12.27.2011

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。

12.26.2011

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!

12.25.2011

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!!!

12.24.2011

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!