Face It

English is a common subject since we was at school. Besides learn English at school, I ever took English course when I was a child. I still remember, I went to the course place by ‘bemo’ and paid five hundred IDR at that time (Now, the rate is two thousand and five hundred IDR). Then I ever studied too at Eloquence, Green Garden area, together with children (daughter and son) of my parent’s friend. I walked to their house, me with their driver picked up the girl and boy at their school then went to Eloquence.

English, for me is such a scary thing. In course class, I afraid can’t answer question. The same thing happened at high school, I afraid can’t fill the blank missing lyric of a song and answer question after watching a movie in Conversation Lab Class. My English was so weak at that time.

Then I studied at UPH (Pelita Harapan University) which well-known as global campus and most of intermediate language using English. Though I was in regular class, but books we used are in English. To be graduated from UPH, the students should get the score of IELTS (International English Language Test System) minimal 45 from 120. We should take the test, search place that have IELTS and paid by ourselves. In curriculum, there is IBT subject to prepare students for IELTS. But for some of my friends, only learn from the class is not enough. They took private course, their teacher was the best graduated student from UPH who got the IELTS score 112/120. I know my financial condition couldn’t let me took private course as like as my friends. They should pay around two millions for ten meetings (if I don’t wrong remember the story from my friends). So the solution and strategies I could do:

1. Pay attention and be serious in IBT (Internet-Based Test) class, do all tasks and review lessons that given by lecturer
2. I bought some DVDs and set the subtitle in English, and every time I found the vocabulary I didn’t know, wrote it down and found out the meaning in dictionary

Me between my other four friends, took the test by myself which near from my area, West Jakarta. I went there alone, tried to find out how to get there by public transportation (near the test area, I have passed too far, so I should took another ‘angkot’ in reverse direction). After the test finished, on my way to home at ‘bemo’, I really feel want to cry. I afraid couldn’t pass the score needed. I afraid should take the test again and it mean I should pay again for amount $165. I don’t want be a burden for my sibling to pay so much if I failed.

When the score has released, I was like shocked for the score I got. It’s far beyond what I guess because I thought I will failed. Many part of the test I can’t answer. And between my friends who took private course, I got higher score than them. I am not proud of, just think they might be got better score than me because they have practiced more. I really give thanks.

Since then, I am not as scared as before again with English. I even choose article, listen the video, and set movie subtitle in English. And if I found unknown vocabulary, I search the meaning. I do that in aim to improve my English. I still on the process of learning and never stop to learn.

Last but not least, I learn that to paralyse the things we scared of, we should interlocked with them often as possible. Not to run away, but face it.

-YoeL-