To My Beloved Friends

Hey everyone,

Sorry for dropping such a long message out of the blue, but my heart is telling me to share something with you all right now, so I’m just going to go for it.

Recently, I think I’ve discovered what might be my life’s dream:
“To travel the world, talk with people and things, and share laughter.”

I used to be a teacher, and I still love teaching. I also genuinely enjoy programming, which I’m studying now. But when I ask myself if these are truly what I want to dedicate my life to, I realize there’s always been this lingering doubt.

After I quit teaching, I traveled around Japan, and it was incredible. Meeting new people, exploring new places and cultures, building connections, and learning new things—that felt like real education to me. I think that’s why I came to Canada—to learn even more.

Life in Canada hasn’t been without its challenges. I’m sure everyone here has had struggles in their own way. For me, I feel like I’m the worst English speaker among us, and there are things I don’t always understand because of it. But I realized that it doesn’t matter—what I love is communication itself, and English is just a tool to make that happen. Maybe it’s the same with programming for me too.

When school went on break, I needed to search for a co-op, but I couldn’t do it wholeheartedly. Not because of competition, or lack of English or programming skills, but because it didn’t feel like something I truly wanted.

Walking through snowy Toronto, I discovered something amazing: I could spend hours talking to all the unfamiliar places, people, animals, and things around me. And I realized—that’s my talent. Whether it’s with Japanese people, Indians, homeless folks, addicts, dogs, squirrels, trees, or even the sun, I want to connect and befriend everything. I’ve been living bound by money, family expectations, societal norms, and common sense, but now I’ve decided to live true to myself.

Maybe it’s selfish to say this when everyone’s working so hard, but I’ve decided to take responsibility for the freedom I’m giving myself.

I’ve realized that traveling the world, building connections, and making friends with everything is what I value the most right now—not work, school, money, or even relationships. I’ve also learned that when it comes to the things you truly love, you don’t need to “try hard” to commit yourself completely—you just naturally put your whole heart into it. Life is unpredictable, and that’s why I want to give my all to this moment.

To start this journey, to affirm my resolve, and to express gratitude to the things I love most, I’ve decided to return to Japan from late March to early May.

I’ll apply to a few co-op positions to make sure I graduate (haha). I might not be there at the very beginning of the next term, but I definitely want to return and graduate with all of you. After all, I believe what we’re learning at school goes beyond just programming.

Our time together might be short in the grand scheme of things, but I truly feel lucky to have met such amazing friends. You’re all unique, and I’ve come to see that each of you, just as you are, is beautiful. I respect each one of you, and I can’t help but wish I could speak not just in English, but in Portuguese, Nepali, Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Turkish, and all the languages you use, so we could connect even more.

I’m really looking forward to seeing you all and studying together in the final term. And even before that, I’ll still be in Canada until March, so let’s hang out if you’re free! If there’s anything you’d like from Japan, let me know, and I’ll bring it back for you!

I hope this all makes sense—it’s what’s on my mind right now.

I’m excited to see you all again. Love you guys.

Potato