おはようございます、皆さん。
バレンタインです。
4月に東京で仕事を始めました。
オランダ人で、26歳です。
英語でオランダの大学でコンピュータサイエンスを勉強しています。
日本語も勉強していますが、まだ下手です。
僕はあなたの気持ちをわかります。
よろしくお願いします。
Hello! Nice to meet you!
I am Valentijn, 26, and have been working in Tokyo since this April as a researcher. Originally, I am from the Netherlands, but I grew up with a lot of English speaking friends. In the Netherlands, I done my master and bachelor at an English-only program. Last year, I was also fortunate enough to work in Germany for half year and to study in China for a few weeks during a summer program.
What I can help you with is growing your confidence in speaking with other people and gaining confidence in your English. I can also help you with how to write academic papers, university applications or personal letters. Alternatively, I can help give you material that you can can study read/watch and help you steer towards understanding any media you want to master. Of course, I can also help you with set goals and giving you structure to achieve it. I will also support you in anyway I can with taking the IELTS or any other exam.
What I cannot help you with is your accent, because I believe that the way you speak is just a part of what makes you, you. I will, of course correct actual mistakes, but it is important to grow in feeling comfortable in the way you talk :) Mistakes let you engage in the language and that is what will make you learn the most and the best. I understand your pain, since I am studying Japanese at the moment, and I find it very difficult to do it as well. I am also not a great help with the very intricate parts of English grammar, since I have never really made it a goal of mine to study that.
Outside of work: I love going to live music, Japanese matsuri, and playing those rhythm games at the Arcade. Holidays, I tend to spend reading books, typically English Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Some great books are: Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, Foundation by Isaac Asimov, Dog of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Discovery of Heaven by Harry Mulisch. Cooking and baking, are also big passions but my kitchen in Tokyo isn't big enough for that.
For my masters program I needed to take the IELTS Academic test for which I received an 8.5/9 for reading, writing and speaking. At my home university, I help teach courses and I have a deep loving for help those from another culture, so I understand your pain. It is really difficult to achieve.
If you are interested to let me help you grow, let me know,
Valentijn