Study abroad testimonial | From a curling dream to the English challenge | Jovy tells us about the power of learning she discovered in her “second experience abroad”

Hello! We are the 3D ACADEMY team.

This time we introduce Jovy, who had a short-term study experience in Denmark and then chose 3D ACADEMY on Cebu Island to keep improving her English. She has a very unique background: in the past she set out to become a professional curler, and she has applied that same focus and perseverance to learning English.

“I want to be able to speak better” and “I want to live abroad with confidence”: with these wishes in her heart, Jovy is getting ready for her next destination, Canada, where she plans to do a working holiday.

In this testimonial, we calmly tell you about her doubts before leaving, what she learned at 3D, the moments when she felt her own growth, the surprises she had in Cebu, and the dreams she has for the future.

Jovy first traveled abroad in her second year of junior high school, and the destination was Denmark. The two weeks she spent in a culture so different from Japan’s became an experience that deeply marked her life.

“It was the first time I truly felt that the world is huge. But at the same time, I also felt the frustration of not being able to express what I wanted to say.”

That experience lit a small flame inside Jovy. That is how the wish was born to “try again abroad, but first learn to speak English much better.”

Later, at university, when she asked herself, “If not now, when will I study a language abroad?”, she felt intuitively that “it was now or never.” She saved money working part-time, arranged things to free up the time she needed, and began looking for information. That is how she found 3D ACADEMY, a language school on Cebu Island in the Philippines.

“I felt that being able to take lots of one-on-one classes suited me. More than group classes, I wanted to practice speaking at my own pace.”

In addition, the Philippines is relatively close to Japan and has little time difference. The cost of living is low, which keeps the program costs down, and she found that very attractive too.

“It was exactly the perfect environment for my goal of practicing speaking a lot.”

That is how Jovy began her second challenge abroad, this time in Cebu, the Philippines.

Although Jovy had already decided to study abroad, her parents, as you would expect, had concerns.

“My mother was especially worried. She asked me again and again: ‘Is it really safe?’ ‘Will the food be okay?’”

So Jovy went with her mother to a study abroad fair held in Tokyo. There they met the Japanese staff of 3D ACADEMY, and as they received explanations directly, their doubts were cleared up one by one.

“The staff explained everything in great detail and even showed us photos of the place and the meals. My mother said, ‘It’s nicer than I thought.’”

In fact, with programs in the Philippines, food is often a big worry, but at 3D the Japanese staff take part in supervising the menu, making sure it suits Japanese tastes.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the food, so I was surprised that it was really delicious every day.”

They also received detailed explanations about safety in Cebu, the location of the school and the self-study environment, which was key to putting her family at ease.

“Feeling that ‘my parents agree too and are supporting me’ gave me the push I needed.”

Jovy’s day starts at 8 in the morning with one-on-one classes. Each class lasts 50 minutes, and she ended up taking between 6 and 7 classes a day.

“Since it’s one-on-one, I can ask right away about what I don’t understand, and above all, I love being in a situation where ‘I have to speak, no matter what.’”

The content can be adjusted flexibly according to what each student needs: TOEIC preparation, speaking, pronunciation, grammar, and so on. Jovy set a goal of reaching 800 points on the TOEIC, and together with her teachers she adjusted her study plan every week.

“All the teachers are very dedicated, and they give me detailed feedback like, ‘this expression sounds more natural.’”

Between classes, and also after finishing her lessons, Jovy went to the “self-study room” in the building. That place became another “base of support” for her learning.

“It’s divided into booths, so it’s an easy place to concentrate. It’s quiet and I can get into my own world, so it was perfect especially for reviewing grammar and practicing listening.”

In addition, Jovy set herself the personal task of writing a “diary” in English every day and asking her teachers to correct it.

“Having the sentences I write in my own words corrected helps me learn a huge amount. Just writing while thinking ‘is this okay?’ already makes me improve.”

