Many people think, Japanese eat sushi every day, but it is not like that, and it is even difficult to find places with good sushi. Today, I found one on my way home, and I decided to buy some for dinner…
… and just for 9 euros. Not expensive at all, right?
Last week, we had an afterwork dinner some of the people who are in the project. It was in the japanese way: a place close to the office, with lots of food and drinks, and a way to talk with your colleagues in a different environment.
According to what I had read, people in this kind of events normally speak more about work, but in an informal way. But, in this case, we talked about work (of course), but also about other stuff, like similarities and differences about cultures, languages, companies, etc.
Very interesting experience, apart from being an excellent teambuilding activity, always needed when starting, and a new oportunity to taste exquisite food and try the famous sake.
By the way, in the restaurant we went, I faced something a colleague from Spain told me.., Going to the toilet, and find these two doors:
Which one would you choose? My colleague told me: “you’ll have to wait until someone else enters, so you know which is for you”… He was right: I didn’t wait and I chose wrongly the first time.
Any way, I agree with the japanese. It’s a once-in-a-life experience. There will be no second time, that’s for sure. 😉
Today is my 7th day in Tokyo, and the balance is positive so far. I have adapted to the daily life faster as I expected. In the late years I have escaped from my previous problems with “strange” or “new” food, and therefore I am also doing well in that sense here.
And, of course, I have already been working here for one week. I guess I am really going to like this assignment, where I will be in more operative tasks than in the previous ones, and in a very interesting mix of nationalities (Japanese, Swedes and Australians are the main groups, but there are also some Chinese, Hungarian or Spaniard).
In that sense, after reading a lot about Japanese culture, and its application into the work, it is completely true that every country has its particularities regarding work, but some big multinationals as mine, make you feel at home anywhere in the world. Ok, here it seems the work days are longer than in other parts of the globe, but apart from that, the culture is the same. I guess I would be much more shocked if I worked for NEC or any other pure Japanese company.
And tomorrow is time for Mount Fuji. Yes, we are going to climb the highest mountain in Japan, which is pretty close to Tokyo, and it is a tradition to climb it in summer, during the night, in order to see the sunrise (if you are lucky and it’s not cloudy or rainy or…). I will probably tell you more about this some time next week.
First full-day in Tokyo, completely free for walking around and trying to realize where I am. 🙂
Before coming, I collected some useful information about Japan from some friends. I remember Inda told me that in Tokyo all life is focused around the train stations, and when you are far from them, they are normally peaceful residential areas… and he was completely right. 🙂
I live in that part of the neighbourhood, the peaceful residential area (apart from the big avenue behind my building)… and then when you start walking to the station, you start finding more and more people, as well as shops… until you get to the station. (see pictures as follows, all taken in the same street)
Close to the station, I found our friend Mc (my first visitors will love it :D), and Café Sands. Maybe they are my relatives and I had no clue about that. 🙂
Today I liked what I saw quite more than yesterday. But I still think it’s quite chaotic, without any order… But that mess looks nice… apart from the cables. I see cables all around the place. Is it just me?
Tomorrow it’s time to start working again… I am even eager to that. O_o