ALUMNI

I joined Chiba Language School (CLS) when I was five and began my journey of learning two foreign languages (English and Japanese). Moreover, I met my best friends, Rachel, Linda and Emma there. Even after graduating from CLS, the years of participating in Chiba’s Summer and Winter camp have become some of my most memorable. I appreciated the interesting curriculum (i.e. cooking class, drama class, etc), not just learning from textbooks, but learning language from our life. In addition, the trips abroad with CLS – our Kindergarten graduation trip to Japan and 2006 ESL Cultural Camp in USA – were extraordinary. Although it was just a short few weeks and a month, it was an enriching experience.

Because of the advantage my language ability conferred, I was honored to be selected as the Japanese interpreter and host of 2011 DaTung High School Sister School Exchange Association and 2012 Taiwan International Association for Education Tours. With the help and guidance of CLS' principal, I was able to successfully establish good relationships and unforgettable memories for both schools.

It was only after growing up that I realized the importance of learning foreign language and international etiquette.  Developing that outlook at a young age has such a great impact of the globalized era of today. I’m very grateful to my parents, CLS' principal, and my best friends for being at my side.

I remember that learning languages wasn't my thing, it's not a thing that occurred to me as, say, important by any means, but even then, in Chiba I've still managed to learn English and Japanese, and oh boy did it make a difference now, being able to read Japanese books with out translation and speaking "good" English does make a difference.

If I were to go back in time and tell my past self "Hey, do you know you will end up in York university doing Music tech" chances are past me would not know where York is, or would not believe that he would end up speaking English. And he would be surprised that English had carried him this far, and Chiba did a great job pushing me through it.

I believe language is a tool. It can bring our distance closer; it can increase our chance; it can also help our conversation flow smoother. But my favorite benefit of it is having different mindsets to see things.

I established my strong foundation of English and Japanese at Chiba. When the world news is shown in English or Japanese, I can read it in the original text, without translations. It allows me to be more objective and look from the standpoint of different countries.

Thank you to all the teachers at Chiba and Yo Sensei!

I began studying at Chiba Language School when I was three years old, where I had a full and rich childhood. Growing up in a foreign language environment, both English and Japanese, has become part of my life. Here, I have not only laid the foundation of my English and Japanese, but also learned many different cultural practices.

Although language is just a communication tool, it is an indispensable part of the global village, it is a very proud thing to be able to easily and fluently speak with foreigners. The language that I learned from childhood has been deeply imprinted in my mind and can’t be forgotten. Chiba, which gave me a wonderful childhood, gave me an advantage in the linguistic field, and allowed me to build a long friendship with all the partners that I grew up with, and the teachers' patient instruction broadened our horizons beyond.

Jogging down my memory lane, I remember standing in front of the classroom and gave a self-introduction to the class. From that day on, I was officially part of the Chiba family. Learning two foreign languages at the same time was tough, but we had so much fun in and between classes. We worked hard on every project, and we played hard all the time. I am glad that my parents sent me to Chiba Language School from my early age, which helped gain my confidence in foreign language learning. For me, Chiba was not just a kindergarten, it is a place where I grew up, met my once and a life-time best friends, developed my personalities and language skills. Chiba vivified my life, and I am proud to call myself an alumni.

From the start of kindergarten, through grammar school, and up until junior high Japanese class, I spent the majority of my childhood in Chiba Language School (CLS). Therefore, CLS most definitely has an important place in my heart. I established my foundation for English and Japanese there, and made long lasting friends. By growing in a bilingual environment at Chiba, not only did I learn foreign languages from foreign teachers, but I also experienced the different cultures in person. This absolutely influenced my decision to pursue study tours and/or studying abroad later on. 

I noticed when I was in elementary school that I had more of an advantage in language classes than the others. In our competitive society, with the aid of my language abilities, I gained a distinct advantage.  When I attended an international school in junior high with the majority of classes in English, I was able to keep up and understand my classes fully.  My sophomore year in high school, I became an exchange student in the United States for a year.  During that year, I was able to integrate into the local culture where again, language was never a barrier for me.

The language abilities gained at CLS will always stay with me. I will never forget the education I received.

I’ve been going to CLS for about 10 years since preschool. I’m very thankful for the education that allowed me to utilize Japanese and English. Looking back, I think it was quite incredible. Learning Spanish at the same time as Japanese and English was a challenge and at first I wanted to give up. I’m glad I didn’t and the work I put it truly paid off. I’m studying at a university in England and I could easily follow along with Japanese idols. Once again I would like to thank CLS for the education and resources. I will contribute to use and cherish what I learned at CLS.

When I was 3 years old, I came to Chiba to study. At first I was scared, but after I got used to Chiba, I felt it was great to come to Chiba every day. Although the process was long, I met many people and made various friends. At Chiba, the teachers are very patient when teaching us. Through games and storytelling, they help us understand the meaning of English and Japanese words. When I was a child, the most anticipated activities each month were field trips and Happy Friday. Chiba always took us around in groups, and helped us understand the importance of teamwork, while increasing our knowledge. On Happy Friday, we partook in a variety of performances and participated in many fun games.

Learning English and Japanese from a young age allowed me and my family not to worry about language incompatibility when we were going abroad. It also gave me an advantage in the fields of English and Japanese. In preparing various English and Japanese assignments, I don't worry about basic grammar. When I speak to foreigners, I can also speak English or Japanese fluently. Chiba is a good place to learn English and Japanese. We can learn not only foreign languages, but also leadership and social skills.