Reiko Akiyama couldn't be happier in Chico. A student in the American Language and Culture Institute, she came to the University to improve her English skills and develop her ability to teach.

"When I first started taking regular classes, I couldn't understand at all," she smiled, remembering the challenge. "The students use a lot of slang, and everyone speaks really fast," she explained. "In Japan I taught English to students in fifth through ninth grades, but I always felt like kind of a fake. Language study in Japan is very old-fashioned. Almost all the emphasis is on writing and reading, with no help speaking and listening," Reiko observed.

Reiko researched American programs with the help of an agent. She commented that without a doubt "the most attractive thing about Chico State was the ability to take University courses while studying English."

Chico's convenient location was another reason Reiko landed here. "I wanted to be close to friends I have in San Francisco, but I'm a country girl, not a city girl," she emphasized. Without hesitation, Reiko listed the Farmers' Market and Friday Night Concert in the Park among her favorite Chico pastimes.

When asked if she gets homesick living so far from Japan, Reiko shook her head, "I like it here. I'm not homesick! My family e-mails and attaches pictures all the time."

Reiko finds that the most exciting part of her adventures in America is planning to attend graduate school. "I want to teach English to international students. The progress I've made here has given me a lot of encouragement for my future plans." Reiko will continue to pursue her dream as she joins Chico's masters program in teaching international languages.