Narrative Text

My Experience at English Course

English course in East Java was my dream after I was failed in the final examination of senior high school in 2006. I thought that I did not have any choice. I should go there. My desire to get English was higher and higher. I also needed to separate from my friends in my home because if I was still with them, I would never be able to study. Therefore, I decided to go there as soon as possible. On 11^th of May 2007, I went there with one of my classmates, Nanang Kosim, by ship. It took us three days to get there. After we got there, we directly looked for a boarding house. Fortunately, we got one.

A day after I got there, I took an English course at REC; Rhima English Course. It was really challenging for me. First, I was already late. The English course had been going for a week. Moreover, all students in my class had a good ability in English but I did not. I just joint to the course without thinking much about it. The second problem I got during I was there was that I could not separate from my parents for long time, and my parents could not either. I wanted to go home but I could not. It was very far from my home. I needed a ship or a plane to take me home but I was not a rich man. I did not have enough money to go home whenever I wanted. I just counted on my parents to give me money and my parents were not the rich people either. They also needed to pay attention to their daily needs. Moreover, there were still my younger brother and my elder brother who did not work. They also relied on the parents. I just could dream of my home. My parents always phoned me and asked me to go home but my answer was always I could not. I should think about the money and I should finish my study there as well.

Considering my progress and my desire in English, after two weeks I had been studying at REC, Miss. Lina, one of teachers at REC, suggested me taking English course at BEC; Basic English Course. BEC was the longest English course there. She said that all the teachers there were also the students of BEC. I was motivated to take English course there. I went to the office of BEC to register but I was not admitted. One of teachers at BEC said that I needed to come there to register a month before and I needed to give a copy of my identity card and my last education certificate. This was my problem. I did not bring my school certificate. Then, I went back to my boarding house. In the afternoon I met Miss. Lina and I said what happened. She asked me whether I really wanted to study there or not and I said yes, I did. Then, she directly asked me to follow her to the BEC’s office. She registered me and I did not know why I was received. The teacher at BEC just told me to come the following week. Miss. Lina was a very kind English teacher.

One week later, I finished studying at REC and it was the time for me to go studying at BEC. BEC was not like its name, Basic English Course. The word ‘basic’ here did not mean it was a place for studying English basically. The manager of this course took this name just for hindering the feeling of arrogance. When I entered for the first time, I met tutors who told all about BEC. The new students were divided into several parts and each part consisted of three tutors. Before one of the tutors told about BEC, he gave a choice whether we wanted him to speak English or Indonesia. For the first time one of my friends wanted him to speak English but because many new students did not understand the English language, the tutor used Indonesian language. After the tutors had already told about BEC, all new students should go to a hall meeting. The manager and all of the teachers wanted to give briefing before we studied there. To surprise me, there were 400 new students in a hall there. I thought it was incredible to have so many students as like this in an English course but it was a fact.

One day had passed and until that time I did not have any problem. I just missed my parents. I was more and more interesting in learning English. I got up early everyday. I always prayed and studied everyday. Long by long my missing of my parents was less and less and my ability in English was higher and higher. Moreover, I always got alright every time I got formative test. To make me a little proud of myself, my teacher, Miss. Lina, always asked me whenever I got the test and I said I got alright. My brother always called me and asked my progress there by asking me to speak English.

After I had been studying there for six months, I should go to Borobudur temple to have test. My final test was to speak with native speakers and my teacher, Mr. Kalend, supervised me during I spoke to the foreigners. It was really wonderful. I never imagined of speaking to the native speakers directly. Before I went there I was not sure that I could speak to foreigners but I could. Then, I came back to BEC and took the certificate. I got A-19^th of all students.

After I got the certificate, I phoned my parents. I said all what happened to me and I said I would continue my study there. My parents really minded letting me continue studying there but because I really wished to do it, my parents could let me. With my certificate of BEC, I registered MS; Mastering System, at BEC as well. It was not opened for general. It was just for students who had certificate of BEC and there was also a test before studying there. This program was the highest level of BEC. In this program, the students were guided how to teach English. The study would last for three months; two months were studying how to teach and one month was spent to practice teaching at school directly.

After I finished studying there, I got the certificate and I got the highest score of fifty-two students. I was ordered to teach at Islamic boarding schools there but I refused because my parents asked me to go home soon. Then, I went home by plane. I went home happily.