About Us

Our Story

Hi, I’m Traian—From Romania to Japan, and Beyond

I’m originally from Romania, but I’ve called Japan home for over six years now. As an English teacher, I’ve had the privilege of working with students of all ages, but my journey in education began long before I stepped into a classroom—it started in kindergarten.

A Childhood That Shaped Me

Some of my happiest memories are from my early years, especially my time in kindergarten. Though I don’t remember many specifics, the warmth and care I received from one particular teacher left an indelible mark on me. Looking back, I see how those formative years shaped my perspective on education and relationships. Teaching runs in my family—my grandmother, aunt, and cousin have all been educators—but what stood out to me was the profound impact a single teacher could have on a child’s life. Inspired by this, I briefly dreamed of becoming a kindergarten teacher myself. While societal norms made that path less common for men, the idea of nurturing young minds stayed with with me throughout my career.

Lessons Learned Through Teaching

After university, I became an elementary and middle school teacher in Romania, where I taught for four years. Later, I brought my skills to Japan, where I’ve continued teaching for nearly six years. These experiences have taught me invaluable lessons—not just about pedagogy, but about patience, empathy, and the ever-evolving nature of learning. No matter how experienced we become, there’s always room to grow and adapt.

As a parent myself, I understand the challenges families face daily. Balancing work, household responsibilities, and childcare is no small feat. Whether it’s finding meaningful ways to engage children or seeking support outside the home, every family navigates their own unique journey. My goal is to bring this understanding into everything I do—to create spaces where both children and parents feel supported and empowered.

Family First

Above all, family is my priority. Working alongside my wife has been one of my dreams, and raising our children together is the greatest joy of my life. Parenthood has deepened my appreciation for the delicate balance between professional ambition and personal fulfillment. It has reminded me that while knowledge and expertise matter, nothing compares to the love and connection we foster within our homes.

Hello. I’m Miyuki.

Ever since I was in kindergarten, I dreamed of becoming a kindergarten teacher. I pursued that dream, studying early childhood education professionally at university and earning my qualifications as both a kindergarten teacher and a certified nursery staff member.

Although my English wasn’t very strong back then, my parents encouraged me to gain valuable experience abroad. Thanks to their support, I was able to participate in a high school homestay program in Australia and visit a childcare center in Canada during my university years.

These experiences sparked a new desire in me: I wanted to work overseas. At the same time, my passion for working in childcare remained strong. It was then that I found an opportunity through my university to work at a local school in Portland, Oregon, which had a Japanese immersion program. Despite feeling insecure about my English abilities, the drive to challenge myself, along with my parents’ encouragement, pushed me to make the decision to move to the United States after graduation.

Life in America was a huge challenge for me, starting with English skills that were barely beyond “Hello, my name is Miyuki.” I faced significant communication difficulties, trying to navigate interactions between my inability to speak English and the people around me who didn’t understand Japanese. However, I dedicated myself to studying every day after work and continued interacting with native speakers, even when words failed us. Gradually, my understanding began to improve.

Mastering English profoundly changed my life. It opened doors to communicating with people from many different countries and exposed me to a rich diversity of values and perspectives. This journey truly impressed upon me the importance of language learning.

Now, I am a mother to two daughters. My three-year-old can already distinguish between and understand Japanese, English, and Romanian. Witnessing her language acquisition abilities firsthand has reaffirmed my belief in the significance of natural language education from a very young age.

While learning a language isn’t always easy, acquiring it early with the right approach provides a powerful tool that lasts a lifetime. Through my own experiences and watching my daughters grow, I am reminded daily of the potential and importance of language education.

Drawing from my own journey and the insights gained from my daughters’ development, my vision for Pleigo is to create a nurturing, home-like environment where children can naturally absorb English. We aim to move beyond notions of ‘liking’ or ‘disliking’ English, or being ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at it. Instead, we provide a space where learning happens joyfully through play and everyday activities. Our goal is to build a foundation that empowers children to connect with diverse people in the future and confidently step out into the world.