The One I Admire

I am happy because I have some friends who inspire each other. Among them, my friend Ayako had a great influence on me. I think my outlook has widened and my mind became more peaceful because of her influence.

First, she taught me the importance of experience living in a strange land. Ayako went on a working holiday to Canada after she graduated from the college in 1995. She told me about her experience and fun stories in Canada. She told me about the excitement of living alone and in a foreign country. As I listened to her exciting story, I wanted to go on a working holiday too. So I lived for 6 months in Australia for a working holiday. Including happy and hard things, the experience during my working holiday is a big asset of my life.

Second, I learned from her that to keep a peaceful mind is important. She is a very open-minded person, and I have never seen her get angry. She is always more concerned about the people around her than herself. And because of her very friendly personality, I was able to become friends with her. Since I met her, I have always wanted to be as open-minded as she is.

For the reasons above, she had a great impact on my way of life. She taught me the importance of the experience of living alone in a strange place. And she also made me want to be a person with a peaceful heart like hers. I am grateful for her presence and I want to cherish this relationship.

By Yumiko Tada