What I Learned Through AASL - submitted by Manaka Nakamura

I decided to take this program only because I thought volunteering would be a good experience, but I didn’t consider how it would be useful for me. In addition to that, this class had various levels students, and my core level was 106, so I had hesitated to take it a little before this quarter began. However, I found that had great advantages especially for lower levels students like me because there were more opportunities to get involved in higher levels students.

I would like to share what I learned. First of all, I got the way to think underlying causes of a problem and find solutions. We learned it in class but I could try to use it in volunteering. That is why, I understood it more deeply. I found that it was important to think something from various points of view. Secondly, creating a goal and always keeping it in mind are simple but effective ways. At the beginning of this quarter, we made class mission statement, and also I made my own goals. I always kept them in mind and was thinking about how to meet them. That is why, I could achieve all of them and figure out my next goals reflecting on previous ones. Same time, I found importance to have goals. Thirdly, I became much more talkative and not to care about my English ability while talking. English was the only way to communicate with people here, so we had to speak it to do volunteering. Moreover, as I talked to people, I started to feel comfortable because they tried to hear me seriously and had interests in me. That changed my mind about talking in English. I had been a little shy, but I could talk without caring about my speaking skills. This experience has the biggest impact on me.Through this program, not only I learned and improved English, and also I got some tips. They must be helpful in my life. I had great opportunities and meaningful time in AASL.