Difficult Decisions To Study English (Yayoi)

I spent almost a year on deciding to study English at the ELI. I was working as a physiotherapist in Japan before I came to Vancouver. I had to decide various things to change my life. Some decisions were easy, but most decisions were difficult for me.

The easiest decision was to decide a study place because some friends who had lived abroad recommended me go to Vancouver. After I visited Vancouver to see the sights last year, I decided to come here. I convinced that Vancouver was the best place for me to live abroad for the first time because it was safe and not busy city and also people were kind.

The most difficult decision was to make my goal clear. At first, my purpose to go abroad was enjoying living abroad as I was a little bit tired from my job and wanted to do another job for a while using working holiday visa; for example, I planed to go to the ESL school, work for a farm and travel around Canada. However, as a result of thinking again and again and talking with people with experience of living overseas, I changed my mind and found another purpose to focus on improving my English skills. I have a dream to take a doctorate in physical therapy overseas in the future. Finally, I made up my mind to study academic English and applied for a student visa for Canada.

The last decision was to choose a school. I decided to go to the ELI promptly for two reasons. The first reason was that my friend recommended me strongly. Most students studying abroad go to private ESL schools downtown, but I think that the ELI has some advantages which they do not have. For example, we can study with a well-balanced curriculum, always talk with English speakers, who are CAs, and relax on UBC campus surrounded by wonderful nature. Another reason was that UBC has the department of physical therapy, which is my major. I wanted to know Canadian education of physical therapy. I have visited the building once, but I have never asked people in the department. I am thinking to visit the department again and ask someone by the end of this session. Unfortunately, I do not continue the next session at the ELI because I have the next purpose. I will change the school which has medical English course and internship course at hospital or rehabilitation centre.

Now, I have a great time, even though it took me a long time to decide my plan. I study hard on weekdays while I hang out with my new friends on weekends. I am satisfied with my new life. I have only three more weeks at the ELI, but I hope my English skills will upgrade as much as possible.