Things I Learned from Interviewing People

Since I’m the only local person in my department who speaks Japanese, I helped HR department when they’re interviewing a Japanese speaker staff. Well, besides looking for my successor, apparently my department decides to have a manager who speaks Japanese. Wicked!

I became a little bit used to interviewing people. It’s basically just questioning them in Japanese, which is I’m not that excel too (haha). But yeah it always makes them feel like “Oh God this girl can speak fluent Japanese!” or “Oh look this girl is so calm throwing questions! She must have lived in Japan for several years!” or at least that’s what I assumed seeing them all nervous and sweaty (yes, almost all the guys I interviewed were sweating).

Last Friday was pretty interesting. So there are 3 guys that we interviewed, let’s call them Mr. A, Mr. B, and Mr. C. Please note that most of the person I interviewed was older than me. I feel like a little princess who’s looking for a guy to amuse me because I’m super bored and don’t own a wifi router.

Here are things that I learned after interviewing them.

Mr. A

He went to a not-very-reputable university and took English Literature major. He studied for 3 years, did NOT finish it but instead went to Japan for some 3 years factory internship program. That’s where he got his Japanese language skill (d’uh!) but he doesn’t own a legitimate TOEFL certificate. What a lousy English Literature major student. And to be honest, his English was really not that good. He even requested to answer the question in Bahasa Indonesia! Dude, not cool.

After he’s back to Indonesia, he went to a different college, start from zero in computer major. The weirdest thing of this guy is when he described his job. He basically only did administrating job and a little translating in between, BUT he receives a much higher salary than I did! What the heck?!? I’m highly doubt that and believe he exaggerated his current salary, like, probably almost twice than the real salary he got.

Lesson learned:

-          - Do NOT ever request to change the language when you’re interviewed in a language other than your mother language. Just, don’t.

-          - Do NOT exaggerate your salary TOO MUCH. It’s OK to do it from time to time, but don’t over-do it.

Mr. B

He went to universities in Japan for both of his bachelor and master degree, graduate with summa cum laude GPA (perfect 4.00 GPA for his master degree), received the Monbukagakusho Scholarship, his TOEIC score was 825, have a JLPT N1 certificate. Bottom line, he’s not human. He’s a mutant with a super intelligent brain. Yet he’s very humble, calm and he even referred himself as “not very good in Japanese language”. I was ready to throw off my pencil at his face.

When my manager tells him about our business, he listened to it and asked some very good questions. I could see that this guy is really, really smart with eagle eyes that sees what human generally don’t see. He’s that good. And cool. And good looking. And married.

Anyway, beside my broken heart of seeing his wedding ring, this guy is top-notch but probably over qualified for the position. He expected high salary, which is OK considering his background.

Lesson learned:

-          - Be bold when questioning about the company and the job. You can see immediately what you’re gonna get through if you take the job.

-         -  Be humble. Even though it makes some people want to throw things at your face, it’s still a lot better than be a smug.

Mr. C

Firstable, this guy doesn’t speak good English and never took any TOEFL test. He’s currently working in an Indonesian company. When we asked him why he wanted to leave his job, he said that he wants to work in a international company. I think he meant was bi-national company since he only speaks Bahasa Indonesia and Japanese Language. International, you say? We wouldn't hire this guy, but for the sake of humanity, we still interviewed him. I don’t know why HR department sent him to us.

He has a really loud voice despite the fact the he also went to Japan for a 3 years factory internship. I guess he went to a part of Japan where people speaks loudly to each other. I don’t know what part of Japan is that, but oh well.

Lesson learned:

-          - Try your best to adjust your voice volume to match your surroundings.

-          - When you apply for an international company, for the love of God, SPEAK ENGLISH. Seriously.

Soo.. I’m not the one who’s going to choose them since I’m only helping. Not sure the management already picks the winner either. But it’s a good experience since I’ll be having some interview for my self too in the future *wink*.

The difference between being alone and being lonely

"Being alone is a fact, while being lonely is a state of mind."

