In the year I reached my seventh year
in Melbourne,
my grandmother passed away.
I quickly took time off
and returned to Japan.
My beloved grandmother
looked like she was in so much pain,
and I knew
that it would probably be difficult
to see her again.
After I returned to Melbourne,
some time passed,
and then I heard
that she had passed away.
I cried so much.
From that point on,
little by little,
I began to wonder
whether I truly wanted
to keep living there.
Did I really need to stay
in Australia,
even if it meant being so far away
from my family?
But at the same time,
even if I went back to Japan now,
I thought it would probably be
difficult for me
to work for a Japanese company.
To begin with,
living overseas had made me stronger —
at least in spirit.
Bit by bit,
my heart was starting to turn back
toward Japan.
But I still didn’t have the courage
to go home.
Japan,
after all this time?
What would I even do
if I went back?
I kept asking myself
those questions.
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