Time flies. It has been exactly 15 years since March 11, 2011—the day I woke up and decided to turn my life around. I started as a timid, underperforming student who scored a mere 9 out of 30 total in my university entrance exams.
My friends today know me as a funny, outgoing, talkative, and goofy guy. But honestly, up until I was 18, I was completely withdrawn—much like a hikikomori in Japan. I had no friends, no dreams, and terrible grades. I rarely even ate dinner with my family, preferring to sit alone and sulk in my room. My high school years were truly a dead end. Burdened by family issues, lacking dreams and talents, and having no clue where my future was heading, I had simply accepted that my life would be a failure.
March 11, 2011: The day that changed my life
March 11, 2011, was the day I truly started living instead of merely existing. Some of you might recognize this date as the day Japan was hit by the devastating double disaster of the earthquake and tsunami. I learned about it through the news, and that was the exact moment I started paying attention to Japan. Before that, it was just an unfamiliar, distant country to me. Back then, for a solid month, the disaster was on the TV and in the newspapers every single day. Gradually, deep down, I felt an overwhelming urge to pick myself up and start over, much like how Japan was rising from the ruins of the disaster.
From those days onward, I started having hobbies, dreams, and goals. I was no longer timid or negative. I realized that when you finally find a passion, constantly think about your dream, and figure out ways to make it happen, the feeling is absolutely thrilling. At 18, it felt like I was reborn after years of darkness.
But things weren't that easy, because the university entrance exams were just 3 months away...
Starting as an underperforming student meant that no matter how much I changed or tried, three months just wasn't enough time to make a real difference. As a result, I scored a total of only 9 points across my three university entrance exam subjects. Back then, I dreaded it whenever someone asked about my scores. I felt humiliated, especially since all my peers were top students. Coupled with family crises, I felt like I was at the absolute bottom of society.
Yet, it was precisely in those moments—knowing nothing, having nothing, and knowing no one, but fueled by a burning desire to change my life—that my motivation and determination were at their peak. I realized I had no way back because there was nothing behind me. My starting point was so incredibly low that I had to push myself a thousand times harder and learn at every given opportunity. I still remember the butterflies in my stomach every time I managed to grab a coffee with an accomplished senior, knowing I was getting a precious chance to learn from those who had paved the way.
Difficulties piling upon difficulties
Due to a lack of financial means, all I could do was secretly harbor my dream of studying in Japan while relentlessly working and studying every day. Seeing office workers in sharp suits heading into high-rise buildings filled me with awe—I dreamed of being just like them one day. Driven by my love for Japan, I looked for a Japanese language school. The tuition for the beginner class cost more than 50% of all the money I had, so I hesitated a lot before finally deciding to enroll. As for actually studying abroad in Japan, it remained just a pipe dream; I absolutely couldn't afford to self-fund it.
When I was 19, my parents got divorced. I felt completely abandoned amidst the glamorous lights of Saigon. Mentally devastated and flat broke, I almost gave up on everything to go back to my hometown. I remember calling my mom that day to tell her I was throwing in the towel and coming home, but I couldn't reach her after three tries. Taking it as a sign, I dropped that crazy idea and resolved to push forward as hard as I possibly could.
And then, luck and opportunity came knocking
Fortunately, at the age of 20, I crossed paths with a Japanese boss. After I expressed my dream of becoming a programmer, he hired me. He mentored and guided me from the absolute basics—teaching me everything from how to touch-type with 10 fingers to how to properly clean a computer.
At 22, I came across a full-ride scholarship to study abroad, but the exams were held in Hanoi. Having only ever bounced between my hometown and Saigon, Hanoi felt like a distant, completely foreign place to me at the time. Since I had to travel alone, I almost backed out. But then I thought: if I don't even have the courage to travel within my own country, how will I ever make it abroad? So, I packed my bags, headed to Hanoi solo to take the scholarship exam, and luckily, I passed.
The feeling of striving every single day and imagining that your dream will one day come true—that feeling is honestly much more wonderful than the moment the dream is actually achieved.
Ảnh tốt nghiệp ở Nhật năm 2018
15 years since that day
Fast forward to the present, 2026. I feel incredibly lucky that I woke up just in time exactly 15 years ago to reinvent myself. Just to achieve a normal, stable life on par with my peers, I had to overcome some brutally difficult phases. That’s why, even now, I want to keep that same relentless drive I had back then, so I can continue growing without stopping.
To me, the days since March 11, 2011, are the only ones where I’ve truly lived a meaningful life. It’s terrifying to think about where I’d be if I hadn't changed myself to rebuild my life that day. I'm still living in Japan today, as this is the very place that sparked my transformation 15 years ago.
- Tokyo, March 11, 2026—exactly 15 years since the day I woke up -
Hello everyone. I'm an IT engineer working in Japan. I created this blog to share about life and experiences during my study and work journey. I hope this article will be helpful to you.
