英国ビザTier4(General)の取得に必要な英語力の証明のため、IELTSを受験しに8月1日から8月3日まで台湾に行ってきた。
なぜ台湾かというと、日本でIELTSを受験するには試験日の5週間前から申込をしなければならないのだが、台湾では1週間前でも申込できる試験会場があったため。
9月5日には学校の入学式が始まるので、8月中にビザ取得が必要となり、あまり時間が残されていない。
そもそも、英国ビザTier4(General)はIELTSの場合リスニング・リーディング・ライティング・スピーキングの各科目で5.5点以上が必要なのだが、6月上旬に受験した結果は残念ながらリスニングだけ5.0点で基準を満たせなかった。そして、7月中旬にTOEFLを受験したが、こちらも残念ながら基準を満たせなかった。（やはり、TOEFLよりIELTSの方が簡単という定説は正しいようだ。。）
そこで急遽、8月上旬にIELTSを再度受験するはめとなったのである。
1日目は台湾の桃園空港に21:30頃に到着し、高速バスでそのままホテルに直行した。たまたまホテルのすぐ近くに夜市があったので、少し散策して就寝した。
2日目は12時頃にホテルをチェックアウトし、台北から試験会場のある高雄まで新幹線で移動。約1時間半で高雄に到着。地下鉄を乗り継いでホテルまで行き、チェックイン。日の出ているうちに事前に試験会場までの道順を下見しておいた。高雄は台湾第2の都市で栄えており、台湾の南部に位置するため、南国のように暑く天気が良い。
3日目はいよいよIELTS試験当日。8:30に会場入りし、受付を済ませた。やはり、台湾国外からの受験者は私だけのようで、受付の人は私にだけ英語で対応してくれた。スピーキングの試験官はイギリス人だった。13:30頃に試験終了し、すぐさま台北まで新幹線で移動し、台北駅からタクシーに乗り、15分くらいで松山空港に到着。当初、帰りのフライトに間に合うか心配だったが、無事チェックイン通過。搭乗時刻までの間、台北に住んでいる大学時代の友人と空港で待ち合わせていて、30分ほど喫茶店でお茶をした。タピオカミルクティーがとてもおいしく、束の間の観光気分を満喫。そして、飛行機に乗り込み、東京羽田空港に22:00頃到着。なんとかこのタイトスケジュールを乗り切った。
さて肝心の試験の方は、前回スコアが悪かったリスニングがやや心配だが、他のセクションはある程度の手ごたえがあった。ビザ取得に必要な全セクション5.5点以上の結果となることを祈るのみである。
<English>
I went to Taiwan from Aug. 1st to Aug. 3rd to take an IELTS test because I need to prove an adequate proficiency in English required for getting an UK visa Tier 4 (General).
The reason why I took the test in Taiwan, not in Japan, was that I could apply the IELTS test a week prior to the test day in Taiwan, although in Japan the application must be done 5 weeks prior to the test day.
The registration of MBA course will start on Sept. 5th. So, I need to get the UK visa by the end of Aug., but there is a narrow window of time left.
In the first place, to get an UK visa Tier 4 (General), it is required 5.5 or above score in each section of listening, reading, writing, and speaking in the case of IELTS. When I took an IELTS test at the beginning of June, unfortunately, the result didn't fulfill the criteria because only the listening section score was 5.0 and the scores of other sections were no less than 5.5. Then, I took a TOEFL test in the middle of July, but the score was also not good enough. (The commonly-accepted myth that IELTS is easier than TOEFL is probably true...)
For these reasons, I hastily had to retake an IELTS test in Taiwan at the beginning of Aug.
On the day 1, I arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at about 21:30 and went straight to a hotel by an express bus. As luck would have it, there is a night market just around the hotel. After I strolled around the night market for a little while, I went to bed.
On the day 2, I checked out of the hotel at about 12 o'clock and headed down from Taipei to Kaohsiung where the test venue was located. It took about one and a half hours by Taiwan High Speed Rail. From the Kaohsiung station, I used the subway to go to a hotel and checked in the hotel. I previewed the way to the test venue by walking before dark. Kaohsiung is the second largest city in Taiwan and located in the south part of Taiwan. Thus, it is very warm and the weather is fine in Kaohsiung like tropical islands.
On the day 3, which is the test day, I entered the venue at about 8:30 and went through the reception. I was probably the only person came from outside of Taiwan and the receptionist spoke to me in English. The examiner of the speaking test was a British man. The test ended at about 13:30 and I rushed into the train to Taipei. After arrival at Taipei, I took a taxi to Songshan Airport. I was anxious about my flight home at first, but I got checked into for the flight at last. Until I got on board the airplane, I spent about 30 minutes with a friend from college who lives in Taipei having tea at a cafe in the airport. The tapioca milk tea we had was so good. I enjoyed a moment of relaxation. Finally, I embarked for Tokyo Haneda Airport, arriving at about 22:00. That was a very tight scheduled trip.
To get back to talking about the IELTS test, although I felt a little bit anxious about the listening section, I felt I did well in other sections. I hope I will get 5.5 or above score in all sections which is required for a UK visa.
Several pictures are shown below.
#1. Day 1, Highway view from inside of express bus.
#2. Day 1, Hotel I stayed.
#3. Day 1, Night market near hotel.
#4. Day 2, Department store in front of Kaohsiung station.
#5. Day 2, Kaohsiung City view.
#6. Day 2, Hotel I stayed.
#7. Day 3, Countryside view from Taiwan High Speed Rail.
#8. Day 3, Tapioka milk tea. It was so good!
#9. Day 3, Songshan Airport.
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