Today I'll be sharing the story of how I learned English~

今天我要來說說我自己學英文的故事喔

This is Ray’s English Corner, for those of you who don’t know

歡迎來到阿滴的英語角，如果你不熟這個系列的話

this is like my vlog-style videos

這是我vlog風格的影片

where I talk about things in my life in English

我會用英文講一些生活中的事情

Today I’m going to walk you through the stories of how I learned English

今天我要分享的是我自己學習英文的一些歷程

Right now my whole career is built around English

我目前的事業可以說是完全圍繞著英文

My YouTube channel, my social media websites

我的頻道，我的社群網站們

my speeches all around Taiwan, it’s basically all about English

還有我全台灣各處的演講，基本上都是跟英文有關的

Of course I still have room for improvement

不過我英文當然還是有進步的空間

I do not think that I have perfected English

我完全不覺得我已經達到完美的境界

sometimes even I still make mistakes in my videos, sorry about that

我有時候在影片裡面還會講錯，抱歉ㄋ

But I’d say I’m in pretty good shape

不過我覺得我的程度應該算是不錯

I've passed the advanced level in GEPT

我通過了全民英檢高級

and I’ve aced the TOEIC examinations in all fields

多益考試的聽說讀寫也都滿分

but more importantly I’m passionate about sharing the language

不過更重要的是，我很熱衷於分享這個語言

and I’m constantly learning new things about the language

我也持續的在繼續學習這個語言

So, the big question is, how did I learn English?

重點來了，我是怎麼學英文的?

How did Ray Du English learn English?

阿滴英文，是怎麼學英文的?

The short answer: just like the rest of you

簡單來說，就跟你一樣

I studied hard, I memorized my vocab, I prepared for my exams

我努力讀書，背單字，準備考試

But let’s get into the details

不過講詳細一點吧

When I was in second grade I was sent to Singapore with my sister

我二年級的時候跟妹妹一起被送去新加坡

to move in with my aunt’s family and to learn English

為了學英文搬進我大姑家

When I first got there

我剛到新加坡的時候

my English level is exactly what you’d expect from an eight-year-old

我的英文程度就是一個八歲小孩應該有的程度

Practically zero

完全是零

I can spell the word apple I guess, but maybe with like just one p

我大概是拼的出來蘋果的英文吧，不過可能只有一個p

I explicitly remember that I failed

我很清晰的記得我的

my primary school entrance examination

小學插考沒有考過

and there was this one question where it asked me

有其中一個問題要我

to pick out the piano from four musical instruments

從四個樂器選出來鋼琴

There was of course, the piano, a violin, a drum, and a trumpet

選項有鋼琴，小提琴，鼓，喇叭

Yeah, I picked the trumpet

我選的是喇叭

So I had to cram for it

所以我需要苦讀

I was nowhere as capable as needed be in order to enter a school

因為我的程度完全無法進入到一個

where every single subject is taught in English

每個科目都是用英文授課的學校

First I went to a language school that was

所以首先我去了一個語言學校

all the way across the other side of the island, it was really far away

他超級夭壽遠，在小島的另一端

And, that didn’t work out, so after that my aunt got me a private tutor

不過並沒有很有幫助，所以我大姑就幫我找了一個家教

and that didn’t work out

也沒什麼幫助

And then I got another tutor, which didn’t work out

然後又找了一個家教，也沒幫助

and I got another one and so on and so forth

然後就如此一般，如此一般，接下來可想而知

At this point, I was honestly just sick of everything

那時候我已經厭倦了這一切

I mean, why did I have to leave all my friends in Taiwan

我為什麼要把朋友都留在台灣

and come to this place to learn this impossible language?

來這個地方學一個這麼困難的語言?

It just wasn’t working out for me

基本上我無法適應

But then, I got assigned this new tutor

不過後來我又有了一個新家教

What she did with me was a little different

他對我做的事... 有一點不同

Uh, no, she didn’t molest me

不是，他沒有非禮我

Before throwing me heaps of assignment

在丟給我一大堆作業之前

she first asked me a very interesting question

他先問了我一個有趣的問題

“What’s something that you want to do but can’t do because of English?"

「你有什麼想做的事，因為英文不好而不能做」

I thought about this question for a bit, like really really deeply

我想了一下，真的深入的思考之後

And then, I came up with my answer:

我的答案是

“I can’t buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards.”

「我買不到遊戲王卡」

Serious answer

我很認真

But she didn’t laugh at me

不過他沒有笑我

what she did next was she taught me the phrase

他接下來就是教我這一句

"I want to buy a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards"

I want to buy a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards

and after I’ve gotten it, she gave me 2 Singaporean dollars

然後教我到會之後，他就給了我兩塊新幣

and told me to go buy a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards

叫我去買一包遊戲王卡

Guess what, I used fluent English and

結果呢? 我用流利的英文

bought a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards from a Malaysian shop keeper that day

從一個馬來西亞店員買到了一包遊戲王卡

So that was really the eye-opening experience for me

所以那個是我自己一個比較有啟發的經歷

to see that English is not just a subject that I had to cram for

讓我了解到英文不只是一個我需要苦讀的科目

but a language that I can use to communicate with people

而是一個可以用來跟人溝通的語言

And more importantly buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards

更重要的是可以買的到遊戲王卡

Now after this “enlightenment”

