While living a stable life as a company employee in Hiroshima, Saori couldn’t shake the feeling that her days might amount to nothing more than commuting back and forth between home and work.
In March 2024, she acted on a dream she had been carrying for years — to challenge herself with English in a foreign country — and moved to Vancouver. Today, she works as a trainer at Starbucks and at a local educational consulting firm, while also serving as manager of the Education and Events Team at the nonprofit Toiro, where she focuses on building a community that turns the anxiety of living abroad into a sense of possibility.
We sat down with Saori to hear her story.
From a Stable Routine to the Unknown
――What were you doing before you joined Toiro?
Before moving to Canada, I spent five and a half years working in general affairs and HR at an automotive company in Hiroshima. I majored in English literature in college and spent five months studying in the U.S. during my sophomore year — that experience left me with a lasting fascination with English and life overseas.
As the years went by in the corporate world, I grew increasingly restless. I worried that my life might just pass by without much to show for it, and I found myself wanting to seriously go after English again in another country. Around that time, I came across an influencer named Akane and her “AK-English Study Abroad Support” program. I applied almost on a whim, and a few weeks later I found out I had been selected.
That was the moment I knew — I had to go. I left the company I’d spent over five years at and made the decision to move to Vancouver.
Finding a Place to Belong Through Mutual Support
――What is your role at Toiro?
As manager of Toiro’s Education and Events Team, I handle event planning and community management. Each month, we host online events built around topics like design and English, creating a space where participants can learn together and actually enjoy the process.
I first met Maria, Toiro’s founder, two years ago through a separate project. When I heard she was starting a nonprofit, her vision — creating opportunities for people navigating life abroad to expand their options — resonated with me deeply, and I knew I wanted to be part of it.
――What do you love most about being part of Toiro?
More than anything, it’s the team. Everyone has a role, and when something gets tough, people naturally step up for each other without being asked. Getting to work alongside people with such different perspectives has been genuinely energizing. I keep thinking, “We really did gather a wonderful group of people.”
We’re still a young organization and there’s plenty we’re still figuring out, but knowing I can tackle challenges too big to handle alone — and that the team will be there — is what keeps me going.
Turning Frustration Into Fuel: The Challenge She’s Committed to Now
――What are your goals going forward?
Right now, I’m focused on building real, usable English. A while back, while working as an educational consultant and chaperoning a group of high school students from Japan, I struggled during conversations with local people. It was frustrating to feel that gap in the moment.
Two years into living in Canada, that frustration finally lit something in me. I want to be able to use English with actual confidence.
Toiro hosts events in English, which I love — it gives me a real space to practice facilitating in the language, not just study it. I’ve been setting aside about two hours a day to work on it, building steadily. English is never really finished, but I want to feel noticeably more confident a year from now. This is the season to commit to it seriously, and that daily effort is the most meaningful challenge I have right now.
――Any words for people reading this?
Living abroad isn’t all adventure and excitement. When I first arrived, I was constantly anxious — about finding work, about money, about all kinds of things I hadn’t anticipated. But having come through that, I can honestly say: over these two years, I’ve grown into a much more independent version of myself.
If you’re curious about going abroad but feel held back by fear, I’d just say — try to take that first step. When you put yourself out there, you will find people who recognize your effort, and you’ll meet people who surprise you. Toiro hopes to be a place that can ease those fears and give you a quiet push forward.
If reading this has made you think, “I’d like to get involved with Toiro,” please apply to volunteer using the form below — we’d love to meet you!
https://forms.gle/3n1XBmQyEZuzwoyy6
