国際交流センター

留学先　　　　：Thompson Rivers University　　　
学部・学科　　：外国語学部　英語コミュニケーション学科　国際ビジネスコミュニケーション専攻　　　
留学期間　　　：2011年8月26日～12月20日　　　　　　　　　　　
氏名・学年　　：T・Oさん（留学時：2年生）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

1．Introduction

　　　 I had some valuable experiences as an exchange student. I made many friends from other countries during my last semester at Thompson Rivers University in Canada. I learned a lot from there, such as Canadian culture, communication skills, and how to study effectively.

2.Overview
　　　First, Canada is blessed with a variety of landscapes, seascapes and mountains. Everyone can see a beautiful view. This makes Canada’s tourism economy become very well good. Canada is a nation of immigrants, as well. There are different cultures and different ethnic societies, so it is not surprising that you see a lot of Asians on the street. That is why I could learn other languages at school. I learned Canadians do not want others to see them as American. They think they are very different from them, so when I talk to Canadians, I cannot say something such as, “you’re like an American.” In short, their culture is composed by of many foreign cultures

3.Communication
　　　Second, I learned how to talk with friends from other countries, which is different from the way Japanese people communicates. People who are from Europe know how to answer questions and how to sustain a conversation. I was nervous at first because I did not feel confident whether I could do it or not. However, it was lucky that I had three roommates who came from Europe. They told me not to be shy when I speak English. We almost talked everyday and I started to understand how to continue the conversation. Now I can say “no” to my friend and talk more and more. Even though it is not my turn to speak, I can tell them my opinion in a group. I learned that I cannot wait for my turn to speak, because if I do not say anything, I have no chance to chat. I understand it does not matter if my English skills are good or not. It depends on whether my communication skills with people is are good or not. It is important to me to know that people from different countries have different ways of communication.

4.School life
　　　My study habits also changed from before. While I studied during weekends or after school in Japan, I study every day after school in Canada. That makes me improve my skills more than ever. That is why I have to study usually. I feel I can concentrate on my studying after school. I changed my study habits and have gotten used to it. I think most students cannot study harder on weekends, for they would like to relax and not learn. If I studied hard, I can keep my sleep well. It is helpful for me to maintain the good circulation. I cannot sleep in class and I will pay attention to the class. It is also useful to study enthusiasm. From now on, I will have a much better attitude towards learning and my school life.

5.Conclusion
　　　I like Canada and this country left a deep impression on me. I learned many things from Canada. Through this opportunity, I will seize the time to create a better life.