Living in Auckland

A week passed since I arrived in New Zealand.
Though I didn't know anything at first, I got used to live here.
Teachers and other countries' students are very kind and friendly.

There are many office buildings, shops, public facilities, and many people in Auckland city.
We can live easily, but we should have an umbrella in preparation for uncertain weather. 

I have to make an effort not to speak Japanese so much because there are many Japanese studednts.

Arrived

I arrived in New Zealand on 25th Nov.
The flight was very hard, and I was so exhausted.
However my first impression about New Zealand was excellent.
There was a great sky, clean air, and good weather.

In my homestay, there are four other countries' students who are from China, Korea, Brazil, Germany.
That is fun. They are cheerful and very good at speaking English.
I'm just overwhelmed by them because they speak a lot nevertheless I can't listen so much what they say. Though it's hard to catch up with them, it's a great and important opportunity.
I should utilize this as much as possible.
I want to make each day carefully.

By the way, the English school have started from Monday.
On the first day, I took a test to determine what class I'm placed into.
My class is high intermediate. I think this level is a little hard for me.
But, I'll make an effort to catch up with other students and never give up.
As I don't get used to the life in Auckland now, I'm nervous and feeling tired.
More time is needed to be usual.

Departure is coming soon.

I have been waiting for this day.
After I arrived in New Zealand, I would like to try whatever new for me.
During the several English lessons in this month, the teachers said "Be confident. you did well."
Exactly I haven't been confident of my English skill, especially "speaking skill" because I'm not accustomed to do it.
However, as I made a number of opportunities to speak English this month, I got a bit confident.
Of cource the more practice again and again, the better speak English.
All I have to do is to be confident and be bold.

I don't know how many rates I can update this blog, but I do my best to improve my English skills and to tell the life in New Zealand.

A little nervous

Over the past few days, I'm a bit more nervous than before.
Though I feel I'm getting better at speaking English exactly, I'm anxious whether I would be able to get along with foreigners, of cource I have to be bold and confident to get along with them....
Recently I feel the complex emotions including nervous, anxious, excited, irritated, etc.
As a result, to think about how to be confident is way over my head now.

By the way, a month has already passed since I quit a job.
It was a little difficult to endure this term because I didn't have anything to do so much.
However I'm relieved from boring life soon. I'm very glad about that point.

I'll brace myself to be a great trip.

International Driving Permit

International driving permit is required to drive in foreign countries.
Driving is the most convenient way to go around New Zealand.

I don't know if I have an opportunity to drive, but I got the permit.
It's so easy, we should get it when we go abroad.

Fortunately, the traffic rule is very similar with Japanese one.
I hope I would drive all over New Zealand.

Sightseeing in Tokyo

I went sightseeing in Tokyo with a senior and friends today.
As I rarely go around Tokyo, it was curious and I could fully enjoy it.

We started from Shinjyuku at 9:00 and went to the metropolitan goverment at first.
The scene there was magnificent and we could see at no charge.
We found it to be a great spot.

After then, we walked around Tokyo including Meiji Jingu, Jingu Gaien, and Roppongi hills etc.
It took so much time to do that, but we could get a big pleasure.

I'm glad to go sightseeing this time because I mightn't be able to do that in Japan for the time being.

Of cource I want to go anywhere valuable for me in New Zealand and I do my best to tell the experience.
This is one of the objective in this blog.

Improve memory

Recently I'm learning how to improve my memory at online English conversation school.
And I want to reffer to these ways so as to build English vocabulary.
The following ten ways were introduced in the textbook of cutting-edge class.

 1. Take an interest - make an effort
 2. Repeat things
 3. Form a mental picture
 4. Invent a story
 5. Organize your ideas
 6. Listen to Mozart
 7. Take mental exercise
 8. Take physical exercise
 9. Eat the right things
 10. Drink coffee

I think mental ways, especially No3 and 4, are very important to remember something.
Nowadays I feel so irritated because I can't express what I think about in English.
I attribute why I can't do that to poor vocabulary.
Why can't I build vocabulary?  - I think I have to figure the ways out more.

Exactly I often repeat reading stories or sentences but I'm not making the ways better.
Inventing a story or Organizing my ideas might be essential to improve my memory.

