Hi, I'm Akira :)

  (Düsseldorf, Rhine River/Tower)

Hi everyone! I’m Akira Tsuchiya. I am on the management team, organizing the overview of this project.  I specifically manage blogs and mentorship, though I am part of all teams as a manager. I am so happy to lead this project with my fellow three founders and expand the family tree of the members. Through this blog, I want to describe the reason why I began this project initially.

I moved four times in the last 15 years of my life. I first moved from one part of Tokyo to another. Then, when I finally settled into my new home, a big announcement shocked me. At 9, I was told to move to Düsseldorf, Germany. I didn't even know how to pronounce “Düsseldorf” then. Until I was 9, I had never stepped out of Japan, which explains why. The five years in Germany were so magical and meaningful in how they built up my identity. At first, I could barely spell the alphabet. This meant the language barrier stopped me from communicating with others. However, I met people of different backgrounds over time, and they all understood me well enough. Many offered a hand and never showed any hassle in taking care of me. Thanks to the warmth of others, I had the brightest time in an international school full of memories and connections.

Then, in 9th grade, I had to move to Manila, Philippines. I stayed in Manila for only 8 months. However, it was packed with memories. I made friends for life, and they made me forget that I was only there for such a short period. I attended many school events, after-school activities, and faced culture shocks. These experiences opened a new door to meeting different kinds of people and encouraged my personality growth. 

For my sophomore year in high school, I came back to Japan. I was honestly worried and scared about how I could fit into the Japanese community. I wasn’t confident enough that I could call myself Japanese after all these years of absence. I was way too ignorant about Japanese culture and language. I forgot what Japanese schools were like or what was considered “normal” here. My concerns were blown away the first day I stepped onto the campus. Everyone was so welcoming, showing lots of interest in me and trying to get to know me better.

Though, these stories make me seem open to new opportunities, truthfully, I am insecure about “change.” I feel anxious that the life I built could be replaced by something unfamiliar. I feel pressured to “make it work” entirely from scratch. There were days when I cried feeling lost on where I was heading to.  I feel confused about who I really am, considering I act differently among the various communities I’m part of. Yet, thanks to the people who guided me through these harsh experiences, I am here now, having the best time of my life. I can confidently say that I love myself thanks to the inspiration and support everyone gifted me along the journey. A huge thank you and it is my turn to start returning what was given along the way. So please, anyone struggling with similar challenges, contact Belonging Beyond Borders, and let’s overcome it together <3