Sae is from Japan, and is studying at ELC Boston for six months in our Semi-Intensive Plus Course. Back home, Sae is a dancer and loves to perform in her dance club at her university. She is also a choreographer and hopes to pursue a career as a director when she graduates. At ELC, Sae is known for her friendly attitude and love of music!
Where were you born and raised? Give us a mental picture of the place.
I live in Tokyo, Japan. It is a very busy city with many tall buildings. Have you ever been? There are so many lights and people all the time.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?
Back home I am part of a theater and dance club. I am one of the people who makes the dances and teaches the other dancers. I have been in the club for three years and I love making dances so I got that role. I love dancing all types of styles, mostly jazz and hip hop. Here, I have tried the spin bicycle exercise class with you, which I really like! I think I will do it more when I get home.
What is your profession? What do you like about it?
I am still a student, I am in my last year. I like it because I get to study something I love and I get many opportunities to perform. Being a student, I get to spend my time with many other students and friends when we work on projects and shows together.
Tell us about your family, do you have kids? Siblings? Pets? Do they live close to you?
I have my mother and father and one brother who lives in Japan also. We have a family cat. My dad loves the cat very much.
Why did you choose to study English in Boston? Did you consider other options?
My dad studied in Boston when he was a student and he told me it is a great city, especially for students. There are a lot of opportunities here for students and many great schools. Boston is also very safe and has many famous sites from the history of America.
What are all the ways that Boston is different than your city/town?
Boston is a bit smaller than my city, Tokyo and not as crowded. Also, people speak English here in Boston, but many other languages also. It is cool here because you never know if someone is from Boston or if they are also international. In Japan, if you see someone who is not Japanese, you know they are a tourist, but here, you don’t know if they live here, or it they are a tourist. It is very diverse here and you can meet many different people.
What were you most surprised to learn about the US or Boston? Did you experience any culture shock?
I didn’t have much culture shock. I think the hardest part for me was being confident to use my English and to talk to other people in Boston. I had to learn how to do this because I will be here for 6 months, so if I need something I need to be able to ask people in English.
What do you miss most about your country?
I miss my friends and my boyfriend, but he is coming to visit me soon. Maybe I will bring him to meet people at ELC! I know I am going home soon though so I don’t really miss that much right now.
What are your top three favorite places in Boston?
I love the Boston Common because you can see all the different people, like students or people who live in Boston, and it is a great place for people to relax. I like Fenway and the park there, it is near to where I live. It’s nice because it is next to the university, Northeastern, so there are many other students around. I also like ELC, obviously! I have many friends here and have met many people who I will stay in contact with.
Where have you found the best food from your country in Boston?
There is good Japanese food all over Boston, I think sushi is very popular here. There are places on Newbury street or in Chinatown. Also, the restaurant next door to ELC is very good for sushi too.
Favorite moment in class at ELC:
I love class with Dave! He is so funny and his class is very fun. He has a very funny sense of humor, he is always making us laugh. We use a lot of English, but we also have good conversations and learn about different topics.
Favorite activity at ELC:
Potluck!! I love potluck, it is my favorite. I like to bring different snacks from Japan and try all the different foods from countries I have never been to.
What are some tips you have for people who want to learn English?
You have to not be afraid and just try to use your English. Also, being around people who speak English is very important because it makes you need to use it. Living in Boston, I have to try to use my English. I also listen to a lot of English music. Last month I went to see the Bruno Mars concert.
What are your plans after ELC?
When I finish school I would like to be a director and work on music videos. I want to keep dancing and keep making dances for people. I like to work in performing.
