The First Week

May 8 – May 12, 2006

This week has been interesting. I guess it always is when things are new. I was given the Grand Tour on my first day and from the first day I never would’ve guessed what the week was going to bring. Going into the experience with mistaken notions of what to expect, I thought I would have plenty of time to do what I wanted and would have to go foraging for things to do. Everyone who could give me answers to my questions toward what to expect said something to that effect. To my surprise I was put into a schedule of practical experience in every department in the company. Even the employees I worked with this week said it was rare to see someone like me, a Japanese Major from BYU, in the machine shop, which is where I was the latter half of the week.
So I guess in a way, it wasn’t interesting because it’s 8 hours a day of making couplings… (A the connecter piece from a motors to a bar or other parts in a machine that need to move by means of a motor.) It was frustrating because no matter how good they are of fast you’re getting them finished, you always have the supervisor looking over your shoulder telling what you’re doing wrong. It’s like the inner circle of Dante’s Hell for 8 hours a day and I kept thinking that to the Japanese it’s normal and for an American it’s as I explained. And I got really mad on the last day, which taught me a great lesson…, that they don’t like having to deal with rigid conformity as much as I do. It’s kind of a long story which I recorded in my daily journal. Anyway, it just goes to show that perception affects experience, because once I understood that they are similar to me, I had a different attitude towards everything they were trying to accomplish. I finally understand 共同運命体制.

Hello Minasan

This is Stephen Hawker. I am working at Daifuku in Komaki near Nagoya. This first week has been interesting. First living in the dorms is an interesting because it almost seems like no one else lives there, except around meal times. The meals are great because it is like Japanese cafeteria food. Which I haven’t had before but I’m sure I will be sick of by the time the summer is over. The dorm it self is comfortable and quiet. Work is also interesting because my boss is American and his job is not directly related to what the rest of his section does. He is a salesman and the department is more of a supporting role. Half of the division translates customer claims and concerns and the other half translates sales and pricing manuals. I get to be involved in all of these activities so it will be a great experience for me. I will have the opportunity to make some sales calls with my boss and visit the big factory in Shiga. They are moving most of the manufacturing from this plant down to the one in Shiga so lots of people will be transferred while I am here. Up to this point I have just been translating. I did some of the complaints but am mostly working on a pricing manual right now. Despite the technical aspect of the material it isn’t that hard to translate. But I am glad that I took Japanese 321 before I came. It is basically the same as translating an article for that class. I also saw Jon and Wes at a stake event so that was pretty interesting. Good luck guys. Well that is about it for this week.