For those seeking love in life, there is no particular map. So, Tokyo man Yasushi Takahashi crafted his own map to marry the love of his life. He decided to leave his job and venture on a remarkable journey to pop the question to his girlfriend of eight years. He sketched out his avant-garde marriage proposal using a tool called “GPS art.”

According to Google, GPS art is “the art of drawing by traveling,” using one’s feet as the paintbox. To use it, one turns on the GPS tracker while traveling through specific locations. When the journey is complete and the route map is uploaded to a mapping tool like Google Earth, it joins the route one has taken and displays the shape formed out of it.

One man’s proposal became a cross-country art project

When Yasushi decided to propose to his girlfriend, Natsuki, using GPS art, he used the tool to create a route that would form the words “Marry me.” With meticulous planning, he kickstarted the journey through the terrains and trails of the Japanese archipelago, across 40 prefectures. Like poets in love, he zipped past the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan to the shores of Kagoshima in the southern side, to stamp his wholesome message on the map of the country.It took Yasushi six months to complete the trip. In addition to scribbling his proposal on Google Earth, he added a tiny love heart with a cupid’s arrow piercing through it, for which he traveled across the island of Hokkaido. His imaginative drawing attracted the attention of Guinness World Records, and he ended up setting a record for the “largest GPS drawing” in 2010. His voyage spanned a total of 4,451 miles which is over 7,000 kilometres.

marriage proposal, epic proposal, Google Earth, GPS art, Guinness World Record, Japan, romantic, creative proposal, grand gesture, travel
Google Map image of the marriage proposal Yassan's GPS Drawing Project

From proposal to profession, GPS art changed his life

His exceptional journey inspired him to start working with GPS art on a full-time basis. At present, Yasushi calls himself “the pioneer of GPS art” on his art website. He has created more than 1400 artworks by traveling over 100,000 kilometers in 24 countries, and his work has also featured in over 3,000 TV shows around the world.

Describing his journey in a Google video, Yasushi said, “I planned the route on Google Earth and then quit my job and left. I hadn’t really ever gone outside of Tokyo. I was able to discover all kinds of things that I had only known about in books.” He added that he would camp out in his car after sunset. And even though there was heavy rain, snow, and earthquakes, he never gave up.

“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again,” turns out that this quote by Charles Dickens is true, because, after his notable journey, Yasushi’s girlfriend said “Yes!”

This article originally appeared last year.

  • Second-grade teacher asks her students for marriage advice. Here’s their 7 best responses.
    A married couple (left) and students raise their hands (right). Photo credit: Canva

    Children form strong worldview opinions at a very young age. Naturally curious, their thinking and insights can lead to blunt but brilliant relationship advice.

    Klarissa Trevino, a second-grade teacher, had a fun idea: to ask her students for advice ahead of her marriage. In a TikTok post, she shared some of their favorite responses, which they were genuinely thrilled to share.

    @itsklarissat

    This was so cute to do with them before I came back as a “MRS” after spring break 🥹🤍 *TEMPLATE is NOT mine its from TPT #teachersoftiktok #weddingadvice #lifeofateacher

    ♬ original sound – ✶𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮✶

    Teacher hands out worksheets

    Trevino wanted to find a way to involve her second-grade students in her wedding, so she printed out worksheets with the prompt, “The marriage advice I give my teacher is…”

    Sharing some of her favorite responses in a TikTok post, Trevino quickly went viral. She told People, “Being able to get a glimpse of their version of marriage and love was very sweet. It made me so happy that they have homes that have shown them the true meaning of it.”

    One of her favorite responses was, “do not eat each other’s snacks.”

    prompt, professional opinions, snacks, five-star, middle school
    Students write.
    Photo credit: Canva

    Marriage advice from second graders

    This is the best marriage advice these second graders had to offer—some might argue it’s as helpful and supportive as any professional’s opinion. Here are some of their responses to the prompt, “The marriage advice I give my teacher is…”:

    “to be kind and love each other.”

    “care and care for each other! Happy marriage!”

    “do not eat each others snacks.”

    “is to give her flowers.”

    “get her Starbucks evrey day.”

    “to take her on a date/ and go to a five star restraunt.”

    “care for [each other] And Love her. do not hurt her!”

    classroom, teaching, advice,
marriage, students
    Students raise their hands in class.
    Photo credit: Canva

    People are delighted by insightful second graders

    Viewers in the comments were delighted by the second graders’ advice, and some of their own responses were just as insightful as the kids’.

    “Kids are so smart.”

    “The best advice ever..”

