I am a student from Vietnam. After graduating from university in Vietnam, I worked as an accountant for two years, but my eyes got worse due to computer work. During such difficult times, I learned about the Asahi Newspaper Scholarship and decided to go to Japan.
Living alone in Japan presented various challenges. Due to the time difference and weather differences from my country, I couldn’t sleep at all for the first few days. The weather in early March was unbearably cold. In the summer, I suffered from heatstroke. Moreover, due to the coronavirus, I was disappointed that I couldn’t go anywhere. Also, when I first arrived in Japan, I struggled and felt embarrassed to converse in Japanese. When I fell ill alone, I missed my family in Vietnam and often cried.
However, I met many kind people who helped me. One of them is the company president. He has been taking care of me. When I first came to Japan, I didn’t understand anything, but now, thanks to the president, I have become accustomed to life in Japan. He is more like a second father to me than a boss. I am deeply grateful to him.
Next are the teachers at the Japanese language school. The teachers, including Mr. Wakabayashi, taught me not only Japanese but also about Japanese culture, roots, and interesting aspects of Japan. I want to say ‘thank you’ to them.
I am also grateful to a Japanese person I met just once. When I was in trouble, they helped me with a friendly and kind attitude. I think it’s lucky to meet so many good people while living in a foreign country.
Life in a foreign country is difficult at first, but there are always friendly and kind people around. Such experiences, I believe, help us grow. Let’s all work hard together.