Work, Life and Dream

"If you are looking for a job you would like to do even without getting paid, you will be searching it forever.

The pressure we feel to find a perfect job is too much, and we are so multifeceted that we can't love only one thing. The meaning of a job is to belong to a group of people, to get involved into a certain task, and to earn for living."

This article was quite interesting though there are some extreme opinions. We should take it for granted that there's no ideal job. And your interests may change as you get older. If so, nonetheless, we can be easily lost wondering what to do, what to choose. Career is important, indeed, in a sense that you are going to spend most of your life on doing it. The time you are in the office is longer than time you are with your family. So it totally makes sense if you wish to make a right decision, but it shouldn't be an obsession. Adjustment will be necessary. You'll be successful if you could get used to a new environment, make the most of it and enjoy whatever you are in charge of. Fulfillment is not something that you wait until it comes, but something is there waiting for YOU to find it. Maybe. At least it releases ourselves from the pressure to have an ideal job.

皆さんの意見が聞きたい

男女雇用機会均等法の記事を読んで、改めて考えさせられる。
女性の側にも、出世したくない、フルタイムで働くのは結婚・出産までと考える人がいるから、意欲の評価がよくないこともあるらしい。
一方で、給料、待遇、出世スピードに明らかな違いがあると会社を訴えた人もいる。判決は、差があることは認められるが差別ではないというグレーなもの。

今も普通に日本では、女性の仕事はこれ、男性はこれ、女の子はこうすべき、というのが強い。見えない鎖としてある。

確かに、結婚したら専業主婦、家庭を一番に考えたいという人もいる。子どもの面倒を誰が見るか、両親が離れていて頼る人がいなかったら、どうしようもない。結局女性がやめざるをえないことが多いし、一方で家庭に入ることを望んでいる人もいる。仕事で活躍したい、という野心が高い私としては、すごくもったいないなあと思う。子どもが手がかかるのはほんの一時期で、それを過ぎて正社員として再就職するのは難しい。せっかく教育を受けているのに。でも「元専業主婦」の受け皿が非正規雇用しかないのも確か…。
でも、仕事を続けたいがために結婚も出産も諦めるなんて辛い。なぜ社会は協力的でないのか。なぜ子育ての大変な一時期を、皆で乗りきろうとしないのだろう。暗に上司から退職を勧められた、なんて読むと腹が立ってくる。結婚するってことは、お手伝いさんになるってことじゃないですよ！と言いたい。お母さんのための子育ての本とかよく見かけるけれど、お父さんは何もしなくて良いわけ？ やっぱり女性は家のことして、男性が働くっていう考え方が根強い。それが男性だけでなく女性にも浸透していることが、問題を複雑にしていると思う。

ヨーロッパとか、アジアとか、両性ともに働くのが極めて普通の国を知ってるから、何でこんなに差があるのか興味深い。

有給の数かな… 有給多くて取りやすければ、緊急時にもなんとかなりそう。有給を取っても、仕事の割り振りや評価に影響しないというのが前提。外国は手続きが極めて遅いけど、労働者の権利を守ればそれが普通なのかも。この間も、海外の人にメールしたら10日間のバカンスに出てます、戻ったら返信しますという自動メールが帰ってきた。別の人は１ヶ月フランスで休暇中、別の人は１ヶ月アメリカ縦断予定…などなど。土日に2日くっつけて4連休を年に一度取るのが精一杯な身にとってみれば、この過密スケジュールは一体なんなのか…と思ってしまう。

ワークライフバランスって大事だ。どちらも大事だから、バランスを取らないといけない。生きるために仕事してるのであって、仕事するために生きているのではない。

Notes and thoughts

It seems to have become one of the comforting place to be, finally. The plight has turned out to be a nice, warm place actually. The more I find it nice, the more I have second thoughts of leaving.

Looking back, the first several months were miserable, every day was filled by remorse, sadness and loneliness, but as time goes by, as having people recognize you, and getting used to do tasks under pressure, having good relationships with others, the place has become much easier to stay.

