Let us introduce Mrs. Kayoko Tsujimura living in Switzerland, who sent e-mail to RIFA last year after browsing RIFA's webpage. She will write letters throughout this year for this page. She spent years of elementary schooll, Jr. High and High schools in Ritto. In 1988 she came to work at a Japanese restaurant in Zurich、Swizerland, got married to Peter. Now she leads a happy life with her husband and a son. To our delight, she says she tries not to forget that she is Japanese.

GRUEZI (Hello in English). I am writing from Switzerland.
　It was in March when I, Kayoko Tsujimura, came to Switzerland. At that time I never thought that I would live here in the future, because I just thought that it would be good if I could learn the culture and language during the year.
　I was born in Kobe and moved to Ritto when I was in the third grade of elementary school. Since then I lived in Ritto. I was vaguely thinking I would be leaving when I would get married, with no concrete idea, enjoying the ages of my youth. Although I just thought women should have jobs and equal rights, the realty was different. Graduation from a high school couldn't provide me with so much of a vista, but I never forget the words of a chef at the Hotel Biwako: "Women should go abroad and see many things in this age. How about going abroad, Miss. Tsuijimura? Your outlook on the world may be changed. His words not only remained deeply but also pushed me. "I want to see and feel different cultures and languages to live with the time." Yes, I am very curious about anything!
　Although I came here, pushed by the words, I didn't know at all about Switzerland, even the language. Switzerland is situated in the middle of Europe, having its population of six million(Today's population is seven million.), and known as a permanent neutral country. Four languages are used, which I can't think of. They are unlike Kansai, Tokyo, Kyushu and Tohoku dialects, but are German, French, Italy and Romanish, which are quite different. The country is almost same as Kyushu in size and has six million people and four languages. Culture shock! You can go out to Germany, France, Austria within an hour, which is also unthinkable for me. I myself did a five-country trip in the first year: Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, and Lichtenstein. See, surely five countries. In one day. It seems to be an unbelievable thing here. They say a one-week or ten-day trip with expensive cost is no meaning. Yes, it is a cultural difference. The cost a Japanese traveler pays for a week can be equivalent to the one they spend for three weeks. They can take four or five weeks for vacation in a year, moreover have religious holidays such as Easter, Christmas, and other Christianity-related events. It is impossible to use up the holidays in a week, and unbelievable for Japanese people. As for Japanese, I sometimes think of how to spend time and have a headache. Life span has been extended to 70 or 80 these days. We have to be in good health with that age. Aged people here are very healthy with their ramrod-postures straight, which we should learn. I'd like to get older like them and spend time keeping my time with my family and friends precious. They are very precious for me who live out of Japan. My sense of value must have changed since 20 years ago, however, I feel happy to be able to send messages to people in Ritto by chance. I would be happy if I could write in different aspects next time. See you again.