It was 1994, a Chinese woman from Beijing accompanied her then husband and landed in San Francisco. Her husband took her to US in his professional study in the US. They started to live Richmond district in the city. She did not speak enough English and her husband was constantly busy. If just buy, it might have been okay. But as his study did not go well, he started to be violent home. She, from the beginning the bearer of independent spirit, wanted to go self-support. They fought every night and one day it became extremely violent. There was no other choice for her to call help and she herself landed on "Asian Women's Shelter".
This Chinese woman spent there for almost full year and looked for her own opportunity to go independent. She studied herself there and went to business school. Fortunately, her then husband left her Green Card status. She found a job and started to work. She was not satisfied being employed. Later she went independent and became a business owner. Then she met this Japanese guy, who at that time, had so-so status in a Japanese company. This guy became her boy friend and they started to live together. When this man lost his position, spun out of employment, but hoped to stay in US for pursuing his own possibility in San Francisco, she changed her status from Green Card base to an American Citizen so that she can sponsor her boy friend by marrying.
You might have realized by now that this Chinese woman is my wife and the Japanese Guy is me. Without her help, I could not even continue to stay in the US. As Japanese or Asian culture goes, there are some people, especially from my previous employment, telling me that it is a shame on me who accepted my wife's help. It annoyed me a bit honestly, but I am thankful to my wife for her help and my wife and I believe that is enough. That is the period. We do not have to worry about what other people say. And most importantly we are happy. I am happy to help my wife's side of business, and she is happy to help my business, as well.
The reason I did not attend my wife's New Year Party was that this Party was for women who once was under protective custody and succeeded in getting out of "Women Shelter".
Related post:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/japan-town-san-francisco.html
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http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
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Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link
2 comments:
Hi Shaw .. that's an incredible personal story .. especially for your wife. I admire both your courages in pursuing your dreams.
It is wonderful that you work together to be happy, to support each other - you are both human & you have both released your spirits to be together and to be married and grow old together.
I do hope that others in the Refuge have had as much fortune as your wife has had .. and I am sure that you all support each other all the time and over time.
That's a truly inspirational story - thank you for sharing with us and one day I hope I shall have the pleasure of meeting your wife.
Be Positive Be Happy - Hilary
Hi Hilary_ Thank you for your comment as always. English has very beautiful expression calling spouces each other "Better Half". Since she is my better half, she is myself and I am herself. It is natural to help each other. Still she should have her own private time to share and enjoy her friends in tough time. I respect that. Thanks, again.
Shaw Funami
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