Ever felt lost in a sea of English words, struggling to find the shore of fluency? I’m Lib, a 50’s English teacher from Shizuoka, Japan. I’ve navigated the stormy waters of language learning, from a full-commission sales job selling English materials to running my own English school (which, let’s just say, didn’t exactly go as planned). Now, I’m here to share the shortcuts I’ve discovered on my journey – and it all starts with the magic of short stories.
I’ve been teaching English for over 15 years. I’m passionate about helping learners discover the joy of reading in English. Through my website, “Unlock English: Fun with Short Stories” (https://short-stories.liberty-english.world/), I provide curated short stories and tips to make learning English fun and accessible. I also teach English online, focusing on practical communication skills.
My journey with English began at Koyasan University, where I majored in English and American Literature. But the call of the wider world was too strong for me, and I left after my third year. I spent the next four years traveling and studying in Canada and the U.S., including earning an Associate of Arts degree from Capilano College (now Capilano University) in Vancouver. After returning to Japan, I landed a job at an English teaching materials company based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It was a full-commission sales role – the more you sold, the more you earned. Sounds great, right?
Well, not exactly. While many of my colleagues were making over 400,000 yen a month, I struggled. In my first year, I only made 370,000 yen in total. It wasn’t sustainable. I left that job and was invited by my former boss to move from Tokyo to Shizuoka, where I started working for a study abroad agency.
In my role at the study abroad agency, I developed partnerships with overseas language schools, managed relationships with these partners, updated website content to attract new students, managed promotional materials and identified new outreach opportunities, recruited and hired new English teachers, and designed and delivered English lessons focused on practical, real-life situations and cultural adaptation. My lessons focused on practical, real-life situations and cultural insights to ensure students were well-prepared for their experiences.
Sadly, the agency eventually closed due to financial difficulties. I did various jobs like working at a moving company and a food factory. I even started my own English school, but it, too, closed down within a year. After these experiences, I transitioned to teaching English online.
My dream is to publish a collection of short stories specifically designed for English learners. I also plan to create an online community where learners can connect, share their experiences, and support each other. Eventually, I’d love to move to Malaysia and teach English as a digital nomad. I’m also planning to use podcasts to distribute information.
My past struggles in full-commission sales and the closure of my own English school might seem like failures. But they’ve given me a deep understanding of the challenges learners face. I know what it’s like to struggle, and that’s why I’m passionate about finding ways to make learning English enjoyable and effective. “Unlock English: Fun with Short Stories” is a big part of this approach. I want to show people that reading can be a powerful and pleasurable tool for language acquisition.
My experiences, both good and bad, have fueled my desire to create a supportive learning community and publish a book. My time abroad, my work in the study abroad agency, and even my failures have all contributed to my vision for the future. These are not the full stops in my life, but the commas to my future.
I remember the frustration of staring at a sales report with disappointing numbers. The feeling of having to close down my own school. These moments were tough, but they taught me valuable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and the importance of finding the right approach to learning. After closing my school, I had to ponder what I should do next. I had bills to pay. That’s when I turned to the Internet to start teaching English to students.
Don’t think of reading as a chore. Think of it as a journey. Let’s explore the world of English together, one short story at a time. Visit “Unlock English: Fun with Short Stories” (https://short-stories.liberty-english.world/) and start your adventure today! You might even find yourself enjoying the process.
Name:Liberty
Address:3-9-62 Ryunann Aoi Ward, Shizuoka city, Shizuoka
Email:liberty7291@gmai.com