I studied at WALES for six weeks (from June 2 to July 13). Starting as a complete beginner, I found the all-English learning environment very challenging because I could hardly understand anything. The teachers would always give examples to help me understand better. I also prepared by reviewing the textbook content the day before class using Google Translate, which made the lessons go more smoothly. The teachers were very patient, but sometimes I still felt quite frustrated. So every night, I spent about an hour reviewing basic English.
When chatting with classmates, it was also in English, which I still found hard to understand. I often used gestures or quickly looked things up on Google. Sometimes I relied on Taiwanese classmates to help translate for me—I’m really grateful for that. After my third week at WALES, a student manager from Taiwan came and helped me a lot.
I’ve gone from zero to being able to speak some everyday English. I can order food at restaurants and have learned the names of some fruits and dishes. Now, I’m no longer afraid to look at English words. I try to read and speak whenever I can and continue studying basic English with apps.
The weather in Baguio is very cool and comfortable, and I’ve explored almost all the fun spots here. It’s really quite nice!