-read somewhere in twitter

I’m a shitty introvert who actually like being alone but also needs to be in a crowded place sometimes. So, you’ll see me in a crowded place but looks … lonely (?). It gets me in a kind of ‘nowhere’ state when I was’ here’ but wishes to be’ there’, but when I actually get ‘there’ then I wish to be back to ‘here’. Haha, confusing, huh?

So it got me thinking, what’s the difference between being alone and being lonely? What kind of relation do these two words have?

You will know if someone is being alone when you see them sitting in a park without anyone sitting beside them and talk to them. That’s alone. You can actually SEE them being alone.

You see a person sitting in a bunch of people in a party, talking to each other, laughing, but secretly one of those people doesn’t feel quite the same happiness as others. Can you SEE it? No.

Being alone does not always mean that you’re sad because you don’t have a companion at the time. You CAN be happy even if you’re alone. Everybody needs a ‘me time’. So you have no right to judge a person when they go shopping alone or watch a movie alone. Especially when they look happy doing it. Even if they don’t show the happiness, I can still sense if someone’s enjoy shopping alone. Wow, introverts do stand with each other. #IntrovertsUnited

The other thing about being alone, for me, it’s more like an accomplishment after the ‘extrovert’ things I’ve been through all the weekdays. After 5 days in touch with the people in my office; from fun person who cheers me up to fucktards who makes my life turns to a sudden hell, I always need at least a day in 1-2 weeks of being alone. It’s like I’m charging my energy to mingle with people again. Trust me; dealing with people can be an energy-sucker

Being packed in a crowded laughing people does not always mean that you’re completely happy, either. Probably it is, for some of you. But for me, the shitty introvert, it’s not like that all the time. I like to be in the middle of a crowd; hell I even need it, sometimes. But when I run out of my extrovert energy, that’s when I feel I have to crawl back to my cave, just sit still in my short pants sipping ice tea while reading some books or watching sitcoms. And just laugh like Beavis and Butthead.

I can tell when loneliness attacks me. It’s when being alone doesn’t help anymore. It’s when being with another people, also, doesn’t help. 

So yes, I agree with the statement I saw when scrolling down my twitter timeline: “being lonely is a state of mind”. It doesn’t matter where you are, who you’re with, or what you do. When you FEEL lonely, you can’t help it.

Fortunately since loneliness is just a state of mind, you can turn around this situation by yourself. When you reach certain maturity, you WILL find something to prevent you to feel lonely. Most of the time people would just hit a party or meeting people, but in other case, being alone might help you. 

Funny how you can cure loneliness by being alone. 

Book Review: Grace Mineta’s “My Japanese Husband Thinks I’m Crazy”

I used to own a blog through high school to early college and my blog address was “crazyvinny”, so when I know about this book I don’t feel that it’s weird at all. Somehow I feel so much related to the author. It’s good to admit you have a little craziness inside you, isn’t it?

This book is about an American girl named Grace being married to a Japanese guy named Ryosuke. This is not a romantic novel of interracial marriage. It’s a comic book about their daily life in Japan, which I think mostly contains each other’s misunderstood because of the cultural differences that somehow comes up really cute. Even though it’s racial; something that people usually avoid or just don’t talk about, Grace can put it up in a funny way in her comics. If I were Japanese, I guess I wouldn’t feel offended at all.

Not just comic, Grace also writes about how she sees Japan culture from American point of view; which apparently represent how people from other country mostly see Japan too.  I found these writings pretty deep, especially when Grace talks about onsen (public bath) in Japan and how it can boost a girl’s self-esteem about their body. I’ve never been to an onsen, but to think that you have to be completely naked already shivers me. However, after reading it, I think I’m scared because I’ve never been to one. If I give it a try, I probably can see her point in her writing (maybe, let’s see).

What I like the most of this book is that Grace makes interracial marriage sounds very fun, despite of all the stereotypes. Getting married with someone who doesn’t have the same mother language is already hard, let alone moving across the country where most of the people don’t speak her first language. Her ability to see a problem not as a problem is somewhat amazed me. She just doesn’t seem to make it as a big deal, although sometimes I can sense the anxiety in her writings. Ryosuke manages to calm her down and it makes me wish that in the future I could marry my own Ryosuke too.

