Principal, SOME's story

This idea actually comes from my own experience.

"Rediscovering myself through sharing language"

The first time I went abroad, I lived with a host family in India.

Later, I traveled all over Southeast Asia with a backpack.

I went to the United States to study during college and traveled around the country on Amtrak during the summer vacation.

Just after that journey, the events of September 11, 2001, occurred.

That day, I was in the United States, watching everything on TV with my own eyes.

My heart was deeply moved.

"What is life, anyway?"

"Why can't people truly understand each other?"

“Who am I, existing here?”

It wasn't just an incident.

It also became an important opportunity for me to start thinking deeply about my relationship with others, society, and the world.

Language is not just a tool for conveying information.

In the process of sharing with others,

Your own perspectives will waver and change, and you will meet the "me" again.

This realization is my current starting point.

"Your words carry your time and your heart."

Before graduating from university, I had already decided to work in Japan.

But when the employment winter came, the good job I found was suddenly cancelled.

During that time, I felt completely dark and even began to rely on alcohol and cigarettes to get by.

Just then, I happened to walk into a bookstore and picked up a book -

Becoming a Japanese Language Teacher.

That book gave me the courage to take the first step.

While writing my graduation thesis, I also took the Japanese teacher training course.

I also started volunteer teaching in the local area.

I thought, in that case, why not go overseas and have a look.

So I went directly to a Japanese cram school in Tainan, Taiwan to apply, and was successfully accepted.

From that day on, I started an intensive teaching life from morning to night, six or seven days a week, as if I were practicing.

I originally planned to stay for only two years, but I got married and had children in Taiwan, and ended up staying for 15 years.

During this period, I also entered a local research institute, majoring in Japanese language education and cognitive linguistics.

Practice while learning theory, and continue to explore back and forth.

In 2015, I founded the online Japanese language school "ONER"

From businesses and schools to individual courses, we continue to provide diverse learning opportunities.

Today is an era where AI translation is very popular.

But when you take the time to learn and express yourself in your own language,

What is contained in it is your time and intentions that cannot be imitated by anyone else.

That’s why I don’t often say “Keep up the good work” to learners.

Because I know that everyone is working hard every day.

"We'll support you!"

"Let's work together!"

"How was your day?"

"It's nice to chat with you."

Through words like these, I hope that Japanese can gradually become "the language that best expresses yourself."

I believe that teaching a language is not just about imparting skills.

Instead, we are creating a dialogue relationship of "living well together".