“I just wanted to believe that somewhere on this planet, there was a place I truly belonged.”
I may not be living in New Zealand at this very moment, but together with my Kiwi partner, I’m working hard to build a future there — and hoping to make it our forever home.
But to be honest, before I came here, I had zero interest in foreign countries or the English language.
The farthest I’d ever traveled was Hokkaido.
I honestly thought I’d live and die in Japan, speaking only Japanese.
I never imagined I’d have anything to do with life overseas.
So why did someone like me suddenly decide to come to New Zealand on a working holiday?
Why do I now feel like, “This is the country I want to build my life in”?
It all started with one person — a senior colleague I met when I first started working.
🗣 The day I realized, “Maybe being different isn’t such a bad thing.”
After becoming a working adult, a senior at my job once asked me:
“What’s your goal in life?”
Half-joking, I replied:
“People have always told me I’m weird.
Even after becoming an adult, they still label me a weirdo.
So, I thought, why not leave Japan entirely?
I want to believe there’s a place for me somewhere on this planet.”
It was a pretty random and unfiltered answer.
But that senior just laughed and said:
“You’re interesting!
Go overseas — why not?”
Then they added:
“The people who called you weird just couldn’t see your worth.
But maybe, thanks to them, you’re now brave enough to step into the world.
If you’ve got a dream, quit this company tomorrow and chase it!”
…Well, I didn’t quit the next day (lol).
But that conversation definitely pushed me to turn my steering wheel hard toward the world outside Japan.
🌱 You don’t need a “sparkly” reason to go abroad.
A lot of people talk about going abroad for inspiring reasons like
“I love English!” or “I’ve always dreamed of living overseas!”
But me?
My reason was simple:
“I just wanted to find a place where I truly belong.”
And guess what?
That was enough.
I got the working holiday visa.
I got on the plane.
No one at immigration stopped me and said, “Sorry, your dream isn’t shiny enough.”
So if you’re reading this and thinking,
“Someone like me could never…”,
please know this:
Your reason doesn’t have to be perfect.
It doesn’t even have to make total sense.
Even just a quiet feeling in your chest can be enough to take that first step.
To anyone who’s ever felt tired of being “different.”
To anyone secretly carrying a dream they can’t explain to others.
I hope my story gently gives your back a little push forward.
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