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Emi chan

Writer's picture: Yuriko OnoYuriko Ono


Beautiful long straight black hair, long limbs, fair skin, slim & tall...that's how I describe Emi chan but I later discovered that she was more than her beautiful look.


First, below instagram post was made by Emi to introduce great places to visit in Sydney.

Honey & Kaede (& I) are in it!



She's so talented, isn't she?


It was 16 years ago when I first met Emi. She was actually one of my clients.

Although she was very humble and shy, as soon as we started talking I could tell that she was an animal lover like me.


One day, I was looking for someone to look after my beloved dogs Honey & Kaede while I visited my family in Japan. I am one of those who gets anxious everytime I'm separated from my fur babies (even for a few hours at a gloomer!) and I wanted to find someone I really could trust and rely on. Then I remembered about Emi chan.


I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to ask my client but I asked her anyway. Then I saw a big smile on her face and she said,

"I am happy to!"

Long story short, Honey & Kaede love love love her and would jump at and kiss her excessively with so much joy everytimie they see her. Kaede, my cocker spaniel, would even make funny squeeky cry voice! It sometimes looked like she was being attacked by them! lol But Emi chan would always seem so happy and giggle being attacked by my two fluffy meaty balls!


Naturally, we became friends.


One time, when we were eating dinner together at my place (I made beef casserole), she told me that she had been contemplating to try something new to challenge herself but she did not feel confident with her English skills and didn't know what she actually could do. She at the time had been working at a coffee shop and wasn't happy there. She would praise me for what I had achieved and thought about me like someone she could dare to try to be.


I was flattered but I always felt like I was nobody and I should've tried harder. I am no different from her. I said to her that she could take one step at a time from what she could do. If you imagine a big picture and aim high, of course that's intimidating for anybody. I could not speak English well or did not have any confidence in myself (I still don't!) but I never stopped learning or making effort to be better and that's something anyone can do if you put your mind to it. I'm nothing special. No one is at the start for that matter.


What she did next inspired me.

She decided to study to be an RN. I told her that she could be an EN to begin with but she said "if I do it I'll do it all the way".


I studied skin science and it was not easy. I went to a College in Seattle, the United States a decade before that but still there were so many words that I didn't know in English so I had to learn English/Latin names of anatomy, skin conditions and everything pretty much from scratch. I mean, I knew what it's like to "study in an English enviroment" but Emi didn't have much experience like that. It could be brutal for an international student.


To be honest, I was worried. Worried that she would give up in half way...


BUT,


3-4 years later, she, at the time was 40, graduated!! That was 6 years ago.

To this day, she's working in a hospital as an RN. Amazing!


Now she wants to challenge more that would fulfil her long cherished passion - art.


She had always had passion for art and creative things but she had never felt like having time for it.

One day, she received rather unwelcome news that motivated her into it. Her mother was diagnosed as ALS.


If you Google search this disease it says:


 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disease that causes the progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS is a progressive disease that eventually leads to the loss of the ability to function and care for oneself. Death often occurs within 3 to 5 years of diagnosis, but some people live longer. 

Nothing but devastating and cruel disease for the patients and their family. When Emi graduated from school to be an RN, her mother was so happy so she actually announced it in a national TV in Japan in a morning show! I watched the show too - she sounded so happy and so proud! I mean who wouldn't be! At that time, she was not sick yet.


Since Emi's mother was diagnosed, Emi wanted to please her and show her this beautiful Sydney more.

"What could I do...? Something creative & artistic..."

That's how she came up with an idea of making Youtube videos and Instagram.


All the films are showing Sydney that were though her eyes. I could tell that the person who filmed those videos truly admires Sydney. There are many places that I had already seen look so different and beautiful in her videos and made me want to visit again.


To make one video, she puts absolutely everything. She's perfectionist, well... a bit of OCD perfectionist and she is particular about every second!


She could not do everything from the beginning. Before she started making actual videos, she joined this Mellow Club.


This Japan based Mellow Club was established by a woman who's in 80s to learn how to use computer technology. No, it wasn't a 'typo' but this club was for seniors. When Emi, in 40s, contacted them to ask to join the club, they did not believe it and thought Emi made a mistake. They asked Emi three times to make sure that she really came to the right place.


Well, that's Emi and what I adore about her. She is very shy but her action is sometimes BOLD and cute.


She would make videos every other week or so and sent those to her mother. Her mother was so impressed and enjoyed her videos, of course! She must be very proud too.


Emi told me that her mother never once complained or became negative about her disease. She was still making jokes on her last days. When she could not eat anything as her throat muscles were weakened, she made a joke out of it - according to Emi.


I don't know why there have to be diseases that are so cruel and why such a great person like Emi's mother had to go through such an ordeal...but I think we can all learn her strength and her kindness. I am sure that she was in a lot of discomfort and pain but she put her family and friends first and tried her best not to make them worry and she kept their smiles...Not everyone can do that and I feel great deal of respect towards her. I can tell where Emi's goodness and boldness came from.


Even after her mother's passing, Emi has continued to make beautiful videos of Sydney that are very useful not only to Japanese tourists but people in Sydney. She only publish places where she truly thinks are amazing.


At the moment, she is only making Japanese versions but her goal is to let 'everyone' learn how beautiful this city is.

Her will power originally came from her mother but I can see that her mother still lives in her.


So stay tuned❤️


Youtube


Instagram

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