"Burapha Golf Course" is a very special place to me. It's a place where I lived back in Thailand. I miss Burapha so much, especially the friendly neighbors, my school and friends, and all the exciting events. Living in Burapha taught me that the world is so much bigger than just the things around you.
Many foreigners and fewer Thais live in Burapha. For example, my next door neighbors were Indians. Sometimes they would invite me over to their house and let me have some Indian curry. About a minute away from my house was my Malaysian friend's house. Whenever I go to her house, we'd watch a Malaysian TV show and eat Malaysian food. Next to her house lived a Korean family. They are the people who gave me "Cinnamon," my beloved dog. In Burapha, there are so many people from so many different countries. I've made lots of friends and neighbors that have different lifestyles. To me, Burapha is special because it's the place that broadened my horizon.
Burapha isn't just a golf course with houses and foreigners. Two minutes away from my house is the International School I went to. In the school, I had friends who came from all over the world, such as Canada, England, Singapore, China, and so on. I had an American best friend, too. By going to that school, I got to know the cultures of each different country. If I hadn't lived in Burapha, I would have never gone to that school and met my friends.
Because so many foreigners live in Burapha, we often had events. On Halloween, everyone in Burapha wore costumes and went trick or treating. On Hanukkah, we would walk around the golf course with candles and lanterns in our hands. On Christmas, my favorite holiday, we would have Christmas parties and sing Christmas carols. Living in Burapha let me have the opportunity to celebrate all kinds of events that an ordinary Japanese girl wouldn't have.
Sometimes when I close my eyes, the memories of the days in Burapha comes back to me. I experienced so many things there, and learned how wide the world is. I will never forget my time in Burapha, my most special place in the world.
Child Research Net would like to thank the Doshisha International Junior/Senior High School and Yuka Toyoda, student and author, for permitting reproduction of this article on the CRN web site.
