No matter where we come from, what languages we speak or what color our skin is, we are all unique in special ways. We all share the same desire and hunger to succeed and most importantly to love and to be loved. Many have argued that love is only a feeling and cannot bring wealth nor success but deep inside, we all know that love is the greatest motivation that a person can have.

My world=).

My world=).

When I was at the airport and on the verge of boarding the plane to come to Japan, I caught a glimpse of my mum’s face and I couldn’t help but notice that there was something shining in her eyes. I quickly realized that it was her tears. I didn’t realize it was happening but I could soon feel streams of tears on my own cheeks. I was actually crying too! Trying to avoid her gaze, I hastily waved back at her. It struck me then, as if I hadn’t realized it before, that I was all alone now, facing a whole new world. Stepping into the unknown, into a world that seemed so strange. I felt a sudden coldness as if an ice cube had been trickling down my back. I was actually feeling scared to leave the comfort and warmness of the ones I love the most. Even though there were a lot of people around me then, I felt so alone, rooted in the moment all by myself. I wandered where all the love and security had disappeared to so quickly? Is it all now left in my memory? Or should I move forward and face the world that is waiting for me. A new adventure awaits me.

Before going our seperate ways.

Before going our seperate ways.

As soon as I arrived in Japan, the land of the rising sun as it is called, I could smell and feel the breeze of a new world. New hope burned inside me. I knew that it was going to be a long, winding journey but I also knew it was going to be a new adventure! So, I gathered the strength within myself and walked on. I knew then that I had to find a new source to fill the emptiness inside me. My new friends were a lot of help to me. Even though we were raised in totally different kind of backgrounds and cultures, they made me feel as if I was one of them. Those differences don’t matter as long as we had respect for each other. For me, that is the most important thing to have. We would play games, soccer and even go snowboarding together. We shared our laughter and tears together. They made me feel loved again, in a way. They would teach me about their cultures, and I, in return would share what my culture was like. We even tasted each others cooking. To tell you the truth I’m not that good at cooking but at least my friends liked it! I began to feel glad I had come here so that I could experience many new things as well as expand my understanding of my own culture.

Now I understand that love is a universal language. Though cultures and backgrounds may vary among us we share one thing in common. In order to be loved we must love and accept others for who they really are. Let me recite to you a short poem of mine.

During my speech

Sometimes we let affection,
go unspoken,
Sometimes we let our love
go unexpressed,
Sometimes we let our friendship go unnoticed,
Sometimes we can’t find words to tell
our feelings,
Especially towards those we love the best.

Now, I understand what the tears and laughter meant. It was just a matter of love!
Well, I hope you all know how I feel today. I am proud to be here sharing this with all of you.

Look at the people around you. Look at the people sitting beside you. Embrace them, love them. Make love not war!
-yeh-