Exploring Japan by Cruise Ship Henna Series – Part 14: A Few Can Inspire and Encourage Many

As the days neared for the old ship Henna to return to its home port, an unexpected attachment had formed within me. In just a week, this ship had become more than a vessel; it became a repository of cherished emotions and unforgettable experiences. Reluctant to disembark, my classmate and I hesitated, not ready to part ways with this newfound friend.

After my classmate returned home, she shared her experience and harvest from the trip with her father, who was very satisfied with the joy his daughter had experienced. Her father worked in Peru all year round and had never taken his daughter to travel abroad. He understood the wonders of the outside world and valued the opportunity for his daughter to explore exotic places abroad. Later, he asked my mother if we could take his daughter along when we travel abroad in the future. The kindness and trust touched our families deeply, strengthening the bond between us. What was even more amazing was the transformation my classmate's mother experienced after the trip. Two years later, she mustered the courage to accompany her daughter to South America to visit her long-unseen father, overcoming her previous hesitation to travel alone. Our adventures on the Henna opened up the heart knot of my classmate's mother.

Upon our return to school, I shared the stories of our Japan trip and gifts with my classmates. As we recounted our experiences, their curiosity about the country and its culture was piqued, and the Japanese food we brought back only fueled their desire to explore the world. One classmate received a bucket of shrimp crackers from me and was reluctant to eat them. When she opened it again, she found that there were only a few pieces left. It turned out that her father secretly ate them, causing my classmate to burst into tears. In the second year, their whole family went on a trip to Japan to calm down the incident.

Our adventurous experience is passed on from classmates to their families, and the parents of each classmate don't want their children to fall behind. Such a sense of wanderlust swept through the class, and the following year saw a surge of classmates venturing abroad, setting off on their own journeys to different parts of the world.

Many people yearn to explore the outside world but may be hesitant to take that first step. Sometimes, all it takes is a guiding hand or a gentle nudge to open the door. My experience tells me about the impact of how the actions of a few can inspire and encourage many.

To be continued.