We received an update from a member who moved to France in the summer of 2021 due to their father's work. While they haven't been able to resume kendo yet, they seem to be putting the skills cultivated at the Shikukai to good use and working hard every day.
Below is the message I received from the mother.
We've gotten used to life in France, and Yūken and Eita are happily attending school. However, juggling French studies and Japanese studies is keeping us completely overwhelmed at the moment.
I spend about two hours every day on my French homework and get up early in the morning to study Japanese for 30 minutes. On Saturdays, I attend a Japanese supplementary school in Switzerland, and on Sundays, I study Japanese using correspondence courses. In Japan, I'm now in junior high school, and I have two more years left.
I plan to return to Japan in about half a year to take high school entrance exams there. 😌 Considering I'll be taking exams alongside kids who've been attending cram schools and receiving education in Japan, it's a pretty tough environment. But I've narrowed down the fields and high schools I want to pursue, decided to work hard toward that goal, and am currently pushing through a grueling study schedule.
Regarding my studies in Japan, I can clearly see the results of my hard work. However,
We're really struggling with French homework right now 😭 Since we parents can't teach them French, Yūken and Eita are working hard every day on their own with electronic dictionaries in hand. We've also gathered all the protective gear, but it's still unused. I want to contact Mr. Iwanami right away once they start kendo, but at the moment, there's absolutely no sign of that happening.
At first, Yūken and Eita didn't get along well, but starting with Mr. Iwanami, the other teachers treated them like their own children, facing them day after day and guiding them. Through the Shikukai, they learned everything—the hardships, the struggles, and the joys. While they're now experiencing things only possible in France, kendo is the same. The fact that Yūken and Eita can smile and enjoy their current environment, rather than finding it hard or painful, is undoubtedly thanks to kendo. The experiences only possible at the Shikukai have become their foundation. Even when studying is tough, even when they cry because they don't understand French (and they still cry often out of frustration now ^^;), they persevere without giving up.
I cannot express enough gratitude to Professor Iwanami and everyone else who taught me this strength.
I also hope that someday you will walk through the gates of the Shikukai.