How to acquire English skills even if you don’t want to. 　Chapter 3 Work and English (1) 3.4 Retirement before my age of 30, Studying at SDSU (San Diego State University)

　Less than two years after my returning to work after studying at Kyoto Institute of Technology out of the company, the company's offer of voluntary retirement was good timing for me to carry out my secret life policy at the time of joining the company, which was to end my corporate life by the age of 30 and become independent. (It may sound a bit imprudent), but in a sense, I thought it was a God-given opportunity. Of course, on the other hand, most of my colleagues were puzzled or troubled by the company's severe proposal of voluntary retirement.

　As soon as I heard about the company's voluntary retirement policy, I decided to leave the company, as was my default. I made my intention to leave clear to the labor union and to the company when they interviewed me and explained the situation to me. In the case of me, who had only been with the company for a short period of time, my supervisor told me to remain in the company, but I made my decision clear. The fact that I could receive a voluntary retirement allowance (retirement surcharge) was a big attraction for me, whereas the usual retirement for personal reasons or voluntary resignation would result in no severance pay.

　I thought I could use that voluntary retirement allowance to study abroad in the U.S. for a short period of time to check my English language skills as a result of my self-study of English for a long time until then and to prepare for my next step of business career, a job where I would use English.

　And it was in September 1976 that I carried out the retirement in the series of actions of "resignation - short-term study abroad - independence".

　I remember that it was September 6, 1976 when I arrived in Los Angeles via Hawaii on the first jumbo jet (Boeing 777) I ever boarded from Haneda Airport for a short-term study abroad program in the United States to check my academic ability. It was my first time abroad, my first time in the U.S., and my first time traveling alone, so everything was new and fresh. I was 29 years and a half old.

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