MỤC LỤC:
How I “changed my life”!
As a former student of Vietnamese language at the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies, Kazuomi Shimizu is currently a main reporter for NHK, a renowned broadcasting corporation in Japan as well as Asia. Below is our meeting and conversation with him about the experiences he had during his time studying and working in Vietnam.
Reporter: Having a job like yours is the dream of many students, and surely it is not an easy feat. Could you share a little about your current job?
Shimizu: In 2005, I started working for NHK. As you know, NHK is the only public broadcasting corporation in Japan, established in 1925. With the motto of updating information as quickly and accurately as possible across various fields both domestically and internationally, NHK has been well-received by a large number of audiences over the years.
Initially, I worked at a local branch, then I was transferred to the International News department. This job has given me many memorable experiences after business trips to many different countries, from Sri Lanka to New Zealand, and then China… After gaining more experience, I began working at overseas branches, first in Bangkok, and now in Hanoi.
Reporter: A reporter's job requires strong courage. For you, what is the biggest difficulty you have ever encountered? And how did you overcome those difficulties?
Shimizu: For me, the biggest difficulty is how to balance family life and work. My profession requires frequent business trips, and working late nights or early mornings is perfectly normal. Therefore, on my days off, I often try to spend time with my family. Besides, collaborators do not always understand the nature of the work I am doing. At those times, I often tell myself that I need to do everything to bring the best things to my audience. And that very thing has taught me what I need to do.
Reporter: It is known that you used to study Vietnamese at the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City. So, what was the reason you chose this learning environment?
Shimizu: Ah, that was in April 1999, after my first year at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, I decided to spend all the money I had to come to Vietnam to study abroad. I remember, at that time I had about 9,000 dollars. This was the money I earned myself after a year of working part-time in Japan. And I think I made the right decision when coming here. It was a very interesting time.
Reporter: Could you share some memories you had while studying in Vietnam?
Shimizu: Before coming to Vietnam, I was a young man who was often bored and tired. I had lived like that for a long time. But when I got here, I realized that I needed to change. The Vietnamese people I met, even though their lives were extremely difficult, always tried their best to rise up. At that time, I promised a Vietnamese language teacher of mine (whom I deeply respected) that I would change, would “change my life” (laughs). The one-year period of studying Vietnamese allowed me to meet many lovely friends. They came from many different countries around the world. On weekends, we often organized extracurricular activities such as cooking, singing, and dancing with some teachers. And that was how I “changed my life”! To me, those were unforgettable days.
Reporter: Did that time studying Vietnamese help you a lot in your current job?
Shimizu: (Laughs) Definitely yes. Currently, I am working at NHK Hanoi branch. My job requires proficiency in Vietnamese because we have to meet, exchange, and interview Vietnamese people directly. I think my Vietnamese has improved a lot after the year I dedicated to it. However, if I had the conditions and time now, I would still want to return to school as before. Being able to go to class is always a wonderful thing.
Reporter: Yes, thank you very much for this interesting conversation! Reporter:
