I went to Australia for my junior high school excursion and to New Zealand for my high school language training. I stayed in homestays in both cases, and I was able to improve my English skills by spending time speaking in English with people other than my school friends, and I was able to learn about the culture and lifestyle of the host country.
The study abroad program at J. F. Oberlin University offered a total of six options at the time (spring semester of 2023): three British universities and three American universities, and I chose the British university that offered homestays. Portsmouth is a port city with abundant nature. It is easily accessible to the city, and I was able to travel to London, Edinburgh, and France on weekends!
At the University of Portsmouth, I was able to study in a wonderful environment with friends and teachers. Actually, when I first came to England, I was not very good at speaking up in class, even if I knew the answer.
Then one of my Ukrainian classmates asked me, “Why don’t you speak up when you know the answer? You always come up with the right answer, so why don’t you just say it!” and this advice helped me to speak up. My teachers also always helped me and corrected my essay assignments many times.