Growing up is a process of gaining through losing. For Wanru, the protagonist of our “Streamer Story” today, three years of working abroad has not only sharpened and changed her personality, but also caused her to lose the carefree, cheerful and lively self she used to be. By moving into the livestreaming industry, although Wanru gave up her previous career gains, she re-found her long-lost freedom and happiness. Regardless of gain or loss, every journey in life has its meaning.
Years of Working Abroad
With a long coastline, Weihai City in Shandong Province is among the first coastal cities that China opened to the outside world, and its unique geographical and cultural features have attracted many young people to fight for their future there. Also as the mainland city closest to Japan and South Korea, many of Weihai’s native residents hope to cross the sea to explore a broader future, and Wanru is just one of them.
At the age of 18, Wanru, who had not experienced much in the adult world, left her family and went to Japan to start her own adventure in a foreign country. With the basic Japanese that she learnt for six months before going abroad, she got a job as an auto parts inspector in a Japanese factory.
In Japan, a country that strongly emphasizes workplace hierarchy, it’s common for senior employees in the company to take advantage of rookies, so it was just natural that Wanru, who was new to the workplace, was treated strictly by her superiors. However, the job’s clockwork pace, tense workload, strict requirements and serious atmosphere made Wanru, who was supposed to be extrovert at her age, feel increasingly depressed. Over time, the previously outgoing and cheerful girl began to isolate herself from others with cautious words and deeds.
New Job, New Start
Although the years in Japan made Wanru's life no longer colorful, it also enabled her to quickly mature. She got to understand that life is never easy in the adult world, and realized how hard life was for her parents. After careful consideration, Wanru decided to leave the depressing country and return to the place where she can feel most at ease.
At that time, the we-media industry was booming in China, and with a platform and some skills, an individual could make a difference. Wanru, who just returned to China, wanted to quickly understand the domestic landscape, and livestreaming turned out to be an ideal career path that she could explore.
From the production line to the livestreaming studio, although the things Wanru needed to face were completely different, the habits she developed while working in Japan had already influenced her. During her first livestreaming days, she wasn’t so good at chatting with the audience, so in most of the time, she would just sit there and stay idle, not even knowing to pick up her mobile phone to kill time. From start to end, she would always stay in front of the camera, and only leave her seat when going to the bathroom. Looking back at such days now, Wanru can’t help laughing, saying that she was really "stupid" at that time.
Career Shift for a Better Life
With each passing day, Wanru gradually got on the right track with the help of her colleagues and managers, and also accumulated a loyal fanbase through continuous learning and hardwork. In the process of dealing with livestreaming users, Wanru gradually opened herself up bit by bit, and slowly regained her unfettered state.
She says that after becoming a streamer, life becomes much more interesting than before. Although she has less time for herself, her character has changed a lot through contact with different users, which is an intangible wealth for her.
"Now that I have chosen this profession, I hope I can do it well." Now, when she is not livestreaming, Wanwu will still visit her platform to learn livestreaming skills from other outstanding streamers. She will also dedicate her time and energy to maintain a good relationship with her fans. For her, doing things earnestly and treating people sincerely will naturally help retain those who really support her.
Three years of working in Japan seems to be irrelevant to Wanru’s current livestreaming career, but if it weren't for this experience, she might not have gained a calmness that beats her peers, nor have had a deep understanding of the hardships of growing up. Then, we wouldn’t be able to see the sincere, resilient, worry-free and happy girl we’re seeing now. Every journey in life has its meaning, so if you live your life seriously, it will reward you with its meaning at a certain moment in the future.