I think I taught myself how to adjust myself to a difficult situation and foreign environment, to get along with any kind of people in a way that nobody will feel bad, and to find a silver lining in everything I encounter. I now believe that we can learn something new from anything. And I'm interested in so many things, including the topics that I thought I would have no passion for. So I will be able to enjoy doing anything once I got used to it and found the way how to achieve it.

The environment... my desire to be in a different place is very very strong and I am sure it will come true sooner or later, and I'm now contemplating many things.

Nothing is waste of time, at least it is experience, something that will strengthen you, mentally and physically.

Firework/Katy Perry

'Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show'em what you're worth

Make'em go, oh, oh, oh

As you shoot across the sky

This song is splendid! Its lyrics is wonderful, beyond description.

Music video is also nice... worth watching and singing along many times.

It'll make you cry!

Christmas present 2!

I'm so lucky!

Blogging connects

I like reading blogs of other people living abroad.

A university student living in Australia, A woman living in New Zealand with Italian husband, A housewife living in France...

Each one of them has unique lifestyle of their own and seems enjoying it. Although there would be some difficulties they have to handle from time to time, but living outside Japan is simply a fascinating idea, especially with somebody you like.

Every time I read their stories, diaries, sometimes filled with joy, sometimes with anguish, sometimes with gloom, I want to talk to them and tell them that I'm on their side.

It's good and encouraging to know about such people.

I want to watch the movie also...

Finished reading Da Vinci Code today.. It was so exciting that it took only 2 weeks to read it through. Finally I can read paperbacks in English!!!

Once I get how to skip unfamiliar words and go on, it is easy to continue and follow the story. Though a certain degree of vocabulary is essential to guess the meaning of unknown phrases and understand the main stream of the plot.

Learning new words from story books is easier than from news or articles because I can easily picture out the scenes, who is doing what, and where. If it is thrilling, it would not so hard to imagine what the characters would react and what they would say.

I already bought another Dan Brown's book "Angels and Demons"!! This time it's over 600 pages but I will be able to finish...

I have the same excitement I felt when I was a junior high school student and first read Sherlock Holmes series in Japanese. The words were difficult, but the story was exciting, England in 18th century was fascinating. I was totally into it and finished many long books without breaks.

Mystery books are good reading material. It makes the readers want to continue to get the answer for the secret or code that were laid before them. So.. if I do not understand the book fully, it is OK because it is a book intended to confuse and mislead the readers!!!

It's cold!

It is a perfect night to stay up late, writing, drawing, reading and singing!

It was reported it will snow tomorrow. With some food in the fridge, ready to stay home whole day tomorrow!

believe it or not

It is about a month ago.

I happened to get 3000-yen voucher, and I gave it to my mum.

Next day, to my surprise, I got another 3000 yen included in my salary as a reward.

I coincidentally received the same thing that I just gave somebody.

So what you deserve is what you gave to other people.

It was fun!

Adelaide!!!!

I love the city so much!! People are friendly, food is great and the climate is excellent!

The size of the city is the best, not so big, not so small. This is one of the place I would like to visit often even though it takes more than 10 hours.

I didn't know that "Adelaide" could be a girl's name. It's very cute. Those who have this name is so lucky.

It is a bit strange to see Santa and Christmas decorations in summer, but a Santa with the blue sky is also nice.

Kilpatric Oyster is a famous Australian cuisine. I got the sauce and am looking forward to cooking my own kilpatric.

The volume is very big in restaurants there. This was a rare case, but the seafood special is actually for one person, all deep fried. I wish they could make half of it for half of the price.

The stay was too short, but I enjoyed talking with people, eating local food and interpreting at the meeting. When will be the next time???

Happy Christmas!

If only, if only my company sent me to Australia for a long-term project or something.

I would be super devoted to anything coming in to my tasks. I do not care how challenging or difficult it would be.

I would be making every effort to be a good researcher, interpreter, and intermediary.

Suddenly I feel so eager to talk about this with my boss because I have been handling many English documents and discussions lately. There are so many things out there that I will enjoy learning. If I could stay there for a year or two, I would be very good at English, much more helpful to the current projects, and far more satisfied with what I do.

hmmm.. seems like this is my Christmas wish.

