At Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, I opted to take night classes so that I could work during the day. I was impatient to become a full-fledged adult and wear tailored suits, in part because I yearned to be like my older brothers.
Thanks to an introduction from my brother-in-law, I got a job at a trading company in Kobe where I helped export toys. Everyday, I would arise at 6 a.m., take the train from Himeji to Kobe, work until 5 p.m., then go to classes at the university. I would not get home until after 10 at night.
