This speech commemorates the speaker's mother's journey from poverty in China to success in Japan. The mother immigrated to Japan in 1989 with her three children and nothing else, working 15 hours a day for $6 an hour, below legal standards, to support her family. Despite not being able to read or write, she had a strong work ethic and business sense and now owns three successful Chinese restaurants in Tokyo, having achieved financial stability through her determination and perseverance in venturing out when she had nothing.

1. First Speech: Commemorative speech ~ Nothing ventured, nothing gained ~
Nothing ventured nothing gained. Please imagine, you were a peasant, very poor
farmer, in China. Because you don’t have money, you can’t get food from a store and
you can’t get education from a school. You have to work hard for every day meal to take
care of your 4 siblings and parents. How can you change the horrible situation? In fact,
my mother could change it.This is my mother’s short story of her outstanding adventure.
My mother is 53 years old Chinese. She married a Japanese man who also
didn’t have any money. As I said, she was too poor to live, but she had strong brevity,
belief, and brightness. In 1989, she immigrated to Japan with nothing but three children.
Her salary was $6 per hour which was under the lawful standard, and she had to work
for 15 hours per day which was also over the 8 hour lawful standard. However, she has
never given up to work hard for my family. She can’t read or write anything, but she has
great sense of business and communication. Now, she speaks three different languages
even though she is illiterate. Now she has three successful chinese restaurants in
Tokyo.
She has strong brevity because she has started her adventure with nothing but
family. She has strong belief because she has never given up to work hard for her
family. She has strong brightness because she has achieved the goal which is to gain
wealth for my family. Even if we have a desire to achieve, but if we don't take actions,
we can’t achieve our any goals. Nothing venture, Nothing gained clearly symbolizes my
mother’s flourish life. Thank you.