On October 5th, I arrived in Germany for the first time in my life!
I have lived in Japan and the United States; however, this was my first time setting foot in Europe, so everything felt completely new to me.

I enjoy exploring new places because they teach me a lot about myself, especially my weaknesses. Being a professional in Tokyo was a lot of fun and a great learning experience, and I gained a great deal of confidence there. At the same time, I realized how easy it is to become flattered by achievements and compliments, and to grow accustomed to them—and that realization scared me a little. Since I am still young, I felt the need to humble myself once again. Nothing specific triggered this feeling; I simply reflect on myself quite often.

When I thought about an experience that would be both humbling and exciting, the first thing that came to mind was the first time I moved to the United States. Everything was new to me—language, room, culture, people, and even common sense. As a 17-year-old, I was genuinely scared.

That memory made me want to experience something similar once again—to truly understand that being recognized in a company or within a certain industry circle does not mean you are “complete” as you are. There is always room for improvement.

I decided to move to Germany around April this year.

The timing was right. I felt that if I don’t act now, I would not be able to do so later. I mean, I am still in my 20s, unmarried- but this could change within a few years.
At that point, I didn’t know much about living here—everything from the language and administrative processes to daily life was completely new to me. Still, I strongly felt that this was the right step for both my academic and professional growth.

I was also very curious about German culture, especially after reading articles comparing the GDPs of Japan and Germany.
When I was a child, Japan ranked 2nd in GDP rankings. Throughout the years I saw some countries surpassing Japan in rankings, including Germany. I love my homecountry and people- I want to know why, how, other countries are doing, and also what we can do to improve ourselves.

I often heard people say that “Japanese and Germans are very similar in terms of work ethic.” Having grown up in Japan, I was always curious how true this actually is, and what we could learn from each other. Since the cultures are often considered close, I felt that adopting each other’s strengths might be easier than doing so with cultures that are very different.

Since arriving here, I’ve been navigating a new environment, adapting to a different culture, and starting my studies.
So far, nothing too difficult has happened, but I’ve experienced many good things—especially small local insights, such as common stereotypes in Europe, perceptions toward Asian countries, and what people here tend to like or dislike.

Of course, the transition hasn’t always been the easiest experience in my life, but it has been both challenging and rewarding. Moving to Germany marked a major turning point for me, and I’m excited to continue building my life and career here.