Fail or success, you can learn something.

-Did you retire your job?
“Yes. In this spring. I worked for a foreign trade and investment company. Sao Paulo in Brazil was very memorable for me. I was really shocked when the office was burned down. People living there are easing going, and a hydrant didn’t work well then. My office was on the 17th or 18th floor, but it got completely burned. And San Paulo was full of crimes. No place is too dangerous for me now. I feel like I could live anywhere.”
　
- Do you think Japan is the best place?
“Well, it’s a safe place, but not exciting. So sometimes I long for where I lived. Developed countries are nice, but I can live there any time. I used to live Myanmar. Myanmar was a very poor country at that time, but children dedicated their pocket money to the shrine. That's the kind of things you can experience while living abroad.” 　 

- What do you do now?
“I am a member of a farm managing community. I cropped rice last week. And I play tennis twice a week. I prune shrubs for a little bit of extra money. I want to be active as long as I can.”

- Do you have any advices for the younger generation?
“Each person has different values. So you should not compare yourselves with other people. Find what fascinates you and try it. If you try, you can tell whether it fits you or not. You better do it as soon as possible, because it’s hard to start new things from my age. Some people can, but they’re rare cases. If you work hard for something, you will bump against an obstacle. You might fail. But fail or success, you can learn something from that experience. So just try what you want to.”

（2013/11/25 Higashikoganei）