Minako has always loved school since small and dreamed about becoming a teacher.
In 1999, she came to Australia on a Working Holiday visa to have a taste of Australian life. She got a job as an assistant Japanese teacher at local schools. Soon after, she realised that being Japanese was not enough to teach Japanese.
"I love seeing my students who started from zero Japanese, to be able to speak like native and go to Japan to work. Also, I enjoy seeing my students developing their communication skills such as greetings, introducing themselves, communicating with staffs at the shop and using respectable terms."
During her 20 year long career of being a Japanese teacher and running her own school in Melbourne, her ride wasn't as smooth as it may sound. SBS asks Minako about her career and life choices she made over time in order to achieve her goal.