If you’re about to go to Japan, studying Japanese culture, having a relationship with a Japanese guy, or just love something to do with Japan, I suggest to read this book. Grace is on her way to publish the second book “My Japanese Husband Still Thinks I’m Crazy” *gasp*. Cool, right? You can check out her website www.howibecametexan.com (not sure if I’m doing her any favor because this blog is new and don’t have a lot of visitor). 

How Education Went Wrong in Indonesia

I just saw the movie Whiplash. For you who already watched it, it was intense, right? But I’m not going to write a review about the movie.

It’s just, this movie somehow reminds me of my elementary school’s math teacher. She was able to make this fear atmosphere every time she walked into the classroom. The class would be in a total silence, pupils are nervously prepared their books on the table, and yes, we were afraid of her. Or was it just me who got very, very scared of her?

Why the hell did I get so scared of her?

I’m not very excellent in math. You wouldn't believe how much time I spent standing in front of the class being punished, desperately trying to solve the math problems she gave just to get my ass back to my seat, and almost crying thinking how stupid I was because I couldn't give her the right answer. And she, in all of her arrogance, successfully made me think that I’m not an excellent student and that I’d probably end up not having a good education in a higher level and would not have a bright future. She was totally brainwashed all the students, probably the parents too, to think that math is the basis of all kind of education.

This is where education went wrong.

A teacher should see what their student really best at, and not push them to be good at something they don’t have any interest at, or simply just not born with that particular ability. I’m not saying that if I’m not good in math then I shouldn't study math at all. D’uh.

What if someone was excellent in other subject but they already got this ‘not having a bright future if you don’t excel in math’ stereotype planted in their brain and lose their interest to education? Teachers SHOULD NOT turn this against their students and make the students feel embarrassed by not excelling in a particular subject.

Well, here I am, being not good in math, reached a high level of literature education in a reputable university, graduated cum laude, got a full time job 1 week after my graduation ceremony, and make enough wage to pay my own study abroad in Japan.

If she thinks that I can have more than that if I was excelled in math, then why did she become an elementary school math teacher in a small town herself anyway? Shouldn't she be riding her limousine eating caviar after having a holiday in Hawaii with her private jet plane?

Wow it turns out to be an emotional post, sorry.

Why Indonesian Kids Looks like They’re Obsessed with Doraemon

I’m telling you why. Because we grew up with Doraemon.

During my childhood in the 90s, TV channels in Indonesia have this “marathon” of cartoon shows (mostly Japanese cartoon) on Sunday morning from around 6 to 11 AM almost in every channel. To be fair we don’t have that much of TV channels at that time. There were only like 5 or 6 channels if I’m not mistaken.

The highlight of these cartoons is of course, Doraemon, which is aired in RCTI at 8 AM. Even until now, it’s still aired at precisely the same time. I think it’s started since I was born (?) and never change until I’m already 25 years old now. How cool is that?

As a little kid, we can relate to Nobita who’s always asking Doraemon to give him the magic tools that come from the future so he can do the impossible things like flying, go anywhere we want in a blink of an eye, or tools that makes you smart without having to study. 

It makes innocent kids like us thinks, “Hey, I want my own Doraemon!”. 

Sadly we won’t have our own Doraemon until like, 200 years from now, probably. So we keep Doraemon in a special place in our heart.

Hence the obsession.

Last month the movie Doraemon Stand By Me is on theaters in Indonesia. I know that in Japan, Doraemon regularly have a movie that comes in theaters, but not in Indonesia. This is the first time that we can watch Doraemon in theaters, so everybody who grew up in the 90s is so excited. Plus, the plot of the movie is that Doraemon is going back to the future and leave Nobita behind. It feels like the end of Doraemon and it kills a little bit of our child soul deep down inside.

The tickets sold like crazy! Even I had to buy online about a week before the premiere day. And when me and my friends went to the theater to see the movie, MY DEAR LORD I’ve never seen such crowded theater in my life. After I done watching the movie at 9 PM, people were still in line to buy the tickets!

Funny thing is, when I talk about how excited people in Indonesia about this upcoming movie of Doraemon to my Japanese colleague, they don’t seem slightly interested at all. They’re like, “yeah lately I saw a lot of Doraemon commercials on TV in Japan but I’m not really sure why” or “you DO know that this is NOT the ending of Doraemon, right?”.

