Messages from Big Island, Hawaii, in Japanese and English
Dream Big!
“Set a high goal. Dream big! Keep working and making efforts diligently by holding the dream and vision in your mind“. I was taught this and have always kept that in my mind. As I become older, I came to realize what a significant teaching this it. I am aware now that this really makes a big difference in our life. From my childhood, World Peace has been always my wish. The wish has been always at the bottom of my heart. I feel I have been guided to work and contribute to realize that. When I was 17 years old, I literally “fell in love” with English. One evening, I had a chance to listen to a live English conversation program on the radio. It was NHK program, and it was very well made. The night I listened to it, something woke up inside of me. Before that, I do not recall I was really studying seriously. I was always a student of “overnight cramming” at the previous night of exams. However, from the night I encountered the rhythmical live English conversation, something woke up in me. I stared to study hard. I decided to challenge one of the top level college for English Language in Japan. The first-stage exam was already competitive, and only 1 out of 6 students would be accepted by the college. I could not make it. That maybe was really a first challenge in my life, and my first fall as well. When I was refused to enter there, a small fire might have lit inside me. Later in my life, I came to realize my characteristics “of hating to lose”, but it might have been already happening that time. My close friend said to me. “Yumi chan, I do not want you to regret by not trying”. I made up my mind. This second-stage exam was much more competitive, and only 1 out of 11 students would be accepted. I did my best. On the announcement day, my number was on the board!! The moment I heard this good news on the phone at home, I saw a bright light shining into my room. I still remember the beautiful scene. It was a beginning of everything. Later I heard that the college hit the national top of “deviation score” this year. This marked the beginning of my long journey with English. No way at that time for me to know I would later marry with an American man and move to the United States. Now I have officially acquired a permanent residency in the US. I will establish here and develop my work here. Now, my life long target is to become a native speaker. Good that dreams are always big! Comments are closed.
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Author
An Interpreter for JCU Archives
April 2021
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