Kenichi Wakui

Student

“I’m 23 now. But if I’m 26 before I go home to Japan to find a job, I’m going to have a very big problem when I get there.”

The balance of work and school is a tough one to strike for any student these days. And Kenichi Wakui of Japan is finding the balancing act more difficult than most. “I thought when I came here to SMC that I could transfer for my last two years,” says Kenichi. “But circumstances at home are changing, so I may have to go home and go to work. This is not what I want to do,” he says, “but my parents hope that I will. And in Japan, the wishes of your parents can put a lot of pressure on you.” While Kenichi struggles to find some way to finish his studies in the US, he also faces some pressures at SMC.

“But these are ‘good pressures,’” he says with a laugh. “I have two tests next week, in economics and business, and they’re tough ones. But they are a good challenge for me, too. I would like to get my AA degree quickly and then get into a company that’s trading between the US and Japan. These two countries have a lot of responsibility in the world right now,” continues Kenichi. “And they must find a way to cooperate.” Kenichi reports learning a lot about the subject of cooperation at SMC.

“When I first came here, I was so surprised with all the people from so many countries, including Japan,” he says. “There is so much opportunity here to deal with many types of people and learn about their different cultures. I met many people at SMC who gave me valuable ideas, and maybe we will work together some day to make a good future. I just hope when I see my parents again, they will be able to see how much I learned here,” says Kenichi. “I’ve changed a lot at SMC. And I’ve done a lot of growing.”

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