Now I see why we seem a little bit obsessed about Doraemon. Even my boyfriend calls me a “Doraemon Otaku” when we visited Fujiko F Fujio museum in Japan. If I’m being called obsessed over Doraemon, I’m taking all the 90s children in Indonesia down with me to the Doraemon Otaku land. LOL.

Guangzhou Eats: Halal Food in Canton Fair 2014

If you happen to be a Moslem and will go to Canton Fair in Guangzhou, China, I will tell you one of the “safe food” I found in Canton Fair’s food court last year.

Canton Fair is where the businessman and traders from all over the world gathered and I met A LOT of Middle Eastern businessman there. So you don’t have to worry about being in a Moslem in China and couldn’t find any food that doesn’t contain pork meat.

How do I know that they’re Moslems? 

Well, first is their face, if they happen to be a Middle Eastern blooded guy (d’uh). But, surprisingly there’s another way on how I found it out. My middle name is Athina, taken from Arabic language; it’s common in Indonesia to name your kid with Arabic words even though you have absolutely no Arabian blood running in your family. So every time I handed my name card to them, they would go all “Aah, you’re a Moslem!” or “Assalamualaikum!”, something like that.

Now I know why it feels so good to find other “Moslem Brother” in a nowhere land where they eat pork and everything. It warms your heart.

So yes, like other Moslem who has a tough time finding halal food, I too had a hard time finding what to have for lunch. But, fear not, Moslem Brothers and Sisters! I present to you: Guangzhou Salam Catering Development Co.,Ltd  (totally exaggerating it, hahaha. It’s actually only one of the kiosks in the huge food court).

Let's zoom in...

See that "Halal" sign among the menus

Basically they have chickens and beefs on their menu, served with rice and potatoes and vegetables. The price is reasonable I guess, it was about 25-35 yuan (USD 5.00 – 6.00). I bought the chicken dish. The portion was ridiculously large; I couldn't finish it although I was pretty hungry at that time. It tastes pretty delicious and you won’t tell the strange smell they usually have on foods in Chinese dish (Indonesian will know).

Yummy!

You can eat this food on the “Halal Food Table” in the food court. It’s nice that Canton Fair set these separate aisles for them who eat Halal Food. You can eat your meal without being afraid you’ll get your plate splattered by pork oil from other people’s plate (?). Too bad I didn't take a picture of the “Halal Food Table” sign, but they have it in every food court, so don’t worry.

Anyway, there are always other options to find something to eat. It’s to bring your colleague who speaks Chinese to make sure you order the no-pork-dish. But, since they cook and serve it in the same equipment with the pork dish, well, you could tell a little bit of porky taste. If you’re too paranoia about this, you can choose one of these halal food in the food court. I’m sure they have lots in every food court in Canton Fair. Yay!

My Old Blogspot Blog Disappeared

I was an active blogger since high school to early years of college. Probably around 2005 to 2008 if I’m not mistaken. This was huge at that time, for me, since not many people in my age really aware what blogging is. Note that at that time, we didn’t have facebook syndrome like now, so I could really focus in blogging.

Oh, I didn't have a full access to internet in my home PC (my Mom was very strict on the limitation of my internet usage), so I would go to an internet café to post my blog. Good times.

I used blogspot, just like now.

And then I got busy with college life. Moving out from home and live alone in a different city did take my time. I stopped writing in my blog. But, I never delete it. For the last 4 years I still visit my page sometimes. I didn’t sign in, though. It’s good to see my writings are still there. Embarrassing moments too, but that’s OK. I can live with it.

And just when I thought to start writing again, I tried to visit my old blog, and then…

It’s gone.

All my post.

All my pictures.

Blogspot deleted my old blog, just like that.

*lay down*

*cry like a baby*

HOW COULD YOU, BLOGSPOT??? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME???

I guess it’s a blogspot’s way to tell me to move on to the next blog. Really, I never want to post anything in that unstable-high-school-girl blog anymore. But is there any way I can get my post back?
Just out of curiosity.