I went to Toronto to study English from February 8th to March 8th. I heard that Canada was multicultural with immigrants from various countries and that the sounds of Canadian English were relatively beautiful. Knowing this I thought Canada would be the best place for me to study English. In addition, I like winter and snow. As I expected Toronto was the best place for me to learn English.

I studied at ILSC Toronto. We were not allowed to use our first languages, so we spoke in English even among Japanese. In each class, there were about 15 students of various ages and nationalities. Many lessons involved active games, so I enjoyed taking lessons. Every Friday, we had fun watching movies and going out on the town.

There were some things I noticed by taking classes with students from various countries. For example, Japanese and Korean students were good at grammar, so the grammar tests were easy for us. On the other hand, we were not so good at participating in presentations. Brazilian students often gave good presentations and showcased their skills. As I couldn’t give my opinion to other students, I realized that just learning grammar was not enough to take part in the class. I should do more to practice my conversation skills.

Toronto is a very urban city with a well-developed public transportation system. It was below freezing almost every day, but the scenery and the city was beautiful with lots of snow. However, as soon as I came to Toronto, I was surprised at how dirty the restrooms were. Since it was my first time abroad, I was very surprised that the store clerks weren't very kind, the rice wasn't so delicious, and there were homeless people in the city center. 

Through this study abroad, I realized again how good Japan is with its cleanliness and hospitality. I am proud of being Japanese. It was a great experience to be able to understand my weaknesses and the good points of Japan that I could not notice when I was in Japan.