所以在這個「啟發」之後

I was more willing to put my effort into learning

我更願意花心力去讀英文

Now, don’t get me wrong English was still hard

不要誤會，英文當然沒有忽然變得簡單

I still had tons of homework and tests

我還是有一大堆功課跟考試

But, I had a feeling that I was getting somewhere

不過我有個感覺是，我有進步的動力

I had a purpose

我有了目標

Of course, I could tell you how many words were on my weekly vocab list

當然我也可以跟你說我每周的單字表

I could tell you all about the essays that I memorized

我可以跟你說我背起來的短文

the newspaper articles that I recited, the grammar textbooks that I used

或著是我朗誦的新聞文章，我用的文法課本

But that’s not really the point

不過那不是重點

The point is, instead of asking how you should learn English

重點是，在執著於該怎麼學英文前

it’s better to start off with asking

應該要先問的問題應該是

why you’re learning English in the first place

你學英文的目的是什麼?

Starting with why gives you a sense of purpose

從目的開始思考可以幫助你得到動力

Are you learning just to pass an exam?

你只是為了考試?

Are you learning to meet your parents’ expectations?

還是為了家長的期待?

Or are you really learning for yourself?

又或許是為了自己而學習?

It’s a pity how English is just seen by most people

我覺得很可惜的是，大多人對於英文

as a subject that you have to study

都覺得是個需要讀的科目

It’s more of a language that allows you to

他其實更是一個語言

see a bigger world and connect with more people

可以讓你看到更大的世界跟接觸更多人的語言

I love this quote by Natalie Portman, an actress, she said

我很喜歡 Natalie Portman，女演員的這一段話

“I hate studying but I like learning. Learning is beautiful.”

「我討厭讀書，不過我喜歡學習。學習是很美的一件事」

So are you studying English? Or are you learning English?

所以你是在讀英文，還是在學英文

There’s actually a difference

這兩者有差喔

So that’s basically how I learned English so well

所以這就是我學英文學的這麼好的歷程

I started at a young age and I had the advantage

我很小就開始學習，也有英文環境的優勢

of being in an English environment, but above all

不過最重要的是因為

it’s because I like learning English and I put a lot of effort into it

我喜歡學英文，也付出了很多心血

I didn’t stop learning and I don’t plan on stopping

我從來沒有停止過學習，也不打算停止

So at the end of the day

所以說了這麼多

what should you do if you wanna learn English?

你如果想要學英文，應該怎麼做呢?

My advice to you:

我的建議是

subscribe to my YouTube channel

訂閱我的 YouTube 頻道

and learn English every week with me

然後每個禮拜跟我開心學英文吧

Yup, I’m shameless

沒錯我就是不要臉

If you like this video, please give it a thumbs up!

如果你喜歡這個影片請幫我按個讚

If you wanna see more videos, click to subscribe! Our YouTube channel!

如果你想要看到更多影片可以點這邊的按鈕訂閱我們的頻道

We have new videos up every Monday and Thursday at 9!

每個禮拜一跟四的晚上九點都會有新影片喔

Announcement here, there won’t be a video this Thursday

不過在這邊公告一下，我們這禮拜四可能不會有新影片喔

Normally Crown would host the Thursday vid, but she’s feeling very sick

因為禮拜四滴妹通常會主持嘛，不過最近滴妹，身體不太舒服

She has gastroenteritis, sore throat, bronchitis, running nose...etc.

她腸胃炎阿、喉嚨發炎、支氣管發炎、鼻子發炎，全身都發炎

So, this Thursday, she can’t really talk, so...

所以呢，她禮拜四，她現在基本上沒有什麼聲音

Did anyone notice, that although Ray is really funny in today’s video

所以有沒有發現我們這部影片，明明阿滴很好笑，對不對，這麼搞笑

but, you weren’t able to hear Crown laughing, yep, that’s cuz she’s sick

但是聽不到滴妹的笑聲，因為她現在喉嚨很不舒服的關係

So, no new vid on Thursday, giving you a head’s up

所以呢，這禮拜四不會有影片喔，先跟大家講一下不好意思

Our Facebook page and Instagram will give you our latest updates

那我們在臉書跟 Instagram 都會有更即時的消息

So if you wanna see them first...

所以如果想要看到第一手的消息的話

Well, cuz there’s only 2 YouTube videos per week, you know

因為 YouTube 一定是要一個個影片才能給大家看嘛

So, you can follow our FB and IG for more immediate updates on us

所以可以到 Facebook 跟 Instagram follow 我們

You’ll be able to find us by using Ray Du English or 阿滴英文

都可以用 Ray Du English 或者是阿滴英文來找到我們喔

And that’s a wrap, thank you guys for watching as always

那影片就到這邊結束，謝謝你們一直以來的收看

and I’ll catch you guys next time! See ya!

那我們就下次見！掰掰一

Hello sir, I want to buy a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

哈囉先生，我想要買一包遊戲王卡