Have you ever wondered what Japan would be like before coming here? I bet you have. I certainly did. I used to think that Japan was a wealthy country, where Japanese people worked hard, went on excursions on holidays, and gathered with friends to have parties, making it a fun and enjoyable place.

With such joyful thoughts in mind, I arrived in Japan on June 16, 2017. The first thing I saw upon arriving in Japan was towering skyscrapers. In my home country, we are not accustomed to such tall buildings because it is a poor country. As a child, whenever I fell ill, just seeing a tall building would make me feel better, as if my illness would vanish instantly. Japan, with its abundance of skyscrapers, provided a sense of security, knowing that even if you fall ill, you’ll recover quickly.

I came to Japan as a newspaper scholarship student, so I deliver newspapers every day. Before coming to Japan, I thought newspaper delivery would be easy, but reality proved otherwise. While my seniors were kind and helped me, I had a hard time as a newcomer who didn’t understand Japanese well. I even got lost once, walking around in circles, trying to find the locations my seniors had shown me on the map.

Newspaper delivery is a job without breaks. It becomes incredibly challenging during typhoons or heavy rains. Because of this, I ended up damaging my health and missing many school days, resulting in a very low attendance rate. I felt disappointed and distressed during that time.

However, I had a dream, so I decided to stop dwelling on the difficulties and focus on the future. After discussing it with my family and teachers, I realized that since I had come all the way to Japan, it wouldn’t make sense to give up. I became determined to get into the vocational school I wanted to attend.

With that mindset, I started diligently attending school every day. Going to school regularly helped me make friends, receive praise from my teachers for not being late, and improve my Japanese language skills. Now, I am very happy.

Whether we perceive something as tough or happy largely depends on our own hearts. Nobody likes to go through tough times, but I believe that with a strong heart, we can turn difficulties into enjoyable experiences. As you read this text, I encourage you to never give up, even when faced with hardships, and strive to transform them into moments of happiness.