この文通は英語教師E先生のお話で始まりました。
以前私の学校に留学してきていた友達とのお付き合いがあったのも手伝って、文通をしてみることにしました。
始めは四苦八苦してメールの文章を三日がかりで考えて作りました。
文法に気をつかい適切な単語を探しながら書いているとこんな有様になってしまったのです。
しかし、彼女からのメールを読んで気持ちが楽になりました。
それは、屈託のないのびのびとした形式にとらわれない自由なものでした。
国際交流という上で大切な事は「心を開き合うこと」・「気持ちを伝え合うこと」
「相互理解に努めること」であると痛感しました。
きれいな英語に越したことはありませんがこれにこだわっていたのでは先に進みません。
先ずは笑顔で声をかけ合うところから始まるのです。
自由に伝え合う英語であること、これが大切なのです。
ここに私に勇気を持たせてくれた彼女からのメールを紹介します。
Dear Iwachi,
I am really excited to have you as a pen-pal,
especially from Japan!! It's really neat
to be exposed to different people and cultures
all over the world. I am looking forward
to hearing from you throughout the year.
Well to tell you a little about myself.....
I am 15 years old and it is my first year
at Salem Academy. I live about 10-15 minutes
away from school, so it's not that bad. I
am also a member of a chorus group, but it
is for school and we only have it on Tuesdays
every week. Also I am a member in CAC (Cultural
Awareness Club) that you have the oppurtunity
to learn about different cultures and things
like that. Another big thing in my life is
sports. I play volleyball, basketball, and
soccer and I have been doing so since I was
really little. It's my love. It sounds really
neat that you can look out a window at a
mountain in school and it sounds really pretty
too. I can't say that I have heard of it
before, but then again I am awful at naming
towns,cities, or even roads for that matter.
I am an only child and both my parents are
retired, but my dad works as a substitute
teacher if anybody needs him to. I'm not
sure if this is a major thing to tell, but
I am also Asian as well. I was born in South
Korea, a few hours from Seoul. If you have
any questions feel free to ask away. If you
would like pictures or anything from the
US as memorabilia then don't hesitate to
ask. And remember I am only an e-mail away
if you ever need anything! Can't wait to
hear from you!!
*~* LeeAnn *~*
Hey Iwachi ,
Yes, I love sports and I think it's cool
that you play them as well. I just learned
how to ski this year and its was a blast.
I don't really understand this thing I'm
supposed to download, do I download it now
or wait or are you going to send me something??
I'm a little lost. Sounds like the School
Festival was fun. I bet you enjoyed it quite
a bit. This weekend we had fall break, which
started Thurs. and ends Mon. and then on
Tues. we have to take the PSAT. ( I'm dreading
it!) It lasts for about 3 hours and I don't
like to sit that long, but I think it will
be a good experience for the future. Sorry
I have not e-mailed you sooner, I have been
very busy. I have been loaded down with homework,
then fitting in Volleyball (we won our last
game Wed.!!), then I went to go see some
of my other friends play vb, and then I went
to visit my cousin and eat lunch with him
at his school. Also Friday I went to the
Davis Cup, which is a really big tennis tournament
and it was a bunch of fun!! I saw the USA
versus India. A cute guy played in the first
match for USA!! It was a blast. Also Friday
night I spent the night at my aunt's and
babysat my cousin. That was fun too. Well,
I can't wait to hear from you again. I'm
looking forward to it.
*~* LeeAnn *~*
Iwachi,
Sorry this is really late, my computer has
been messed up for several days and it is
just now working. My e-mail account was too
large and they deleted a lot of my e-mails
and they deleted all of yours so I have lost
all of them. So, I am just responding to
apologize. Also I was wondering how you are
doing since I last talked to you. I have
been very busy lately. I made our varsity
basketball team and my J.O. (junior olympic)
volleyball team has started- basically for
that we play volleyball tournaments every
other Saturday. There both a lot of fun,
but unfortuantely I am extremely out of shape!
Well, that's really all I have to say-plus
I have to go study for 3 quizes tomorrow!
So, I'll talk to you later!
*~* LeeAnn *~*
Hey Iwachi,
I sent you an e-mail earlier, but I wasn't
sure if you recieved it. My e-mail on my
computer has been down for a while and this
is the first time in a few weeks that I have
been able to check my e-mail or even get
to it. I was just wondering if you had recieved
my previous e-mail and if you have then great.
E-mail me whenever you get the chance; I
can't wait to hear from you!
Hey Iwachi!,
I am glad that your computer is working ok.
My computer, however, is not so I have to
use my parents. I'm sorry I haven't written
recently. I've been sick for a few days or
so. I hope you had a good Christmas and a
good Christmas vacation. I know I am!! Well,
if I don't talk to you in a while then Happy
New Year!!
*~* LeeAnn *~*
Hey Iwachi!!
Well, school here has actually been fun this
month. We have been celebrating the month
of Febuary and it's been quite fun. How was
your trip? I hope it was tons of fun. Happy
Valentine's Day!! ( a few days late....)
Soccer tryouts start next week and I can't
wait!! I am so excited!! And I am so sorry
I haven't written lately! My computer is
still messed up. Anyways, I hope everything
is going good with you and your family. Tell
them I said hello.
~ LeeAnn
Hey Iwachi!!
How have you been lately?? April Fool's was
yesterday and I didn't even get the chance
to play a joke on anyone.... But anyway..I'm
glad to hear that Japan is beautiful this
time of year. Here it's hot and then cold
and then today our power went out, that was
weird. Sorry this is late, I couldn't remember
if I'd e-mailed you back yet because my computer
is still messed up. So I'm e-mailing you
now hoping that this isn't too late of a
reply. I hope everything is going well with
you and your family. We just got back to
school today, we'd been out for a week and
a day or so. It was a blast too. I slept,
ate junk food, watched tv, went to the beach
for 3 days, and went shopping. Fortunately
I had little homework so I had plenty of
time to play around. Yes, I do have a sweetheart!!
But our day is Febuary 14 instead of in March.
And what all did you do over your Spring
Break?? I hope it was a blast!! Well, I'm
out.......
LeeAnn
Hey Iwachi!!
Children's Day sounded like it must have
been fun and the fishing must have been a
blast too. Today is Mother's Day and I am
celebrating with my family. It is tons of
fun and my mom (hopefully) will love her
gifts ~ I haven't given them to her yet~.
(My uncle fixed flank steak-which is one
of my favorites- and he would like me to
mention how wonderful it was!!) Exams for
my school are starting in 2 weeks and I am
getting more worried each day. Hopefully
they won't be too bad and I'll do ok. When
do you get out for summer?? I get out June
1 and I am so physced. I am sooooooooo looking
forward to summer and not being in school
anymore. Aren't you?? Well, we're about to
have dessert so I better go. I'll talk to
you soon. ~Luv , LeeAnn~