during her early days in Japan. Even after passing the nurse licens- ing exam, there are limits to what she is allowed to do with patients on her own and the salary increase was minimal"It's really a tough job because it takes lots of responsibilities but professionally, it's advantageous, said Abriol, who will take up a new challenge when she startsworking at a different hospital in Japan this month. Unlike other aspirants who have left Japan without completing the programme or even after they have passed the licens- ing exams, Abriol decided to continue to work there for now. "Passing the board exam was really diffi- cult. Not everyone can have this privilege. she said. Despite the hardships, she encourages fellow Filipino health professionals not to pass on the opportunity to train and work in Japan because, for her, the benefits out- weigh the disadvantages. But while she advises aspirants to study and adjust to the Japanese culture, she also hopes Japan will do the same toward Filipi nos and other foreign workers"so that both governments long-term goals will be met"Japan really needs health workers. That's a long-term need. I'm hoping and wishing they will learn to adapt to foreign ers so that a lot ofnurses can also come lto work in Japan]" she said. Abriol is proud about one of the differ 8 ences she sees between Filipino nurses and their Japanese counterparts in that the former consider their career as a"per- sonal" job We treat patients like family, she said.