    “Imagine how many marriages could’ve been saved if ppl just left eachother’s snacks alone”

    “This is legitimately better marriage advice than you see on TikTok.”

    “You should publish this, because people could really learn a thing or two from your students”

    “I’m teaching the wrong grade!!”

    “These are signs that these kids have wonderful parents and figures in there life’s …. and a wonderful teacher who loves and cares for them”

    elementary school, kids, friendship, meaningful insight, family
    Students pose for a picture.
    Photo credit: Canva

    Studies show that kids have meaningful insights

    These second graders shared straightforward, thoughtful insights. Yet research shows that children offering meaningful perspectives is nothing new. A 2025 study found that kids begin to understand other people’s feelings, beliefs, and even motivations at a very young age. They aren’t boxed in by adult expectations, which helps keep their thinking fresh and profound.

    A 2025 study found that even children as young as four understand far more than we might think. They’re capable of problem-solving and experience “aha!” moments that can make others grin.

    Kids often cut straight to the truth because they’re naturally curious. A 2025 study found that adults underestimate how organized children’s ideas can be. Like adults, kids’ beliefs shape how they act and feel, forming a worldview that is surprisingly detailed, consistent, and stable.

    These young students’ advice may seem simple, but that’s exactly what makes it so powerful. They remind us that kindness and honesty don’t require much effort to make a lasting impact on any relationship. Sometimes the truth comes from the smallest voices, and Trevino understood the value of listening.

  • Teacher spots suspicious bare feet under a school bench, but the ‘lockdown’ scare has a surprising explanation
    A teacher (left) and bare feet (right). Photo credit: Canva

    Teachers are trained to expect the unexpected. One day, Alissa, a history teacher who posts on TikTok under the name @teachinginstyle, looked out the window of her high school classroom and noticed a pair of bare feet hanging from a school bench.

    She knew something wasn’t right. In a split-second decision most teachers hope they’ll never have to make, she locked her classroom door. Then Alissa called the school’s safety number, which nearly triggered a lockdown.

    “One: stranger danger,” she explained in a video. “And two, I have a room full of sixteen-year-olds that I need to keep safe.”

    @teachinginstyle

    STORY TIME ✨ how I almost caused a lock-down at my old school 🔒 HAPPY FRIDAY & SKI WEEK ❤️ #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #teacherlife #teacher

    ♬ Piano famous song Chopin Deep deep clear beauty – RYOpianoforte

    Nearly causing a school lockdown

    A pair of unfamiliar, bare adult feet resting on a school bench is enough to warrant further investigation by any responsible teacher.

    “Outside my classroom, there were these wooden benches. And kids would sit there during break,” she continued. “My class was quietly working, and I glance outside, and I see a pair of bare feet. Like just feet, sticking out from the bench.”

    Wondering whether it was a student and if they were okay, she headed outside to investigate, only to find an unfamiliar adult asleep on the bench. Immediately frightened, she recalled, “Three things come to mind. One: Are they alive? Two: Why is there a random adult on campus? And three: Oh my God, are we going to have to go on lockdown?”

    Alissa locked her classroom door and called the safety number, describing the situation over the phone. It turns out the feet belonged to a substitute teacher. She concluded, “It was a sub—a substitute teacher—taking a nap on the bench, like wanting to get some sun on the dogs (their bare feet). Oops. How was I supposed to know that?”

    education, teachers, school safety, campus awareness
    Teachers pose in the hallway.
    Photo credit: Canva

    A story that’s both chaotic and funny

    Viewers had mixed opinions about Alissa’s story. Some thought she did the right thing, while others were more concerned about the substitute teacher’s behavior. Here are some of the comments:

    “I would do the same…”

    “OK, but as a sub, I could never imagine taking a nap.”

    “not just any nap, a nap on a bench with your shoes off”

    “You are 100”

    “What on EARTH????”

    “there is NOT enough diet coke to handle this..”

    “I think anybody would’ve done the same thing in that situation”

    Training programs, campus safety, crisis, drills, preparedness
    A school building on a sunny day.
    Photo credit: Canva

    Prepared for school safety

    To prepare for the unexpected, teachers must go through training. A 2025 study analyzed a training program designed to help teachers and staff prepare for emergencies. The results showed that participants felt more psychologically prepared and ready to handle a crisis.

