菲律賓學英文：GS語言學校遊學心得分享
臺灣女孩MOMO 筆於2017年5月
“Why do you want to learn English? What’s your purpose here?” If you come to GS, many teachers and classmates will ask you this question. My answer always goes like this, “Because I want to improve my English ability.”
「為什麼你想學英文？你的目的是什麼？」如果你來到GS語言學校，許多老師與同學都會問你這個問題。而我的回答總是如此：「因為我想增進我的英文能力。」
English is a tool to access the world. When I finished my two-year-long working holiday in Australia, I deeply realized that it’s a truth. One of my backpacker friends whom I met in Australia, Martina, recommended me to choose her friend, Max, as my agency, and he helped me to attend a school which accommodates all my needs—Global Standard English Learning Center. (Usually, students call it “GS” instead.)
英文是一個工具，能幫助人們與世界接軌。當我結束澳洲兩年的打工度假後我深深地了解到，這是一個事實。我在澳洲認識的其中一位背包朋友，介紹他的朋友Max（夢想菲行）做為我的代辦。他們協助我找到符合我學習需求的菲律賓語言學校Global Standard English Language School，通常學生們簡稱這所學校為GS。
Comparing with other language schools, I think the fee of the courses in GS is more economic to me.(It includes not only courses and materials, but also the room accommodation and three meals per day.) Most people can afford it. Besides, GS is located in Clark city which is famous for the safety in Philippines. These are main reasons why I chose it to stay.
與其它的語言學校相比，這所學校的費用多數人可以付擔得起，經濟實惠。此外，學校的位置坐落在以安全著名的克拉克。這些是我選擇ＧＳ的主要原因。
I studied in GS for two months. Every day I have four one-by-one classes, two to three group classes, and one to two optional group classes. English is a common language in Philippines. My teachers are locals, Americans, or Australian, and my classmates are from different countries. Therefore, the only language between us is English. One-by-one teachers are in charge of teaching me the writing, reading, grammar, words, listening test, reading test, and skills for the test. Group class teachers train students to practice communication, expression, and pronunciation; also, they offer students some new information and interesting topics. This environment offers me a chance to practice speaking and listening English from day to night, and my capacity of vocabularies is increasing.
我在這所學校待了兩個月。每天我有四堂一對一的課，兩堂團體課，以及兩堂團體選修課。英文在菲律賓是一項被普遍使用的語言。我的老師多數是菲律賓在地人，也有來自美國或澳洲的老師。由於這所學校有不同國籍的同學，因此同學間唯一共通的語言，就是英文了。我的課有寫作、閱讀、文法、單字、聽力測驗、閱讀測驗和考試技巧、溝通、表達與發音。這樣的環境提供我全天練習的機會，讓我能從早到晚都進行英文的聽與說，我的單字量也增加了。
During the week days, I studied hard. Students need to do self-study after classes from Monday to Thursday. However, I also had a lot of fun time during my holidays. From Friday night to Sunday, usually students would go out for amusement, buy some groceries or travel. In my cases, I went to SM mall, walking street or Friendship (Korea town) by a Jeepney or GS school free shuttle bus to play bowling games, to watch a movie, to sing songs in a KTV and to eat local dishes with my classmates. On one of the weekends, I visited a national park named MINANUNGAO to experience the special bamboo ship, to see the cave and to go swimming. Also, I went to one of the Philippines’ Culture Villages to see the exotic sceneries, and visited Fontana Waterpark and Deca Waterboard with friends to enjoy the sunshine and water activities during recent holidays. Sometimes, I didn’t go too far, maybe just walked to Clark Park, Clark Museum (people can watch a historical 4D movie there), local Catholic Church, some supermarkets and restaurants (One of them has live music on Friday night) nearby, or massage shops to do some exercise or to relax.
平常日我很認真念書。學生們除了日常上課，週一到週四的課後還有晚自習時間。然而，我在週末假期期間，也有很多娛樂。通常週五課後到週日，學生們會外出玩耍、買些日常用品或旅行。就我個人的例子而言，我搭乘在地的大眾交通吉普尼或是學校的免費接駁專車，去過SM Mall百貨公司、Walking street散步街、Friendship韓國城，跟同學們去玩保齡球、看電影、唱KTV、吃當地美食。其中一個週末，我去了MINANUNGAO國家公園，體驗特色竹船、觀賞洞穴奇景和游泳。我也去了一個菲律賓的民俗文化村，觀賞異國風情的景緻，前陣子的假期也有和朋友到Fontana Waterpark水上公園與Deca Waterboard，享受陽光、玩刺激的衝浪水板。有時候，我沒去太遠的地方，也許只是學校就近，例如克拉克公園與博物館（可以看介紹該城市歷史的4D電影）散散步，附近的天主教堂走一走，附近的超市逛逛，附近的餐廳餐敘（其中一間週五晚有駐唱歌手在夜空下表演），又或者去按摩店放鬆、享受一下。
Some other memories here impressed me strikingly, too. For examples: my Korea classmates celebrated Jane (One of my Taiwanese classmates who came here with me. The first time we met is in the airport.) and my birthday in Korean way; my mother encountered a car accident and got bones broken in Taiwan but I couldn’t accompany with her as I was in Philippines; suddenly I was sick and couldn’t eat anything during my lunch and dinner someday; my smartphone was broken when I just arrived GS over 9 days (Thank my agency for offering me a sub phone and a dictionary to me 2 weeks later, and also thanks for my classmates and friends’ help); culture diversity and relationship of Asia made me difficult about involving in this school sometimes; some learning issues about new and old TOEIC; one of my clothes which is a gift from my friend bought in Canada got stolen in the laundry (Thanks for GS Taiwanese manager Lisa’s help)… and etc.
在這裡，也有一些讓我印象深刻的回憶。例如：我的韓國同學幫我和跟我同時到校、在機場第一次認識的臺灣女孩Jane，以韓國人的方式慶生；我待在菲律賓期間，我的媽媽在臺灣發生車禍骨折，但我卻因人在國外而無能為力的焦急；某一天突然生病，雖然很餓但是午餐與晚餐卻無法進食；我的智慧型手機在來到菲律賓的第九天就壞掉了（感謝我的代辦送來了備用的手機與字典給我，也感謝這期間同學、朋友們的幫忙）；文化差異與亞洲人的人際關係有時在我嘗試融入學校群體時會有困難；一些關於新舊多益的學習議題；我朋友從加拿大買來送我的衣服在學校的洗衣部門遺失（感謝GS學校的臺灣學生經理Lisa的幫忙）……等等。
I think that I learned many things in GS. I improved either my English ability or my problem-solving experience. Life is an association of bitterness and happiness. When they blend together and the flavor emerged from it is life. I’m glad that I have the chance to learn. It makes me become a better person.
我想我在GS的這段期間學到了很多。我不僅增進了我的英文能力，也增添了我的問題解決經驗。生活是由許多的苦澀與甜美所組成的。當這兩種截然不同的經驗融和在一起，所品嚐到的滋味，就是生命。我很慶幸自己能有這樣的機會去學習，這些經驗的累積，讓我成為更好的人。
留言列表
