Mr.Hideki Doi
"You can do it, just you don't."
In the summer of 1983, the Sister City Committee gave me an opportunity to experience a year of study abroad in Walla Walla.
Mr. & Mrs. Nemec were my host and I had three host siblings in the Nemecs’ family. Connie, Tim and Natalie, who is still 3 years old then. When I first met them, I don't think I could communicate with them very well in English, but I remember they were all smiling and very friendly. I was very fortunate that they treated me not as a guest, but as their real family.
There is something I still remember. It may be a Japanese habit, but when someone suggests a new experience, I tend to say, "I can't do that.” When I was asked to give a speech about Japan at school, I said, "I can't." When a family member suggested me to ride a horse on a farm, I said, "I can't.” I was afraid of making a mistake, but I think it was more because I strongly believed that I should not bother others by doing so. It was the spirit of "refrain is virtue". In hindsight, it may have been a natural reaction since I only knew one culture.
Perhaps because I kept repeating "I can't," my host father and mother (Dad and Mom) admonished me in a bit strong tone, "Hideki, you can do it, just you don't.” It was a moment when I realized that in the U.S., it is not very important whether you can or cannot do, but taking on a challenge is you are all required.
Studying abroad is a great way to broaden one's horizons. Knowledge from one's own experience is far greater and more reliable than knowledge from books and media. We live in an age where translation software has made interpretation unnecessary, but I believe that the great significance of studying abroad lies not only in learning the language, but also in learning the culture. I hope that this opportunity to have a wonderful study abroad experience will continue in the future.
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更新日:2022年08月19日