    It’s important for students to feel safe and prepared, too. But do the drills help, or do they cause more problems for kids? A 2023 study found that 27% of children said the drills made them anxious. Overall, caregivers still supported the preparation, even though some kids felt uncomfortable.

    bare feet, substitute teachers, school preparedness, lighthearted
    A teacher talks with students.
    Photo credit: Canva

    The substitute teacher’s bare-feet fiasco turned out to be far less dangerous than it first appeared, but it highlights a real challenge teachers face every day. Alissa’s story is a lighthearted reminder of the serious nature of school preparedness, though sometimes there can be a surprisingly simple explanation.

    Anyone with concerns about handling different kinds of disasters can visit the FEMA website, where many free preparedness videos are available.

  • Teacher chaperones a kindergarten field trip and shares 3 moments that perfectly capture how little kids think
    (LEFT) Curious kindergartener and (RIGHT) teacher caught off-guard.Photo credit: Canva
    ,

    Teacher chaperones a kindergarten field trip and shares 3 moments that perfectly capture how little kids think

    A middle school teacher, Mr. Lindsay, chaperoned his son’s kindergarten field trip to the zoo. He explains in his TikTok video 3 funny moments that perfectly capture how little kids think. If you ever need proof that young kids see the world a little differently, just listen to what they have to say on this…

    A middle school teacher, Mr. Lindsay, chaperoned his son’s kindergarten field trip to the zoo. He explains in his TikTok video 3 funny moments that perfectly capture how little kids think.

    If you ever need proof that young kids see the world a little differently, just listen to what they have to say on this field trip. From a silly animal mix-up to a candid family comment, this recap by Lindsay captures why kindergarteners are some of the funniest storytellers on earth.

    Excited To See The Leprechauns

    Lindsay describes the first experience, “A kid walks up to me, and he goes, ‘Mr. Lindsay, I can’t wait to see the leprechauns.’” Lindsay responds that the zoo doesn’t have leprechauns, to which the kindergartener says, “No, I’m serious, the leprechauns. The ones with the spots.” The child was talking about the leopards.

    A pretty cute mistake that commonly occurs with younger children. They often reshape unfamiliar words to fit sound patterns they already know. A 2023 study of speech-sound substitution in the National Library of Medicine explained that the near matches of words can be termed “markedness.” The simple mistakes gradually end after they gain better control of their mouth.

    kindergarteners, funny conversations, childhood, cute mistakes
    Boy plays in a kindergarten playground tunnel.
    Photo credit Canva

    My Stepdad Is Much Younger

    In the second story, a kindergartner walks up saying that he is thirsty. Lindsay suggests getting some water when the kid suddenly stops, stares, and says, “My one dad is 53, but my other dad, who’s my stepdad, is 21.” Lindsay offers a surprised look to the camera after recounting the unexpected honest exchange.

    A 2024 study in Nature Human Behaviour reported that researchers studied kindergarten students to see whether trust would encourage honesty. They found that kids who were shown trust cheated less often. The research suggests that when adults instill trust in young people, they can encourage greater honesty.

    field trip, hygiene, healthy habits, education
    Kids on a field trip walk in a straight line.
    Photo credit Canva

    Gross And Unfortunately Familiar

    In the third story, when he catches one of the kindergartners picking his nose, Lindsay tells the child not to do that. The kid then wipes the booger on the ground and exclaims, “Well, I wiped it on the ground. It’s natural.” Yikes. Lindsay wraps the video saying, “So, not much different than teaching middle schoolers, but some good moments.”

    Kindergarten-aged kids are still learning basic hygiene habits. A 2024 review in the National Library of Medicine found kids were especially vulnerable to infections because of poor hygiene. Teaching healthy practices like hand washing, body hygiene, and oral care in school helped children stay healthier.

    kids, honest communication, trust, stories, school
    Cute little girl smiles.
    Photo credit Canva

    Kids Speak Their Truth

    There were some cute comments from fellow TikTokers who appreciated the stories and added a few of their own:

    “My son started kindergarten in the fall of 2020 so it was it all virtual on google meets. There was a kid in his class that would occasionally pop on camera in a Batman costume and say ‘I’m Batman.’ It was hilarious.”

    “Bless Kindergartner teachers- hardest job of them all!”

    “And this is why I teach kindergarten.”

    “One of my pre-k students came over to me during indoor recess, I thought the kid need help or someone hit him, he was making a face, when I asked ‘What’s wrong’ he gave a serious look and proceeds to tell me ‘I just needed to fart’ it was a nasty one”

    “Yup, sounds like kindergarteners! “

    Kindergarteners may not always know the right thing to say, but they certainly can say the honest thing. It’s a good reminder that teaching young kids means being ready for absolutely anything. Lindsay’s video offers a fun way to remind us.

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