Global Journey Diary vol.6 - Honoka Sakurai

Hey everyone, what's up? It's Honoka.

I got back from my study abroad in Western Australia at the end of November.

Lately, I've been super busy with job hunting, student organization stuff, you name it. But I make sure to take breaks and indulge in my hobby of watching anime or grabbing meals with friends to refresh myself regularly.

Now, I bet some of you out there have dreams of studying abroad someday or maybe you're already abroad working on your language skills. And I'm sure some of you might wonder, "Does studying abroad really boost your language skills big time?"

Well, let me share my take on this question after completing about a year of studying abroad.

I'll provide not only my subjective impressions of how my English skills changed but also share my English test results (TOEIC, TOEFL iBT) before and after studying abroad for an objective comparison (embarrassing, but hey, let's do it!).

For those of you striving for a study abroad journey or working hard to improve your language skills while abroad, feel free to use my scores as a reference.

Let's dive in!

At Edith Cowan University

Question: "Does studying abroad really boost your language skills significantly?"

My answer: "Yeah, it does!"

I can feel it, and it reflects in my English test results too.

When you study abroad, your language skills definitely skyrocket compared to before.

But, of course, there are conditions. It's preferable to study abroad for more than a year, and you shouldn't hold back on challenges and efforts while you're there.

I started feeling more confident in my English skills towards the latter part of my study abroad journey.

In fact, around the midpoint, when friends and family asked, "Are you getting better at English?" I'd reply, "Hmm... not really."

It's not to say your language skills won't improve during short or medium-term study abroad programs.

But language learning isn't something that yields instant results; it requires substantial experience and time to truly master a language.

So, you've got to actively seek opportunities to use English, ponder over your English challenges, and figure out how to overcome them even while studying abroad. And the longer you keep at it, the more significant the results.

That's why I believe those who study abroad for less than a year might not feel a significant boost in their language skills.

Spring flower in Australia: Jacaranda

Now, let me share how I felt about two skills in which I noticed significant changes: speaking and listening.

Reason 1: I gained confidence in my language skills (Speaking, Listening)

Speaking

Let me start by honestly expressing how I felt speaking English at the beginning of my study abroad journey compared to now.

At the start: 
"I have things to say but can't put sentences together. Words don't come to mind. Can't express myself without overthinking. I want to use slang and expressions everyone else uses, but I don't know them. Don't know how to respond. Can't be myself."

Now: 
"I translate less in my head. Even if I don't remember the exact word I want, similar words pop up. I can connect thoughts smoothly like natives. I can say common phrases effortlessly. Friends often say, 'Your English has improved a lot.' I'm less nervous now and can joke around with friends like back home."

Initially, I couldn't wield English freely.

Even though I used English daily at my university, once outside the classroom, it was a Japanese-dominated environment. I wasn't accustomed to speaking English as fluently as Japanese. Plus, I had little knowledge of slang or natural expressions.

But spending around 10 months surrounded by English in Australia, along with the perfect environment and training to get used to English, I finally started using it as a tool to express myself.

Of course, my speaking skills are still a work in progress. I can't construct complex or long sentences instantly, and there are many expressions I don't know.

But I need to keep pushing myself without complacency.

Listening

Now, let's talk about listening.

At the beginning: 
"Too fast, can't catch anything. Even if I do, can't understand right away. Sorry for asking to repeat multiple times. Can't keep up with group conversations. Feel left out even when I'm with friends. Can only fake a smile. Not enjoyable. Feel isolated even when around people."

Towards the end: 
"Unfamiliar words or accented English are still challenging, but I ask fewer times to repeat. I can catch most English at a moderate pace. Surprisingly, I find myself participating in large group conversations I once struggled with. It's genuinely satisfying to laugh with everyone. Sometimes I still ask to repeat three times, but hey, I want to talk to people from more countries!"

My listening skills weren't low initially.

Before my study abroad, I could understand English in an all-English class and grasp the teacher's lectures almost completely.

But the challenge lay in everyday conversations – casual chats with friends before class, discussions with nearby classmates during lectures, or answering questions from friends – essentially, everyday life situations.

While I could understand the teacher's words during class, I struggled to comprehend non-academic conversations. This was probably due to the same reason as my speaking struggles: lack of exposure to everyday English.

At the beginning of my study abroad, this fact hit me hard, and I felt frustrated. But I wanted to engage in deeper conversations with locals, so I used that frustration as motivation and kept trying. As a result, I improved my listening skills to the point where I could positively assess them, as described above.

So, I can confidently say my English skills improved significantly through my study abroad experience.

If you, like me, initially struggled with speaking or listening, remember that with effort, you can reach a point where you genuinely enjoy conversations and express yourself freely.

And as for maintaining your mental well-being while your English skills are still developing, well, that's another challenge you'll need to tackle!

Nature country Western Australia

Reason 2: English tests became much easier to crack, and my scores improved

Now, let's compare my actual English test scores before and after my study abroad to see how much my English skills improved.

TOEIC

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before (May 21, 2022) - TOTAL: 845/990
Listening: 455/495
Reading: 390/495

After (January 30, 2024) - TOTAL: 950/990
Listening: 485/495
Reading: 465/495
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Impressive, right? lol

My TOEIC score significantly jumped after my study abroad.

In fact, I remember feeling much more comfortable during the post-study abroad TOEIC test.

Listening Questions felt slower and easier because I'd been exposed to faster-paced conversations during my time abroad.

And with Reading, encountering similar types of texts in daily life during my study abroad made me nostalgic and even made the test feel easier. Especially emails and exchanges with friends, which I did daily, felt like a breeze.

TOEFL iBT

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before (March 12, 2022) - TOTAL: 78/120
Reading: 20/30
Listening: 21/30 
Speaking: 18/30 
Writing: 19/30

After (January 27, 2024) - TOTAL: 87/120
Reading: 20/30
Listening: 22/30 
Speaking: 19/30 
Writing: 26/30
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOEFL iBT is a completely different test from TOEIC, designed to evaluate the English proficiency of those aiming to study abroad. Each section of the iBT is created based on conversations one might have with classmates, professors, or peers at the host university.

For instance, the Reading section consists of complex texts akin to what you'd read as pre-course materials at a foreign university. The content is full of specialized vocabulary and dense grammar, making it quite challenging to read.

So, looking at my iBT scores, you can pretty much understand what I struggled with during my time abroad. My Writing score saw a significant boost, reflecting the effort and struggle I put into completing essays and reports during my time in Australia. Those assignments were tougher than the iBT Writing section itself!

I felt the assignments at my host university were even more challenging than the iBT's Writing section.

If you're planning to study abroad, I recommend taking the iBT beforehand to get a feel for what academic English at your host university might be like. It'd be great to familiarize yourself, if possible.

Cute latte art made for me :)

In conclusion

What do you think?

About half a year before I returned from Australia, I started this study abroad blog, knowing I'd definitely write about this topic someday.

One of my goals for studying abroad was to significantly improve my English skills.

Of course, there are many others like me who aim to enhance their English skills through study abroad journeys.

If my blog can serve as a reference or motivation for those readers, that was one of the reasons I chose this topic.

But, if I couldn't achieve that goal, my credibility would plummet.

So, I decided on this topic to inspire myself to keep pushing forward.

If this content sparks enthusiasm for studying abroad or motivates you to work on your English, then my mission is accomplished.

See you in the next blog!

Take care. 

At Mullaloo Beach