I'm a little frustrated now, but I should be patient.
There are a week remaining by the departure.

English Resume

Needless to say, English Resume is required to work in foreign countries.
There are several types and we can comparatively write freely unlike in the case of Japanese ones.
I'm rethinking about myself and reviewing my work experiences so that I could write English Resume.

It's so difficult to write my whole experiences easily and exactly, but it would be helpful to know about myself.

Moreover as I try new things, it's also difficult to relate the last experiences to the new jobs.
I need to review it again and again, and I would like someone to revise.

IELTS

Regarding the test of English, I used to take TOEIC which is the most popular in Japan.
But I have to take IELTS from now because it's the most popular one in New Zealand.
Unlike in the case of TOEIC, it has writing and speaking section.
That's why IELTS is more popular than TOEIC in New Zealand or Australia and the other countries.
Generally speaking, TOEFL might be the most popular English test all over the world.

By the way, I want to get at least 5.0 score on IELTS as soon as possible because the score is condition for working there.
As we all know, we can't work in a foreign country unless we have the minimum ability of the country's language.

I just study hard!

Grammar in use

I'm studying grammar rules in English because I feel somewhat out of place to learn English grammar in Japanese.

As "Ryu-gaku journal" counselor recommended me Raymond Murphy's grammar book, I'm studying with it.
Though this book is for intermediate, it gives a lot of contents including basic ones and I can learn all of basic grammar from it.

Actually I was confident of grammar, but I found out I was poor at it during talking with native speakers.
As I study it again, I think I'll be able to be better speaker.

About Host Family

As I mentioned before, I'm going to New Zealand this month.
I'll stay with host family at least for first 2 months.
Indeed it has already decided. A grandmother will host to me.

It takes 30 or 40 minutes from her house to the school by bus.
Confirmed with Google map, it seems to be idyllic and have large yard.
I think living there must be comfortable.

I sent a letter to her yesterday.
I'm looking forward to seeing her.

There are only two weeks until deperture.
I have to study English very hard.
This is very serious problem because I'll go there not to study English but to study in English.

TED talks 3

Caroline Casey who has visual defect told the story of her extraordinary life in TED talks.
Her presentation was very powerful and she indicated us the various possibility of our own life.
I was impressed how amazing her life was.
She said, if we have vision and belief, we can create a change in our life.
I think her point of view is very wonderful.
I recommend to see her presentation at least once.

Caroline Casey: Looking past limits
http://www.ted.com/talks/caroline_casey_looking_past_limits.html

Ays English

I took four lessons of online English school today!
I came to be accustomed to this kind of lessons and I'm enjoying them now.

I will try not only free lessons but also charged one because I should speak English as much as possible. My favorite school is "Ays English" because online lesson room is very clear and the quality of teachers is great. I'm going to take more than 30 lessons by departure.

Remaining time is so little that I will make an effort to improve my English skill.

NOVA

Recently I 'm taking many English school's lessons.

NOVA, one of them, is very famous for NOVA rabit and we used to hear it the TV commercial.
The teachers and counselors were so kind that I could be relax.
Since there was 15,000-yen off admission campaign, I could take additional lessons reasonably.
I will study hard to be accustomed to native speaker's speed.

P.S.
They gave me 30 packs of instant ramens!
They're too many to eat alone....

Langrich

"Langrich" is online English conversation school.
I took a free lesson today.
I thought it was the best lesson I have ever experienced because teachers' quality was high.
I have to study English so hard that I want to continue English conversation in this school.

ECC

I learned English at ECC today.
This lesson was also free for only one time.

The lesson was great because the teacher pointed out my mistakes with accuracy.
I think I should take more lessons as of now and that is very useful for me.
However, it costs so much that I'm unwilling to take them.

I have to decide immediately.

Swift

Today I sold my car to prepare for going abroad.
"Swift" produced by SUZUKI corporation worked hard as my car for three years.

I feel sorrowful a little but I can't help doing it because I need cash now.
I'm using the alternative car "Lapin" whose color is pink. (Completely for women, it's too pretty.)
I will return it on 14th-Nov.

Some perplexing procedure for going abroad is going well and there are only a few remainings.
I have to deal with them bit by bit.