Ayano Shinohara and her friend Yui Nagatsuka relaxed on a plush couch and chair, munching on chips and cookies in the International Student Lounge on Friday afternoon. It was the third time they had attended the weekly International Coffee Hour.
Just one month ago, both women were in Japan with their families, native language and culture, but on Friday they conversed in slow, labored English, surrounded by students from countries around the globe.
The women are two of 26 students from Waseda University in Japan who signed up to live in the area and attend the University for one year. For many of them, the transition has been huge.
Shinohara said she is attending the University to study international law, but one of the main reasons she came to America was to learn the language.
“I want to improve my English skills and go back to Japan,” she said. “I want to work for an international organization. If I can speak English, I can speak with a lot of people all over the world.”
While the two students said learning English was a big reason for coming here, they said the language barrier can also make life hard. Before they were even admitted to the University they were given three difficult tests designed to test their English listening skills, reading and vocabulary, Shinohara said.
And life didn’t get easier once they were accepted, either.
“It’s very difficult for me to speak with native speaker because I can’t catch their English,” Shinohara said. “But it’s good for me to have much opportunity to speak English.”
She started learning English when she was in junior high school, but the studies weren’t very intensive, she said. While she had many opportunities to read English in Japan, there weren’t many speakers with whom she could converse.
Nagatsuka — Shinohara’s friend of six years who is also studying international law — agreed that language is a difficult barrier to overcome, both in the classroom and in social situations. For Nagatsuka, the most difficult part has been struggling to understand the English in her business class textbook.
Outside of language hurdles, life can still be difficult for international students.
Both Shinohara and Nagatsuka live with host families whom they describe as very kind. Their host sisters are usually out of the house, however, and they almost never spend time together. Neither woman has a car, so they must rely on public transportation or bicycles to get to school.
After more than a month, Shinohara has started to miss her family. She knows she must be independent, she said.
Nagatsuka had different sentiments, however.
“I don’t miss them,” she said, smiling. “I like America.”
In less than a year, both women will take the English they’ve learned and return to Japan. But they’ll also return with their stories.
Shinohara said she would tell her family about how large everything is in America, including the wide-open spaces, the supermarkets and the size of beverages. A large drink in Japan is like a small one in America, she said, smiling.
The International Student Association holds International Coffee Hour every Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the International Student Lounge in the EMU. Everyone is invited to attend.