12.15.2025

Smiles Success Stories: Anny’s Journey as Indonesian Woman in Japan

Meet Anny!
Hardships and challenges that made you a stronger person
Proudest moment(s) since starting your journey living abroad
Life lessons and advice for living overseas
Join the Smiles Family
Be more inspired and read more success stories here

Smiles Mobile Remittance, known as Japan’s most popular global mobile money transfer service, is dedicated to supporting hardworking individuals who send money overseas to their families back home. Smiles helps create a better life for people working abroad and promotes peace and sustainability within the international community.

Loved by loyal customers since the beginning, Smiles is now excited to “Share Smiles” by telling inspiring stories from users worldwide. These stories showcase how Smiles Mobile Remittance provides its service to people determined to achieve their dreams and support their loved ones, no matter where they are.

Meet Anny!

My name is Anny, and I come from Indonesia. I moved to Japan to pursue better opportunities and to support my family back home. Currently, I work while also learning the language and adapting to the culture. Living abroad has opened my eyes to many new experiences, and each day teaches me something different. Even though it hasn’t always been easy, I’m grateful for the journey that has shaped who I am today.

Hardships and challenges that made you a stronger person

Like many who move overseas, my journey has been filled with challenges. At first, the language barrier made simple daily tasks feel overwhelming. I often felt homesick and struggled to adjust to a new work environment with different expectations and responsibilities.

There were moments when I questioned whether I had made the right decision. But every challenge taught me patience, resilience, and courage. Slowly, I learned to overcome the obstacles—whether it was understanding Japanese documents, adapting to strict work routines, or learning to stand on my own far from home. All of these experiences made me stronger and more confident in myself.

Proudest moment(s) since starting your journey living abroad

One of my proudest moments was realizing that I could support my family consistently from my own hard work. Being able to help them financially and bring comfort to their lives means a lot to me.

I also feel proud each time I achieve something new in Japan—like handling my own paperwork, communicating better in Japanese, or being trusted more at work. These small wins remind me of how far I’ve come from the day I first arrived, unsure and nervous.

Every progress, no matter how small, is a reminder that I am capable of more than I ever imagined.

Life lessons and advice for living overseas

Living abroad has taught me that growth happens outside of your comfort zone. Things may feel difficult at first, but with consistency and a willingness to learn, everything becomes easier over time.

I learned the importance of being patient with myself, staying humble, and asking for help when needed. It’s also important to take care of your health, keep in touch with family, and build a support system with friends or fellow workers.

My advice to anyone living overseas is: don’t give up when life gets tough. Focus on your goals, stay positive, and remember why you started your journey. Believe in yourself—you are stronger than you think.

Join the Smiles Family

Smiles strives to “Share Smiles” all over the world and aims to connect migrant workers in the international community. To join the Smiles Family in Japan, Canada and/or Singapore and follow one of the Smiles Facebook fan pages: