How My Father Inspired My Passion for Japanese Automobiles
I visited my dad at his workplace a lot when I was young, watching him teach me about automobiles. This sparked my interest in cars, bikes, and engines so early in my life that I understood engines young. By the time I was in high school, I wrecked the Honda bike I was learning on. It took me about a week to figure out what was wrong, order the spare parts, and fix it.
My passion for automobiles led me to two things: taking mechanical engineering as my course later at the University of Indonesia and being drawn to Japanese cars and bikes. I was able to learn and experience for myself through their vehicles, how Japanese craftsmanship always offered a superior experience. I was in awe of Japan’s world-leading manufacturing industry.
One of the three internships I did was with a Japanese company. It was admittedly my favorite and most memorable internship because it was so organized and rigorous. I enjoyed how smooth everything was, and the way they worked, and appreciated how excellently everyone worked. I even appreciated how much everyone followed rules, and how strict they were then. It helped me imagine what it would be like to work in Japan.
I was so drawn to Japan that my mom suggested I start learning some Japanese as well. Luckily, in my sophomore year in college, I chanced upon a FAST OFFER International poster for free Japanese classes.
Effective Methods for Learning Japanese: An Indonesian Student‘s Experience
I tried to ask my classmates if they wanted to take Japanese classes with me. I wound up going alone but I didn’t let that stop me. It was a fun and interesting class that they missed out on. On top of that, I went beyond being a diligent and consistent student in that class. Here are some things outside of the classroom that helped me study Japanese:
- I changed my phone settings to Japanese. This forces me to use Japanese every time I use my smartphone. It’s so important to make Japanese part of your daily life.
- I followed Japanese creators on Instagram and YouTube. This helped me go beyond my textbook and hear the language in its natural form in real life.
- I watched Japanese movies in my spare time. Balancing my academics, internships, and learning Japanese was tricky and tiring. Making my language learning fun and engaging through immersing in Japanese media such as movies, songs, and news made it a more rewarding task.
Securing a Job in Japan: My Experience with FAST OFFER International
After a year of learning Japanese, FAST OFFER International, officially began helping me find job opportunities. I interviewed for two Japanese companies digitally in my first month. But my Japanese at that time, wasn’t quite enough. I was overwhelmed during my first interview and gave short, blunt answers. I was also quite distracted as I was also dealing with my internships.
The next month, FAST OFFER International sent me another opportunity with a Japanese company and learning from the past, I did better. I got to the final interview, but it still wasn’t enough. Instead of letting that get me down, it inspired me to study Japanese even more. I practiced with my friends and had mock interviews with FAST OFFER International mentors who helped me sharpen my Japanese and got me comfortable with the language.
As my skills improved, my confidence grew. With enough Japanese, I could successfully explain my final year project that brought together robotics, computer vision, and pipe welding in an extremely cost-effective way.
FAST OFFER then told me another three Japanese companies wanted to interview me. This time, I would be taking these interviews in person in Japan! That was exciting! It was my first time to go to Japan.
It was a wonderful trip. I got to hang out with friends from various countries with similar dreams of working in Japan. I got to taste their delicious ramen and sushi as well. I also got to see for myself how clean and organized everything in Japan was but also how fast, busy, and frenetic Shibuya can be. While anxiously waiting for the results of the interviews, I distracted myself as I stood in awe at Roppongi Street, where Japanese sports cars and bikes zoomed through, their engines loudly thrumming.
I was shocked when the results finally came out on the website: two companies wanted me onboard.
Getting Ready for a New Life in Japan: Preparations and Expectations
There are still a lot of months before I fly to Japan for work. I’m making the most of the time while waiting.
In preparation for my life in Japan, I’m brushing up on my Japanese. To help with my work performance, I’m also studying data science and CAD deeper. Once I graduate, I’m also going to be a part-time research assistant to my future former professor at my alma mater.
I’m also using this time to hang out with friends more. I’m sure I’ll miss them a lot. We plan on going on tours around Indonesia. Perhaps during these tours, I’ll find keepsakes and spices I can bring to Japan.
I’m sure the life in Japan that awaits me will be full of challenges, but I’m just as sure that it will also be just as rewarding. Perhaps the rewards one day can come in the form of my own traditional Japanese house and a garage of Japanese sports cars and bikes. That would be the dream. Though that may happen after some time, I’m sure there will be rewards that will come a little sooner that come from simply being in Japan, and letting their culture change me. Perhaps, I too will become as organized and fine-tuned as the Japanese. Right now, with my story yet to fully unfold in a country close to my heart, it feels like anything is possible!
If you come to Indonesia, here is my recommended restaurant you wouldn’t want to miss!
You can find Bebek Kaleyo all around Indonesia, but they have especially a lot of branches around West Java and Jakarta. My favorite of theirs is one of their specialties: their madura-seasoned roasted duck with a side of stir-fried papaya flowers. I’m always impressed with how tender, juicy, and richly flavored they get their duck, all at a reasonable price!
