Without being aware, ten months have slipped away since my arrival to Japan. Every day is filled with many exciting experiences, so that time flies. Now that I have gotten accustomed to the life in Japan, I feel bit sentimental in returning back home. During my stay in Japan, I have been to many places and undergone much training. So many things have been accumulated in my mind for me to remember. Let me make a speech introducing to you most memorable ones. After completing three-month Japanese Language training, the individual training started on January 9, this year. In the beginning, I had a one-month independent living training at a rehabilitation center named “Shonan Kibo no Sato” in Fujisawa. The training included mobility training, cooking training, and piano and pottery classes. I am very sure that the independent living training here will be very useful for my future life.

Since coming to Japan, I have been using a white cane. In training, I faced a lot of difficulties. But if a blind person does not know how to use a white cane, he or she will be in trouble in going out. We human beings obtain 85% of information from eyes. A white cane is like an eye for the visually impaired persons. If people are not making full use of their eyes, more than a half of interesting aspects of life experiences would be lost. With those reasons, I think the mobility training is very important in daily life, even if you are not a future leader.

Next is the cooking training. Since my name is Zhuang Li (pronounced as Cho Li), I must do Cho Li, which is cooking in Japanese. (Sorry, it’s a joke) I am an only child living in Shanghai. I can eat immediately after I say I want to eat. But in Fujisawa, I must cook the food that I want to eat. In attending cooking training, I tried my best in cooking my favorite foods. I managed to cook such foods as a salad, Japanese nimono (cooked food), and gyoza (fried dumplings stuffed with minced pork), all by myself. Since I made them, the taste was extremely delicious. My achievement surprised the staffs. I also tried to make pottery for the first time in my life. I like it very much. After returning to Shanghai in July, my parents would get surprised if I make a pottery in front of their eyes.

From the middle of February to the end of March, I got training at Japan Light House in Osaka. I learned mainly Japanese Language and personal computers. In the training, what I was impressed most was the excellent volunteer system in the Japan. For example, the Information Culture Center for the Blind has 15 staffs and some 600 volunteers doing various works such as face-to-face book readings, braille translations, printing books on braille and its shipments and so on. The persons with visual impairments can freely access to any books or any places of their interest to study helped by a volunteer. In addition, they are entitled to receive a monthly pension from the country’s social welfare scheme. Most of public facilities like the stations, sidewalks where the persons with visual impairments often get access to are equipped with braille guide blocks. Besides, voice guide signals are provided in many places. In addition, there have been many other organizations formed for the visually impaired persons. One of the examples is an organization called “Voice Net”, a volunteer group to teach computer to the persons with visual impairment free of charge. Once a month, all group members meet to exchange latest information and discuss on various issues. I think this is a wonderful group. There is another group formed to improve cultural life aspects for the persons with visual impairment. Having such groups, the persons with visual impairment will be able to enjoy doing many things, like having trips, seeing movies just like the sighted persons. Not only material affluences, but also important for them to have is a cultural richness, which enhances the significance in their lives.

During the individual training in Osaka, I received mobility training and handcraft training at the Japan Light House Welfare Center for the persons with visual impairment. Despite their disabilities, the persons with visual impairment can make a flower base or table cloths using their fingers. The materials they use are such as vines, potatoes, braille papers, and paper clays. Especially, braille papers are good material with which so many things can be created in many different shapes, such as basket, hat, shoes and others. I am deeply impressed by the art in making those using braille papers after use without dumping them as rubbish. In this way of paper recycle, the persons with visual impairment can economize the consumption of paper materials, thereby contributing to the society to protect the environment. I found it interesting, so, I tried to make several items on my own.

In the end of May, the individual training was completed. During the individual program, I had occasional local study tours to observe such places as “Japan Federation for the Blind”, “Kyoto International Conference Hall” and “Nagasaki School for the Blind”. I have learned a lot from those places. For example, I obtained new information from the visit to “Vocational Development Center for The Blind in Japan, Inc.” The Center has been providing vocational trainings for the blind to take up new types of occupation other than masseur for twenty years. One of the new types of job training is to train the blind to transcribe what they are hearing from a tape using computer software named Denpitsu. It seems to be more lucrative job than massaging. Currently, there are some 40 persons with visual impairment doing this type of job in Tokyo. Every year, 5 to 6 persons with visual impairment attend the vocational training at the Center for the duration of one year. This training opportunity not only help create chances for the blind to get a job, but also help increase chances for the blind to have new visions and hopes for their lives. For a month from June, I got the leadership training which provided me very detailed explanation on such subjects as the origin of Japan Association for the Employment for the Disabled, welfare and legal systems, movement systems, sex issues for persons with disabilities, and so on. My classmates are from various countries in the world with whom I was able to exchange views and information, which was very instructive. During the New Year holiday from Dec.28 to Jan.5, I stayed in Mr. Ito’s house. It was rather short but memorable stay. After coming back to Tokyo in April, I often visited Mr. Ito on weekend for an overnight stay. Mr. and Mrs. Ito are so kind that they always treated me like their children and took me to various places in Japan, which have been kept in my photos. No matter where they guided me, they had explained me well, such as detailed Japanese history and the way of life in Japan. I have been getting clearer picture of the Japanese culture. They have always been very informative, to whom I would like to convey my deep most appreciation. I noticed one other aspect. When a host family receives a foreign guest, each family member starts showing tender and affectionate character. This Duskin Leadership Training in Japan has brought a good result for us as well as for the Japanese society.

Finally, I would like to tell you what I do upon my return to Shanghai. I would like to start learning Japanese Braille and personal computer. Fortunately, I had a pretty good knowledge on Japanese and computer taught by excellent instructors in Japan. I know what I have learned is only a part of the great whole, which is far from enough. Upon my return to Shanghai, I must study and learn more and more. I am planning to take up an exam for Japanese Proficiency coming December. I would like to ask the audience gathering here today to send me e-mail in Japanese for my Japanese language practice. I appreciate for your kind cooperation. I would also like to teach Japanese Braille to the blind in Shanghai. I am sure that once they acquire a new skill, they may be able to make the best use of in the future. They can be one of the Duskin participants in the coming years. For that end, I myself study Japanese very hard. I have another dream of creating a radio program catering for the persons with visual impairment in Shanghai. Presently in Osaka, there is a broadcasting station called JBS, a welfare broadcasting station in Japan for the persons with disabilities. It airs programs like, sports, cooking, computer classes, news and so on. The news programs cover worldwide information of persons with disabilities across the world. The persons with visual impairment are synonymous with the persons with information deficiency. I wish to have a radio station like JBS in Shanghai. I do not know when my dream can be realized, but I am very positive in believing that we are capable of making our dream come true if only we keep making efforts to do so.

Now that I have completed the one-year Daskin Leadership Training in Japan, I felt I have been very fortunate as being selected as a Daskin participant. During that time, I have met many kind Japanese people. Especially, I am grateful for the staffs and instructors who have taught me a lot. Thank you very much. Since it was my first foreign country away from home, I was apprehensive in the beginning. But through having acquired various experiences, I have been gaining self-confidence gradually for my independent life. As my confidence increase, the gratitude toward my parents who have brought me up has increased with better understanding on their feelings. I would like to say millions of thanks for all people involved in the Daskin Program. After returning back to Shanghai in July, I would like to do my best for the betterment of the persons with disabilities there so as to repay the favor bestowed upon me.