ISALC, Lewis and Clark College

Akiko Dogakinai: An Introduction

Hello! My name is Akiko Dogakinai. I am from Sapporo, Japan. I am a junior at Hokusei Gakuen University in Japan. This is my first time to live away from my home, therefore, I have a lot of hopes and worries. Anyway, I want to make many friends and enjoy life here.To study in the United States had been my long time dream. I began to study English when I was ten years old. We learn English at junior and high school in Japan, however, it is always native Japanese speakers who teach English there and they teach more grammar than listening or speaking. These English studies are not useful or practical. I felt I should study in a English-speaking country because I wanted to speak English fluently and have a conversation with English-speakers.Of the manyEnglish-speaking countries, I had a great interest in America because I got much information about the U.S. in Japan. The States influences Japan in many ways. So, I came to feel that I wanted to know whether such information is true or not and experience life here. Fortunately, Hokusei Gakuen University has exchange student system with some colleges in the United States, so I applied to the system and got a chance to study at Lewis & Clark College. When I applied, I had to choose from three colleges and I chose Lewis & Clark College as the one that I most wanted to go to because I heard many good points about this college from my friend who studied here. She said that the quality of English education here is high enough to improve my skill and professors here are so kind. Also I thought Portland is a sister city of Sapporo, therefore, it will be easier to get used to life in Portland than other cities. I am really happy to come here.

I am not good at listening and speaking English, but I want to try to use English and improve my skill. Please talk to me easily and enjoy life here with me!!

Akiko Dogakinai: The Writer

I think my writing is not good. My biggest writing problem is that it takes too long for me to write, like a turtle's walk. I believe the reason why it takes such a long time for me to write is lack of knowledge and ideas. I want to say something or express myself by writing, however, I cannot write such things logically. It is like a bat whose screeching sounds are always ambiguous. I always feel I have to think about things more deeply and seriously. Then, I need time to think over the matter logically. Evenif I can write logically, my writing is long-winded and has too much repetition like a myna which says the same phrase many many times. It is boring. Again, I need knowledge and vocabulary,which will enrich my writing. I want to be a good writer, one whose writing has rich imagination, full of ideas and various knowledge. Like a unicorn, it provokes our imagination and attracts us. Moreover, it seems clever and elegant. It is perfect! In Japan, a unicorn is famous for its beauty and mysterious existence. It is even considered as a holy creature. In addition, if my writing has humor, it will be more than perfect!! I really hope to be a writer like a unicorn, if possible, but, I want to write my thought easily and logically first.

Please EMail me!

Click here to see the writing assignment.

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Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 9/5/99