family for two years since March 2007, when I was
six years old.

When I knew that we would move to the U.S.

because I couldn’t even say “Hello” in English at that time.

I became very nervous

I don’t remember why, but

however indeed I thought “Americans should come to Japan so I don’t have to move toAmerica!”
During the first few weeks, I got scared of all the circumstances around me.

Ofcourse everyone, except my family, spoke in English and everything, except my younger
sister’s picture books, were written in English.

Though I began to learn English

reluctantly, my ability to speak didn’t quite progress, but I had to go to a public schoolon September.
her.

My homeroom teacher, Ms. Jacobson talked so fast that I couldn’t follow

I had no choice but to copy the classmate everyday because I didn’t understand

英語what I must do, but I didn’t dislike my school, my teacher, and my classmates because
we had many special events such as Harvest Party, Halloween, International Day andThen a few months had passed, I came to understand what myteacher and classmates were saying gradually.

Meanwhile I begin to feel good for our lifein America.
Birthday parties in that country were very fun.

In my class, almost all boys andgirls held their own birthday parties and invited classmates.

They were good experiences

for me because I have never seen such a birthday party in Japan.

American friendships

were quite different from Japanese. Maybe it’s because the age was different, but most of
the Japanese kids that I met (especially girls) like to be in groups and doesn’t let others
join their group.

American people seem to be individual from their childhood.

Such anAmerican style as not having groups, not hanging out with certain people, and being
friends with everyone gave me good impression.

In this summer, I visited The West

Coast of America to join a camp in University of California Irvine.

Though the camp

was only 5 days and it was a day camp, I made seven girl friends who were 9, 10, 11,
and 13 years old.
On the other hand, it seems that Japanese people tend to exclude others that aredifferent from them.
frequent in Japan.

It also applies to girls.

I came back to Japan in March 2009.

elementary school as a third grader.

In April, I went to a Japanese

Everything was strict and tough in my school

because it was a traditional private school.
there every day.

Then problems about friends were more

I wore a uniform and took a train to get

We had a lot of rules, a lot of homework and a short vacation.

I took－中学生

Field Day at the school.

a long time to get used to it.
However Japanese elementary school wasn’t bad as I thought at first.
wonderful experience at that school too.
important teamwork is.

I had aFor example, I learned from sports day how

In that event, all children from first to six graders were divided

into four groups and competed with each other.

In order to win the game, we run as

fast as possible, fought as brave as possible and cheered each other as loud as possible.
Of course I did my best for the group.
“PARTNER”.

We can’t forget the system of our school called

It is that one six grader supports one first grader for a year.

lot of time together for playing, singing, studying and so on.

We spent aI think that Japanese school

attaches importance to relationships between different grades.

Everyone felt really close

to each other at school like a big family.
When I came back to Japan, I was afraid of forgetting English.
English very hard to keep it up.

So I studied

I had an American tutor, Ms. Esther.

She came to myhouse every week to teach me writing, speaking and reading in English.

I had homework

every week that I must read books that she recommended me and wrote a summary of it.
I went to an English class for children whose first language is English on Sunday too.

Inthat class, we did many subjects by English such as mathematics, science, and geography.
I also went to a Saturday English school at Doshisha International High School (DIVE). It
was like an American school.

英語
中学生－fun too.

Now it’s my turn.

So after I came back to Japan, I studied English and had

Many people helped me when we were in the U.S.

I am grateful for their kindness.

I would like to be a person who helps others in need.

Even though

we live in international society, many people can’t communicate with foreigners because oflanguage barrier.

I would like to support them and contribute to our society.

study and keep improving English to be a person who will be able to do that.

So I will