Study abroad testimonial | A step forward from “I can't speak English” | The one-on-one study that Mizuki chose

Hello. We are the 3D ACADEMY team!

This time we present the testimony of Mizuki, who chose the one-on-one class course at 3D ACADEMY on Cebu Island in the Philippines, and managed to overcome the fear of “not being able to speak English” until she found her own style of studying abroad.

What led her to think about studying abroad was, of all things, her older sister’s experience in Toronto.

“My sister looked radiant. I wanted to try it abroad someday too.”

However, as soon as she began to seriously consider the idea of “studying abroad,” many doubts arose, one after another: her English level, the cost, safety, her own personality...

Even so, Mizuki looked for that “small step” that suited her and found 3D ACADEMY, which specializes in one-on-one classes, and so she set off for Cebu Island.

In this article we share with you, in full detail and in her own real voice, Mizuki’s study abroad story.

Mizuki chose one-on-one classes only, instead of group classes. And within that format, she put into practice a way of learning entirely her own.

“In English classes, at first you get nervous thinking ‘I have to speak no matter what!’ But for me, as soon as the teacher said a phrase and I thought ‘ah, I can use this one,’ I would repeat it out loud right away.”

At the beginning the words didn’t come easily, but by repeating out loud the expressions the teacher used, she gradually took in “natural English,” she says.

For example, when during a class the teacher said “That makes sense,” she thought “this can be used so much in conversation!” and immediately began using it herself.

She also manages homework and advance preparation at her own pace

At 3D ACADEMY, many classes include homework and advance preparation assigned by the teacher, which lets you make good use of your time for review.

At first, Mizuki took it very seriously, with the idea that “I have to do all the homework they give me without fail.”

But at some point she realized something.

“No matter how much you try to do everything right every day, there are times when your spirits aren’t with you. And if I force myself in those moments, nothing stays in my head and I don’t enjoy the class either.”

From then on, she began telling the teacher directly “today I’d rather not do the homework,” or simply skipped the homework on days when she didn’t feel up to it, thus shifting to a way of learning that respects her own feelings and her own pace.

Of course, this does not mean “doing nothing,” but an attitude with clear nuance: “doing it well when I can.”

“On the days when I prepare well the night before and arrive at class that way, everything flows so much better. So I clearly notice the difference compared with the days when I didn’t. And I think that, precisely for that reason, it’s important to decide for yourself what you want to do each day.”

Honest communication, made possible by her relationship with the teacher

Telling the teacher “I don’t want to do the homework today” undoubtedly takes quite a bit of courage.

But Mizuki says that, in fact, she is glad she said it.

“Precisely because they are one-on-one classes, the closeness with the teacher is greater, and he knows my personality and my state of mind well. So being sincere works better for the relationship.”

Resting on the days when she doesn’t feel up to it and concentrating on the days when she can make an effort: in this way, Mizuki managed to turn “studying English” into something enjoyable instead of an obligation, and that is her particular style of class.

Mizuki says the first month was truly a series of nerves. Even during classes, she would think things like “what if I can’t explain myself well to the teacher?” or “how embarrassing if they ask me a question and I can’t answer,” and anxiety always came first.

That the same Mizuki can now say quite naturally “I don’t want to do the homework today,” clearly expressing her own will, is an enormous change.

“Being able to express my own feelings properly in English is also an achievement in itself. If I were the person I used to be, I think I would have held back, said nothing, and simply done the homework just as it was given to me.”

Of course, this is not simple “whim,” but a sign that she knows her own state and her study style well, and that she deepens her learning in the way that is most effective for her.

“I can now write down the words I hear!”: the growth of her foundations feels real

Within English learning, listening comprehension and writing are, for beginners, two of the most difficult areas.

Mizuki remembers that, at first, although she could hear the words the teacher said, she found it very hard to jot them down in her notebook.

“I felt I had heard correctly, but I didn’t know how it was spelled, or I wasn’t even sure what exactly had been said...”

But now she is able to write down without trouble, on the spot, the words she hears. Being able to write exactly what you hear is clear proof that her listening comprehension and her vocabulary have improved.

“Taking notes during class also became faster, and I feel that little by little I’m getting used to ‘thinking in English.’”

In addition, lately her gaze is naturally drawn to English signs and posters on the street, and she ends up reading them while thinking about their meaning.

“Before, I paid no attention to them, but now I react thinking ‘I saw this word in class!’ (laughs)”

From single words to “speaking in sentences”: the sum of small changes

At first, Mizuki could only speak English by stringing together single words. But, thanks to the accumulation of classes and the teacher’s careful support, little by little she managed to speak in complete sentences.

