Student Stories: My Most Prized Possession

Ryosuke Hagashi from Japan is currently studying at our San Francisco centre. Here, he tells us about the love of his life: A BMX bike!

I had a freestyle BMX bicycle and it was one of my treasures. When I was a high school student, I saw a man who rode a BMX and did some tricks. It was really cool so I wanted to buy one, but I didn’t have enough money. I decided to work hard to get enough money. Three months later, I was able to buy a BMX and I practiced everyday.

Two years later, I got better. By that time I was not a beginner anymore, so I decided to buy a new one. But a complete bicycle is always for beginners. So I bought just the parts I needed. For example, a frame, pedals, a seat, and wheels. I customized it. I spent a lot of money and built it myself. It cost over $2000. It became my “girlfriend”. I always hung out with it.

When I came to San Francisco, I didn’t bring my bicycle. One month after I arrived I missed it, so I asked my father to send it to me and he did. I always practiced riding it at the clock tower. One day, I went to school on my bike and parked it in front of the school. But I never saw it again. It had been stolen. I had locked it with my bike lock. I lost my “girlfriend”…

If you’d like to learn English in San Francisco, please feel free to email us or visit the main St Giles website for more information.  We’d love to welcome you at our school!