In this way, by steadily repeating the cycle of “taking in information in class, organizing it in self-study and putting it into practice again,” Jovy gradually built a solid foundation in English.

What group classes taught her: the feeling that “it’s okay to make mistakes”

At first, Jovy got very nervous speaking English. Especially in group classes, she felt overwhelmed seeing other students speak fluently, and it was hard for her to work up the courage to speak.

“I thought, ‘What if I say something strange?’ and the words just wouldn’t come out. But when the teacher told me, ‘You don’t have to be perfect, just try speaking first,’ I gradually felt calmer.”

From then on, she began consciously repeating the idea of “just try speaking first.” Feeling that the words she said in English in her own way reached the other person became a big motivation for Jovy.

“The fear of speaking slowly dissolved, turning into a desire to ‘want to speak more.’”

It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay not to be perfect: accepting herself this way was the first step toward “truly usable English.”

An “accumulating” effort that gradually becomes confidence

Jovy also took self-study outside class hours very seriously. In particular, she practiced shadowing and reading aloud every single day.

“I tried to read aloud about 30 times a day. At first I felt embarrassed, but I was happy to feel my mouth getting used to English.”

This “repetition”-based learning style steadily raised Jovy’s ability to speak.

Another key point was learning English through movies and series.

“A teacher recommended that I watch series on Netflix with English subtitles. That way I could understand natural phrases and intonation, and I was studying while having fun.”

Removing the boundary between study and entertainment and building an “everyday life with English”: that was the secret of Jovy’s learning.

What built her “ability to live” was what happened outside the classroom

Life on Cebu Island in the Philippines is very different from life in Japan in many ways, and at first Jovy experienced a continuous series of surprises.

“What surprised me most was how scary it is to cross the street (laughs). Since the cars don’t stop, at first I couldn’t take a single step.”

She was also struck by the differences in hygiene conditions and the city’s infrastructure.

Even so, as the days and weeks went by, she gradually learned through practice how to get around safely, and she got used to it.

“Not going out at night, always using a taxi to get around: by acting this way consciously, my anxiety kept getting smaller.”

She feels that this experience gave her something more than mastery of English: the ability to “get by in a foreign country.”

“Thanks to that experience, I feel that when I go to Canada, everything will be fine.”

“The continuation of the dream, together with English”

What Jovy has in mind after her program at 3D is a working holiday in Canada. In fact, even before studying abroad, she had always had the wish to “work abroad someday.”

“After going to Denmark in junior high, I thought, ‘I want to try again abroad once I can speak better.’ I feel that wish is finally taking shape.”

She chose Canada as her working holiday destination because it is a country where curling is very popular. In fact, Jovy has a surprising background: in the past she set out to become a professional curler.

“In Canada there is an authentic curling culture, so if I get the chance, I’d like to visit a local club.”

It is not only about English, but a step toward expanding the possibilities of her life: that is what the working holiday means to her.

“I feel that at 3D I gradually gained the ‘ability to speak’ and the ‘ability to act,’ so I want to dare to take the leap in Canada too.”

What this program cultivated was a “confidence” that goes beyond English level

When our staff first spoke with Jovy, she gave the impression of being a very polite and calm person, but as they talked it became clear that inside her there was a firm will and a lot of curiosity.

“The small accumulations of each day turn, without our noticing, into confidence: that is the kind of growth we feel when we look at Jovy.”

Jovy, who at first said she was “afraid to speak in group classes,” now looks ahead saying “I want to speak more” and “I want to dare to try in Canada too.”

That attitude will surely be a great encouragement for those who are thinking about studying abroad.

“More than language level, the most important thing is first to have the attitude of ‘giving it a try.’ Jovy’s story is a wonderful testimonial that teaches us exactly that.”

Jovy, congratulations on your effort and your challenge at 3D! We sincerely hope that in this new stage, Canada, you can fly by being yourself. The whole team is looking forward to the day we can see each other again in Cebu.