“At the beginning it was something like ‘Go... eat... food...’, so choppy that even I found it funny. But the teacher, every time, corrected me by saying ‘in this case you say it like this,’ and from repeating those corrections so much, at some point I realized I was already speaking in sentences naturally.”

That sentences come out naturally in the middle of a conversation is already, in itself, a great step forward. And this is, without a doubt, the power of one-on-one classes.

To the question “Do you use textbooks?”, Mizuki answered without hesitation: “yes, I do.”

“So far I’ve bought four books, and I’ve already finished two.”

At the school it is possible to photocopy part of the material, but Mizuki decided, on purpose, to buy it instead.

“Photocopying is a bit of a hassle, and if it isn’t in book form the pages get out of order and I don’t like that. So, from the start, I bought everything I needed.”

Having complete textbooks at hand makes advance preparation and review easier, and makes the class move along more smoothly.

In addition, a book that has been used also becomes “proof of her own growth.”

“Every time I finish a book I think ‘I did well,’ and when I look back through it I notice I understand much more than before, and that makes me really happy.”

In contrast to the weekdays full of classes, for Mizuki the weekends were an important time to “catch her breath.” However, it was not only about having fun: she also took the chance to experience cultural diversity and practice English in settings different from the usual, spending a very enriching time.

“What I did most was go to the shopping mall with friends. Shopping, chatting at a cafe... I liked it because I could feel as if I were in Japan, and that gave me peace of mind.”

For Mizuki, one of the weekend memories that marked her most was a small excursion to “her teacher’s hometown.” She traveled with him, staying overnight, to a place called Bantayan Island, in the north of the Philippines.

“Bantayan Island truly had the most beautiful beach I had seen up to then. The color of the sea, the blue of the sky... a landscape you hardly ever see in Japan, almost like a dream.”

However, the “real country life” she experienced there also became one of those unforgettable memories.

“I stayed at the teacher’s family home, and to begin with, the bathroom was the kind where you scoop water from a bucket and pour it yourself. The shower didn’t have hot water either, so you had to bathe with cold water. There was no internet either, so at first it threw me off quite a bit.”

Through that experience, she realized once again how comfortable and well organized life at 3D ACADEMY actually was.

“In the 3D dorm there is air conditioning, there is internet, and the bathroom has real running water (laughs). I didn’t realize how valuable all that ‘normal stuff’ was until I went to the countryside.”

Along with enjoying the trip, Mizuki was also able to learn from the differences in living environment. The weekends were thus another valuable moment for her growth.

Although Mizuki adapted quickly to life at 3D ACADEMY, there are some points where she felt she “should have prepared more.”

Having your vocabulary “prepared in advance” gives great peace of mind

“I wish I had memorized more vocabulary. In the end, if there are words you don’t know, there is a limit both to speaking and to writing...”

Although you learn a lot of new vocabulary during classes, she felt that having at least a “minimum vocabulary” would have considerably increased what you manage to absorb in the first month.

In particular, reviewing the “basic high school vocabulary” before traveling helps you understand the teacher’s English better and get stuck less during conversations.

“The more someone struggles with English, the more I recommend studying at least one vocabulary book before leaving on the trip. They’ll thank themselves later, without fail!”

Supplements, as a kind of “good luck charm”

Another piece of advice has to do with health care.

“When your environment changes, it’s easy for your body to suffer from small things, so I did well to bring supplements. Above all, I took vitamins and digestive health products every day.”

On Cebu Island, with its different food and warm climate, it is easy to wear the body down. Keeping up health care as an everyday habit was, she says, what sustained a comfortable and enjoyable study abroad life.

During the interview, Mizuki answered with a smile from start to finish, and she conveyed a very warm atmosphere. She herself said “I’m very shy,” but, as a team, we never had that impression at any point.

It is impossible not to think that this is due precisely to the confidence she gained from being able to express her own feelings in English.

Seven hours of class a day, the nerves of that first month, the words she gradually became able to write, the sentences she came to speak... all of this was taking shape inside Mizuki as an accumulation of growth.

And now a new step awaits her: studying in Canada. Following in her sister’s footsteps, Mizuki will surely find her own path in that new country too.

There is no doubt that the experience at 3D ACADEMY became the foundation of that confidence and strength.

Mizuki, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with us. The whole team supports you from the bottom of our hearts.