Let me tell you a little about the language school I go to. I’m currently living as a student in Sydney while I keep up my calligraphy activities. From Monday to Thursday, I take English classes all day, from morning until three in the afternoon. That said, my school doesn’t have the stiff, formal feel of a university. The classroom is always warm, laid back, and full of smiles.
I get the sense that the hardest thing about going to language school is not picking the right school, but finding the right teacher. Luckily, I was able to get into a class taught by a woman from Colombia. She’s a wonderful teacher—friendly, enthusiastic, and always interacting with the students one-on-one. It makes the days so fun that it naturally kindles my desire to learn.
The classes are split up by level, and students frequently come and go. We used to have a lot of boys from South America in our class, but now it’s mostly Asian girls. But there’s actually only one other Japanese person besides me. The rest are from Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, and other countries.
The other day was my favorite teacher’s birthday. Everyone in the class planned to surprise her by celebrating with a cake between classes. The cake my classmates got for her was brightly colored with a unique design, more colorful than anything I’d ever seen in Japan. Even the various ways cake looks and tastes in different countries was a fun way to experience cultural differences.
There are a lot of Korean girls in my class, so the way the cake was distributed was distinctly Korean. First, the teacher whose birthday it was received a piece, followed by the oldest person in the room on down. The youngest students chose last. It was a unique way of doing things. Happily (lol), I got my cake right after the teacher.
I love the laid-back culture here that makes it natural to celebrate somebody’s birthday during class. Japan may be the best in the world when it comes to impeccable service or customer care, but the way people are able to just let loose and enjoy themselves naturally in Australia has really stuck with me.
Unfortunately, more and more language schools are closing as it gets harder to get an Australian student visa each year. The dwindling number of students directly affects instructor employment, causing a huge problem for educational institutions. The cost of applying for a visa nearly tripled this year over last year, so it makes sense that fewer students are willing to pay all that money for a chance to study here when there’s still a chance their application might be turned down. Australia is a nation of immigrants, so this visa issue is always a hot social topic.
So being able to learn while experiencing the different cultures and values of my multicultural classmates day after day is a fleeting and precious experience. Both the students and my teachers are interested when I tell them I’m a calligrapher, and every time a new student joins the class, my teacher shows them one of my calligraphy performances on YouTube. It’s a little embarrassing, but it makes me happy, too.
I know I will treasure these times for the rest of my life—being able to learn and laugh together in a comfortable environment where everyone respects each other’s differences.