I worked early today. After today's work, I read the book "English Hierarchy [佐々木テレサ・福島青史『英語ヒエラルキー』]" again at AEON by 7 pm when the English conversation class would start. This book explains how various Japanese universities are trying to have their English-only lectures there to bring so-called "global people" up, but that is showing its dark side by affording them traumatic memories and also losing their self-esteem. These students have to face the severe fact that their English skills aren't enough to follow the classes (even though they must be talented enough to enter the universities), and also lose the opportunities to improve their Japanese skills. It's a marvelous, provoking book.
As for me, NOW I can separate my English skills from my existence itself. In other words, even if in front of me someone who can speak more fluently than I am, I won't be able to accept that as I am never having any worth. However, "before" I started learning English again like this (yes, it was about 10 years ago), within me there must have been a very exclusive idea that had been whispering to me such a silly idea as "I should become fluent enough to rule others". I need to face this small, but very important book to think about this issue more. Enjoying Prince's marvelous and groovy songs (probably because it was raining. "I only want to see you laughing in the purple rain"...), I read this.
At 7 pm, we started the first English conversation class in the Halloween and Xmas seasons. At first, two teachers introduced themselves to the students. After that, we exchanged our self-introduction with each other. After telling others about my name, my job, and my hobbies, I asked them why they were learning English, how they found better methods of learning effectively, etc...
As I have written above, today's lesson's main content was about Halloween. They shared what "trick and treating" means, and also what kinds of costume playing American people enjoy, etc. It was a very interesting class for me... Looking back to today's activities I have done, I need to tell to myself personally as I have to train my skills of telling my will or my opinions to others, but not to get too proud of myself in public.
