Hello, my name is Terunuma.
My exploits as a backpacker, when I was a student, started my interest to experience the different lifestyles that foreign countries have to offer. This is one of the main reasons why I am here in Singapore now.

More than 20 years ago, I took one year off from my student life in the university, and traveled through Asia, Africa, Europe and South America.
My experiences then were so extreme that during one of these trips, I fell ill and recovered from some unknown disease! In another incident, I was traveling in a bus that suddenly burst into flames. I had to break the window of the bus in order to make my escape. It was through these valued experiences during my travel that I could see how different people in this world have their own way of thinking. It makes me aware of the various opinions, perspectives and cultures that exist in this world. Although this is not the discovery of the century, as it is already a commonly known fact, what I just want to say is that I "re-realised" that we live in a very diversified world.
I went on my trips alone and was on a very low budget. As a traveler, I will always need to be mindful of the money that I am spending. And my expenditure will serve to benefit the economy of country that I am in.
Through my trips, I managed to meet lots of people, and even got acquainted with Japanese living as expatriates there. Through my conversations with these Japanese, I realised the impression they have on the locals differs from mine.
This made me aware that, as a traveler, no matter how long I stay in a foreign country, my way of thinking will still be different from one who actually lives there. After graduating from my university, and having worked in a recruitment agency in Tokyo, I started to wonder how it would be like if I had a chance to live and work in a foreign country.

When I started working in Tokyo, I could think of nothing else but the huge workload given to me. My work was so hectic that I could not afford to think of any interests overseas.
After 3 years of my working life, I started to consider how I want my future to be. Another year later, I decided to resign from my job of 4 years, and ventured overseas. Fortunately, I was still single then and nothing held me back from my decision. However, I recalled that this decision was debatable among my friends.

Now I have lived in Singapore for 22 years. Although I still cannot conclude if venturing out of Japan was a right decision that I made, but by having lived here not as a traveler like before, I feel that I could connect directly with the pros and cons of this country. At the same time, I could also see the good and bad side of Japan from this perspective. On this point, I am very satisfied as I found the answer to the question I had when I was a traveling student, of how I would be like if I were living in a foreign country. I am very sure that my inner world has expanded after having lived in Singapore.

We often regard life as a journey. As I continue to create my life journey from this point on, I sincerely wish that I could be of help to you in creating your journey as well.
I could not be happier if I am given this opportunity.