ひとりじゃない
"You’re not alone"
豊永 一心
Isshin Toyonaga
美来工科高等学校2年
2nd Year Student, Mirai Technical High School
自分も変われる
"I can change too"
同じクラスに6期生の上原響がRyukyufrogsに参加していたのがきっかけでした。教室の後ろでいつもわちゃわちゃしていた響が、frogsに参加してから変わっていく様子をみて、自分も変われるかなって思ったんです。今までは、目標とかもなくて、ひたすらアルバイトをして、自分の学費や家庭の生活費などの諸々の支払いに追われている生活を送っていました。
だから、将来は沖縄の会社のサラリーマンとして働くのかなって漠然と考えていましたね。学校では資格勉強ばかりで、あまり勉強することに意義を感じていなかったのですが、Ryukyufrogsに参加し、シリコンバレーに行って、自分の圧倒的なインプットの量の少なさに衝撃を受けました。Uber（シリコンバレー発祥のタクシーサービス）の運転手には、”I’m fine thank you and you?"しか言えなかったので全く会話にならず、とても悔しい思いをしましたね。でも、シリコンバレーにいる人たちも、会ってみたら普通の人間だなって思ったんです。あたりまえだけど（笑）。そしたら、ここで働くのはそんなに難しいことじゃないかなって思ったんです。
ここにいたら、自分でも世界を変えることができるんじゃないかなって。だから、帰国後は、「シリコンバレーで働く」という目標を実現するために、プログラミングと英語の勉強をしようと決意しました。ただプログラミングができるわけじゃなくて、営業とかマーケティングとかいろいろなことをやりたいなと思ってます。
My reason for joining was that Kyo Uehara from my class, had participated in the 6th session of Ryukyufrogs. After seeing Kyo, who had previously always been overly talkative in the back of the class, continue to change, I wondered if I might be able to change too. Up until now, I never had a real goal, I had done nothing but work at a part time job, and was completely focused on being able to pay for my tuition and support my family.
That’s why I only had the vague notion to become an employee at some company in Okinawa in the future. At school I only studied to pass qualifications, and had no sense of what I was actually studying, and when I participated in Ryukyufrogs and realized the overwhelmingly small amount of input I had during our trip to Silicon Valley, I was shocked. At Uber (A Silicon Valey based taxi service), I could only say “I’m fine thank you and you?" to the driver and was completely incapable of communicating, which was very frustrating. However, after meeting the people at Silicon Valley, I couldn’t help but think that they were just regular human beings. Even though that should be obvious (haha). And so I thought to myself that working here isn’t impossible.
Being there made me think that even I could do something to change the world.That is why, after getting back to Japan, I made it my goal to “work in Silicon Valley” and decided to start studying programming and English. My dreams aren’t limited to programming though. I want to be able to do business, marketing and a variety of other things too.
自分が頑張っていたら、誰かが必ず見ている。
"If you are doing your best, there is always somebody watching"
そしてまさにいま、英語とプログラミングをフィリピンのセブ島にて勉強しています。本来であれば、留学にかかるとてつもない費用は払えないのですが、学費は語学学校のNexseedさんが無償提供をしていただき、クラウドファウンディングなどで資金を調達して実現することができました。最初は英語のレベルが6段階ある中の下から2番目のランクだったのですが、現在は上から3番目のランクまで上がっており、難なく日常英会話を楽しめるようになりました。
帰国するまでに、即戦力で働けるプログラミングスキル、英語スキルを身につけて帰ってくることが目標です。何かに一生懸命取り組んでいると、ときどき孤独に感じることがあるかもしれません。でも、決してひとりじゃない。留学するためにお金を稼ごうと思った時に、たくさん方々が支援してくださって、ひとりじゃないんだなって思いました。頑張り続いていれば、誰かが必ず見ている。誰かが応援してくれます。
My reason for joining was that Kyo Uehara from my class, had participated in the 6th session of Ryukyufrogs. After seeing Kyo, who had previously always been overly talkative in the back of the class, continue to change, I wondered if I might be able to change too. Up until now, I never had a real goal, I had done nothing but work at a part time job, and was completely focused on being able to pay for my tuition and support my family.
That’s why I only had the vague notion to become an employee at some company in Okinawa in the future. At school I only studied to pass qualifications, and had no sense of what I was actually studying, and when I participated in Ryukyufrogs and realized the overwhelmingly small amount of input I had during our trip to Silicon Valley, I was shocked. At Uber (A Silicon Valey based taxi service), I could only say “I’m fine thank you and you?" to the driver and was completely incapable of communicating, which was very frustrating. However, after meeting the people at Silicon Valley, I couldn’t help but think that they were just regular human beings. Even though that should be obvious (haha). And so I thought to myself that working here isn’t impossible.
Being there made me think that even I could do something to change the world.That is why, after getting back to Japan, I made it my goal to “work in Silicon Valley” and decided to start studying programming and English. My dreams aren’t limited to programming though. I want to be able to do business, marketing and a variety of other things too.