Today my colleagues were also somewhat excited about this special night. It's a holy night and very exciting one for their family especially kids. I received some samples today in a carton, and my boss said it looked like a present from Santa. I wish it were.. and when the machine for analysis broke, they said Santa would come and fix it coming down from the chimney... haha although there's no chimney in the lab!!!

Ahh and I was the last one to leave the office this holy night, working till 7:30. I do not mind working overtime. I kind of like staying at the office alone because work becomes much easier, no phone calls, no interruptions and no time pressure. Piles of work still waiting for Monday.

Many projects and experiments going on at the same time. It is hard to keep everything on track and finish it on time.. I sometimes fear that some of them might slip off my mind and I would notice it only when it was too late... It's difficult, but worth doing because difficult things always takes me up to the higher level.

Christmas gift☆☆

Flying to Adelaide

Last time in September, it was the end of winter in Adelaide. It was cloudy and drizzly.
This time summer must have come. It'll be hard to adjust myself to the hot weather, but it's always exciting to go abroad.

Almost!

I forgot to take the change when I just bought a train ticket. I was very shocked and called the station with little hope and found that my 4000 yen was still there!

It's still there.. Nobody took it. I don't know who I should thank, but I'm relieved.
How careless I was! I may sometimes forget to take the ticket but never the bills..

思わぬ再会

中学の時の担任の先生に、科学のイベントで再会！！

10年前担任してくれた先生と、大人どうしとしてもう一度話すのはすごく不思議な感じ。10年前は真っ黒だった髪が、今は白髪たくさんになっていて時間の流れを感じた…。当時ほんっっとに荒れたクラスで、私も仲の良かったクラスメイトも毎日沈み込んでいたくらいの異様な雰囲気だった。そんなクラスをまとめて、指導した先生だった。当時はそんなことに気づく余裕はなかったけど、今考えるとすごい精神力だなと思う。気がおかしくなりそうだった、それは生徒だけではなく先生も同じ、というか、先生の方が責任もあるから大変だっただろう。
そんな話を今になってもちゃんと覚えていてくれて、「あの時は（私が）本当に耐えててくれたなぁ、我慢を強いて申し訳なかったんだよ」と言ってくれた。ああ……自分自身もあんなに大変で、それは全く先生のせいではなかったのに、そんなことを言ってくれるなんて。感動して涙が出そうになった。一人だったら泣いていた。この人は立派な人だ。先生は悪くない、当時からちゃんと怒ってくれる良い先生だったし、お陰で強くなれたとも思っている、あの一年間が人生に与えた影響は良くも悪くも非常に大きかったけれど、それを乗りきれたのは先生のおかげ。あの時の先生の気持ちが、社会人になった今は、10年前よりも理解できる。私は今は、10年前に比べてこんなに成長しました、あんなことがあって、こんなことをして…全部糧になっています、私は大丈夫ですよ、そんなことを伝えたかったけれど、伝わったかしら。言葉はいつも気持ちのあとからついて来て、追い付けずにもどかしい。

小学校、中学校の先生の偉大さに生徒が気が付くのは、何年も経ってからだ。教師というのは聖職だと思う。私はいつも人ではなく物相手の仕事をしているので、なおさらそう思う。そう言ったら、「いやいや、他の皆さんのおかげで何とかやってるんだ。ホント、すいませんねえって感じだよ」と謙虚さを崩さなかったけれど。ますます教育現場は大変になっているだろうと想像するけど、こんな先生がいれば大丈夫だろう、きっと。変わらない先生の親切さと、精神力と、高潔さと、ユーモアに励まされ、癒された……。

久しぶりで、こみ上げてくるものがあった。私には絶対にできないと思った中学校教師、立派に続けていらっしゃる。謙虚で、でも面白くて、考え方のしっかりしている人。目標にしたい人がまた一人。
もっと話がしたかったな。いくらでも話せそう。戦友に会ったときの心境、なんて言うと大袈裟だけど、そういう気持ちだった。今も。お元気でいてほしいな。