Welcome

Preface

This will be my first blog entry in a long time, and a first for this Hatena Blog webpage. As per requested by the Advent Calendar, this entry will be about my experiences during the year, how I've grown as an individual, and what attitudes I've come to adopt.

Let's start.

Background

Probably, this year's biggest experience is that I've come to know what real employment is. And nowhere else than a Japanese company. Making the jump from student life to white-collar job has not been an easy. Waking up everyday at the same time, to work in something that actually makes people money; and knowing that if you do something wrong, it can have serious consequences (for you as well as your employer) has been a mentality that I've had to adopt since I started in April.

Being Welcome

During these past 8 months, I've learnt so many things, but the feeling that stuck with me the most is what is written in the title: Welcome. None of what I've accomplished since I joined my company would've been possible without my colleagues and superiors making me feel welcome. Being a foreigner in a Japanese company is not easy, especially when the common language is not one I'm very fluent. But the people who I've worked with have made me feel that I'm part of them, and that has had a huge impact in my productivity. The attitudes of the people around me have are what has made me go the extra mile, not for my sake, but for others.

It is thanks to those attitudes that I'm still here, doing my best to contribute. This feeling of being 'welcome' is what I'd like to share with you all, and to encourage you to make other people feel the same way. If you see a foreigner, a new guy, or just someone that is not used to where you are, make that person feel like he or she's part of your team. It can have a great impact on them.