Asuka Naito
age: 37
occupation: Cross-Cultural Business Consultant
found at: Elizabeth Park (Hartford)
What was your earliest ambition?
Being raised in France, I loved music, dance and the arts and wanted to become a professional dancer and Picasso when I grew up. But I remember idolizing my father as the incredible business person he was in a foreign country, and wanted to be just like him. Watching him, I wanted to grow up figuring out how the world really worked on a global scale.
How physically fit are you?
I would like to say very, being a dancer and yogi, but unfortunately due to a recent injury, I'm just getting back into shape again. I've been enjoying my daily walks at Elizabeth Park immensely.
How politically committed are you?
Not much, being Japanese and a Green Card holder who cannot vote. But with the election coming up, I think I want to learn more and get involved with what will be going on.
Do you consider your carbon footprint?
Yes! Not meticulously, but there are some things I totally disagree with such as bottled water and plastic containers in general. I love using reusable containers and I even opted to not purchase a car the seven months I lived in Los Angeles and hitched rides and used buses so I wasn't contributing to more pollution.
What ambitions do you still have?
I'm probably the most ambitious in my life ever! I still have lots of things I want to do, such as grad school, building up my own businesses, traveling around the world and catching up with friends, participating in good-cause start-up projects and moving to New York City, to name a few. And, of course, living holistically and healthy while doing all that.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
I have two. One was nurturing a terminally ill cancer patient into remission. The other was meeting his holiness the Dalai Lama at a press conference in Tokyo and asking for his words of wisdom on how to guide the Japanese youth. His responses to my question were printed all over the newspapers and it marked a solidifying moment as a media person to have asked the right question.
What has been your greatest disappointment?
Selling myself short and not believing in myself until I hit rock bottom. But both of these things have helped me become who I am today, so in hindsight, maybe not so disappointing after all.
If your 20-year-old self could see you now, what would she think?
“No way! Are you crazy?!” But I think she would be proud of all the odd experiences I went through, surviving some dark moments but yet still being able to bounce back without being jaded.
If you lost everything tomorrow, what would you do?
I've actually lost everything once so I'd do the same as I did then: pick up the pieces and rebuild from there and be proud of each choice you make. Life is ever changing so going with the flow and being flexible is definitely the key.
Dream dinner date?
Being flown to Europe and seeing an opera in Vienna.
