My name is very long and cannot be used in Japan, so I am called Aru-san. I am 24 years old this year and I am from Bali, Indonesia. I came to Japan on March 20, 2016. And it’s almost been 2 years. I never had the idea of studying abroad in Japan before. When I was a child, I admired Japanese anime, and when I grew up, I only thought about wanting to become a manga artist.
About 4 years ago, I made friends with a Japanese person in Indonesia. He came to Indonesia and told me that he liked Indonesian culture and wanted to learn Indonesian. He worked hard for about a year and became fluent in Indonesian, which I thought was amazing. We talked a lot, and he taught me not only about Japanese anime but also various things about Japan. From there, I naturally started thinking, “I want to go to Japan.” He taught me various ways to go to Japan. In the end, I decided to study abroad in Kobe.
When I came to Japan, I couldn’t speak Japanese at all at first, and I couldn’t even read hiragana, let alone kanji. I couldn’t shop properly, and it was very inconvenient, and every day was tough. However, there were two senior Balinese people in Japan who really helped me. I lived with them for about a year, and they taught me how to study Japanese. After living in Japan for about 3 months, I started finding it more and more interesting. Also, I made friends from various countries at school, and every day was very enjoyable. School is not just a place to study Japanese, but also a place to learn about cultural differences between countries. Sometimes, my classmates and I couldn’t understand each other’s words, but we managed to communicate with each other through smiles.
In Japan, while studying Japanese, I also work part-time as a newspaper delivery person. I deliver the morning paper early in the morning, then go to school, and after class, I deliver the evening paper. Doing the same thing every day can be boring. However, in life, there are happy things, sad things, and boring things everywhere. Anyway, I work hard every day to gain as much experience as possible, and I think that’s a good life.
Two years in Japan may seem like a long time when I think about it, but it also feels shorter than I thought. I wish I could extend the time more, but it can’t be helped. I plan to return home in March. I think I need to come up with a new plan. Maybe I’ll come back to Japan again someday. Anyway, I will never forget what I have learned from my teachers and the good friends I have made in class. I think I may have caused trouble for everyone, but please don’t forget about me. Thank you very much for everything.