Letters of Gratitude

This is actually a backlog from last year. During my last day, my student, who participated and won in the district English Speech Competition here in Saitama gave a thank you letter. I was actually overwhelmed with this. I really did not expect that she will give me a letter. Japanese students have this concept of "losing any competition is not an option." So I was afraid the past months during our every afternoon speech coaching that she might get frustrated and in the end, end-up on going negative and finally giving up. Yurina has a cute voice as many Japanese ladies of her age would possess. But the quality of her voice is almost synonymous to that of probably a Filipino teen. Well, what can we do? The ones who actually won in the Prefectural meet were not pure Japanese. Half-Viet, half-Chinese, half-Peruvian and half-Brazilian. I hope that this kid will expand his horizon and explore further. As I always tell my students, there are a lot of better opportunities for Japanese citizens who can communicate well in English.

Another letter and a serious one, I received a week after the 3rd tri-semester started from my fellow Filipino teacher who is now assigned in the South Junior High School. I was shocked to notice that his English has greatly improved. People in our city have been so negative about the kids in the South. But in my personal assessment, they are the street-smart type of kids. Naughty but more capable in reality, perhaps. Its because that despite being so naughty sometimes, you can see that they are not shy and they are keen in expressing their opinions. Even when their English becomes twisted, as with my wrong and sometimes funny Japanese, they still excel and not afraid to talk to foreigners in English. I can see myself in them. The fact is that, initially, effective communication using a second language doesn't have to be in perfect grammar pattern, but in a manner where the listener is able to understand it. Whether be it in word by word accompanied with actions, it becomes an effective communication.