• Kyung Hee University, Korea
BA: Chinese Language, Chinese Literature
• Tokyo University of Foreign Studies - Graduate School of Regional and Culture Studies
MA in International Communication and East-Asian Languages
• Fields of expertise: Japanese to Korean translation and interpretation
(MA dissertation examined Japanese and Korean terminology from an international perspective)
What sort of fun things have you been doing recently?
- Going for walks at lunch time.
Well, during my lunch break I love going to “Kita no maru Epark which is really close to the office. Being surrounded by all the greenery and breathing in the fresh air is so soothing for my tired eyes and really allows me to relax.
I just feel so fortunate that there is such a wonderfully beautiful park near where I work.
Also, going for a walk after lunch provides me with some much needed exercise which is rather lacking in my life.
I recommend it to everyone who wants to diet or feels the need for some stress relief.
What do you sometimes find a little hard at work?
- Probably the communication gap.
With such a variety of nationalities in one place, I sometimes feel the presence of a “communication gap E so to speak.
We are all from different backgrounds, different cultures and think in different ways, so sometimes it is hard to convey certain subtleties in your speech.
It can be difficult explaining things and occasionally this has me a little worried.
But, all in all, it is also extremely good fun with so many different people from different countries.
Tim Birthplace: London, England
• University of Kent, England
BA: French Language and Comparative Literature
• Liverpool University, England
MA: English Literature
• Fields of expertise: 19th Century English/French literature, French
What sort of places do you like in Japan?
- I really love hot springs.
I do a lot of sports such as football, swimming and going to the gym and consequently, the day after, the muscle pain can sometimes be pretty harsh. So, what better way to soothe my aches than to submerge myself in one of Japan’s hot springs. I especially love the foul-smelling sulphurous springs of Kusatsu.
And, it goes without saying that after I get out I enjoy stuffing myself with the finest of Japanese foods which can leave me aching in the belly region rather than the muscles.
What do you think is rewarding at OLAND?
- Being able to use one’s language skills.
At work, people from a great variety of countries use their native tongues as well as the common language of Japanese. Also, with the large amount of projects underway at the same time, it certainly could be described as a “stimulating Eenvironment.
Rather than mere theoretical study, I enjoy the fact that I can actually put my language skills to the test in a real situation.
Of course, things can get tough at times, but I get a certain sense of achievement when I use my language ability to surmount the obstacles.
邸 Tei Birthplace: Changchun, China
• Jilin University, China
BA: English Language and English Literature
• Meiji University, Tokyo
BSc: Commerce
What do you like about Japan?
- The spirit of give-and-take and the mutual sense of kindness.
As we go about our day-to-day life, it is quite common to bump into people occasionally, or to have a clash of personalities.
Not just on a personal level, but also the fights and disputes between ethnic groups, religions and countries that you often see on the news.
I believe that these sort of disputes could be resolved were the people to adopt a similar spirit of give-and-take and tolerance.
A willingness to communicate to resolve differences is precisely what forms the core of this “mutual sense of kindness E
What has surprised you since joining OLAND?
- The fact that being a coordinator requires almost any skill you could name!
Being able to understand things, communicate, manage things, make analyses, being able to make judgments, leadership, the list goes on!
The clients, the operators, the translators, at the centre of this triangle lies the coordinator.
With these three “points E you must constantly be aware of things and make sure projects are running smoothly.
I fully realize that if you can’t employ a large variety of skills to manage projects, then things can tend to go awry which can compromise a job.
When a job begins to become unbalanced, so does your mind. And also your skin so be careful!
