Today was a whirlwind—a packed schedule from start to finish. My colleagues were incredible, right there with me.
This morning, we met with the president and a staff member from SEED, a company that creates 20 jobs for NEETs every year. Their efforts have been recognized and funded by the city. What an inspiration!
Nearly the entire day, an officer from the city office—someone devoted to growing Ueda’s job opportunities and population—brought me and my team around to visit companies offering work to people in need.
Some of my students struggle with typical eight-hour shifts, so meeting this dedicated city officer filled me with hope. Our shared dreams—growing rice, garlic, onions—are inching closer to reality. In Ueda, locally grown vegetables are carefully packed, sent by bus, and sold at Tokyo’s Menuma market. It’s beautiful to see every piece of the puzzle, every person, working together to make our community stronger.
Sometimes, I feel like I’m working so hard. But when I step back and really see people—how much heart and effort they put into building up others, their neighborhoods, even the whole nation—I feel awed and uplifted.
Every connection, every good thing done for community, becomes a reason to keep going.