Ayaka Kawakami

When my husband moved from Tokyo to Chicago for school, I decided to join him.

Moving to Chicago would mean living abroad for the first time in my life, but I did it—I moved to Chicago in the summer of 2022. One of the first things I did when I settled in Chicago was search for places to learn English. I learned English in school in Tokyo, but I didn’t use it often. Now that I was living in the U.S., I was hesitant to speak English because I didn’t think my English was very good.

During my search, I discovered City Colleges of Chicago’s English as a Second Language (ESL) classes were available online, so I enrolled. My first class was at Kennedy-King College with Mr. Marcus Wolfe. I loved his class, and it became my favorite part of the week. We learned the basics of English conversation and important things to know when living in the U.S. When Mr. Wolfe transferred to Wilbur Wright College, I did too.

One of my favorite parts of Mr. Wolfe’s ESL class are the conversations I have with him and my classmates. My classmates come from all over the world and have such different backgrounds. We not only practice our English together, but I hear stories from their countries, and it broadens my perspectives. Now, I feel much more confident speaking in English.

Through my classes at City Colleges, I have also learned more about Chicago and the U.S., not just English. The classes have helped me learn about the state’s government and my responsibilities as an adult in this country. Ultimately, they helped me prepare for the Illinois U.S. Constitution test, which I passed.

In Tokyo, I worked in community safety policing. In recent years, more people from around the world have been coming to Japan for sightseeing, work, and other purposes. When I resume my job, I hope to help foreign visitors with my English skills and provide information that helps them enjoy their stay and feel secure in my country.

I wanted to do something on my own in the U.S. and make my life in Chicago more rewarding. Improving my English was the best way to do that. I realized I want to use my English skills to connect with people around the world through international collaborations for work and for my own personal experiences. I have so many topics I want to talk to my friends about in English, so I know I still need to expand my vocabulary. I have learned that strengthening your language skills opens the door to a more interconnected and understanding world.