First Impression

It has been four days since I arrived in Japan, most of which was working hours, I don't even have a chance to see anything of the city except the commute route. On September 10th, I got up at 6:30 AM to catch the plane, we landed in Narita Airport and took a one hour train to Kawasaki, the city where the TOSMEC headquarter located. Then we went directly to the office with our baggages and started setup the environment. It was about 4:00 PM, and we didn't have lunch. First day was already making us feel the tension in the Japanese office, like the tight schedule of this project. We work 13 hours a day, 9am~10pm, it is said that the Japanese colleagues went home at about 1am, I don't know this for sure, but everyday we are the first to leave the office. They don't speak English, only the managers speak some lousy English, which I can barely understand. This is kind of a good thing, I don't need to talk to them. Our team leader has been here many times, he takes care of the communication part. 

The Japanese are very polite, careful and thrifty. They have many regulations about not to disturb the public and protect the environment in daily life, and they are good at following rules. Garbage must be categorized and each category should be disposed at one specific day in a week which I can't remember, quiet in the train or elevator, waiting in a line spontaneously at every possible scenario you can image, greeting each other when entering or leaving the office, sometimes the female colleagues bow to send their regards when you run into them in the office, this makes me nervous because I don't bow back. The PCs, printers and monitors in the lab are very old models, far behind the American office, even Shanghai office is better than here. They don't have a drinking-water machine, instead they use a small electric teapot which you may see in some motels in China, it is so small that need to refill frequently. Moreover, they don't provide free bag-tea, coffee, or anything, just hot water. Everything is about cost down. If you want to have some tea, bring you own.

We live in a motel about 15 min walking distance from the office, can not compare with the California Hotel, but at least better than my room in Shanghai. It has a air-conditioner, a TV which I only turned on once because all program spoke Japanese, a microwave oven, a cooking bench with electric heating, a table, a chair, a bed, a balcony, many cabinets and Internet access. The pillow is extremely uncomfortable so I have to sleep without it. They telephone here is expensive, not like the US, I can only be reached on the Internet.

Japanese food is delicious, tiny and expensive. Bentō is available at every convenient store and supermarket, charging from 400 Yen to 800 Yen, looks fancy and delicate, and tastes good. There are many small restaurants with variety of tastes nearby, I got my appetite back as soon as I see the luring pictures outside. The anorexia was cured but I have to restrain myself not to return all my "bloody-sweaty" money to Japanese.

After one day's heavy work, I go back to motel, exhausted but feels good, better than routine and meaningless days in Shanghai. To devote all to one thing, with no time or energy to consider anything else, it is an effective way to escape from the anxiety and depression of the real life, also, it is the best way the improve oneself and experience a joy of achievements. 

Life is hard, but not necessarily boring. It is all about trying something new.