Haru’s Great Journey in Toronto!

Introduction

First of all, let me briefly introduce myself and my Curry Shop which is called "Haru Curry".

My name is Haru, and I established Haru Curry in 2014 with my dad.

My stomach tend to be upset when I eat oily food. So I always eat my dad’s curry because it’s healthy and I can eat as much as I want.

 Our concepts are “Healthy”, “Earth Friendly ”, and “Local”.

Have a good night! I left my workplace after I had my last conversation with my colleague.

While waiting to change the traffic light, I felt cold air through my mask.

 It seems to have become snowing which was rainy during the daytime.

February 1st. 2018
Haru’s great journey was started.

 I had been considering for months before I decided to take my big journey. I was in fear and anxious but something intense emotion that exceeded my fears pushed me strongly. 

“Nothing changes unless do something take a risk.”

I couldn’t explain clearly why I thought it, but I was sure that if I would have continued running Haru Curry, the range of growth was low. 

Therefore, I decided to leave Haru Curry for a while to get some new experiences. 

The middle of January in 2021
 I looked back on my memories of my long journey in Toronto while walking on the way home from work.

Hardships

“Hi, I try to improve my English.”
 I had practiced this phrase thousands of times before I met my homestay mother.

However, when I met her, I panicked and forgot the phrase all due to being nervous. That was the first day of my journey.

Three months later
 I found a workplace which was a Thai restaurant.
 I worked hard but I struggled to understand what my colleagues said.

 Sometimes, I couldn’t understand why I was yelled at by them due to a lack of my English skills.

However, this effort environment led me to a huge growth.

A few months before my one-year work permit expired
 I had considered whether I should stay in Toronto or go back to Haru Curry.
  
“I cannot go back yet.”

I was sure that I wasn't confident to say I’m back to my dad and my customers.

“Let me learn the essentials of cooking skills and running business!”

I have been struggling to run my business since I established Haru Curry because I had nothing about knowledge of business and experiences.

More than anything I didn’t have confidence in terms of cooking, and I have left it to my dad all.

Then, I decided to stand up to say goodbye to my old self.

However, I didn’t have enough English skills to enter college, so I have studied English hard since then.

January 2020
 my college life has started!

I had reviewed in all the classes before and after classes to catch up with them.
And then, I finally found my new workplace in which I had looked for a month.
Since I started to work, I have gotten quite busy dealing with both college and work.

Then, I got a fever of 40 (104).
 I was carried to the hospital and hospitalized.

I couldn’t eat at all and was suffering.

College life was quite tough for me including learning terminologies and studying with native students in a second language, and I couldn't get used to it. 

Then those stressful environments took away my energy.

“Sorry dad, I can’t handle any more.”
I called my dad.

He said “That’s ok, you did well. You are always welcome to come back home.”
His thoughtful words made me suffer more.

My friends who noticed that I’m suffering had taken care of me every day until I got recovered.

“We are always with you”
 They gave me courage, and I stood up again!

Trials

March 16th. 2020.
Toronto city got a lockdown due to COVID-19.

Going to school was banned and I lost my job. 
I got a huge shock because I had full energy to catch up both school and work at the time.

After the lockdown, all classes were changed to online, and the living environment was totally changed.
  
In July of 2020
 Cooking classes at home were started
(Normally, we cook at the school lab). 

First of all, I negotiated with my roommates that I can use the kitchen for 3 or 4 hours while don’t disturbing their work.

Then, I went to buy all the ingredients I needed for a week on a shared bike, and I visited 2 or 3 different groceries.

In addition, I had to consider using some of ingredients by substitution in which there are already in a fridge otherwise food costs will be too high.

 I was swamped with creating reports which I had to submit to chefs.

I almost dropped out, and I wanted to run off from this situation.

But I encouraged each other with my school friends.  

It is one of my great memories that I ran Toronto city on a shared bike during a shiny day in summer.

Also, those experiences led me to huge growth, and it gave me confidence to handle any tough situation. 

In September of 2020
The second year of school was started, and we were allowed to enter the school.

 My class schedule was morning, so I left home before raising the sun.

I was quite nervous because I will go to school after a while but at the same time, I was quite excited.
Being so my face got strained from those complex emotions.

When I entered the school building, it looked empty. 
All the chairs were taken away at the food coat which used to be crowded with students. 

And the situation of having distance from others was hard to handle…

“Keep distance keep distance” “Don’t share tools with others.” 
The chef shouted and managed strictly.

During that time, I appreciated that I could learn from chefs as well as learn cooking with peers at the school lab.

 These experiences are all my treasures including the things I fail while cooking, giving feedback from chefs, cooking with peers, and emotions of disappointment, nervousness, impression, and excitement. 

At the end of 2020
Learning to cook at school is over.

At the beginning of 2021
My new stage has started that I work as an externship which is part of a school program.

Since a lockdown food industry has been suffering and even Starbucks stopped hiring employees due to so.

 I had struggled to find my workplace as an externship.

But luckily, I got the workplace even unpaid.
 I understand that it is a tough time to hire someone nowadays, so I appreciate that they gave me an opportunity to learn to work in the kitchen. 

Wrap up my Journey

The amount of hardships = Growing pains

So, everything is alright because my spirit and humanity grew by through various hardships and experiences.

Now, I can say confidently that I will go back to Haru Curry!

Oops, I almost missed the chance to get off the subway. I got off the subway and I walked in the snow while wondering about my next stage.