Yoko and I have been married for thirteen years and our anniversary is this Friday the 24th. It is a particularly auspicious day in the Japanese calendar because it is ‘Taian’, a day of especially good luck.
Well, good luck has certainly been with us as here we are all these years later and it still feels like she is my girlfriend rather than my wife. She helps me in countless ways with my business as a Partner in and a Franchisee of the Smith’s School of English. She is my partner too.
Some people believe that we were not only permanently joined at the hip, but that according to another Japanese historical custom, there were two invisible red strings that had held us together since we were born and, of course long before we ever knew each other. It was both fate and destiny that we should be together.
Another possible reason for the success of our relationship is that we had two weddings. Our original wedding date was June 24th, 1998 in Japan, a time when all family came to Kansai to see. My father was still alive at that time and eagerly made his second trip to Japan. But we had another, more intimate and romantic wedding in Guam in March, 2006, a full eight years later. This made Yoko very, very happy, just the two of us together with no responsibilities or obligations to anyone but ourselves. I recommend you try this yourselves. Have a second ceremony!
We just don’t have a worry in the world and wish the same for all of us in the Smith’s School of English Franchise system. Take care!
Martin Werner Zander, Partner in the Smith’s School Company
マーティン・ワーナー・ザンダー
Owner, Smith’s School in Kotoen
Congratulations. Chiharu and I just had our 2nd anniversary. Hopefully at our 13th we will be as in love as you two are. Keep that string tied tight!