Interviews and frustrations

This entry was posted on Monday, September 18th, 2006 at 11:39 pm and is filed under Diary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

11 Responses to “Interviews and frustrations”

1. Ragin' Lion says:
   

   Dude, if you’ve been called in for a second interview, I wouldn’t worry so much! Just relax and be yourself. Language is something that people (if they’re willing) can pick up over time … specialized 3D knowledge is not so easy! 8P It’s likely that if they decide to hire you (and you accept) they’ll make some kind of language provisions/aids for you.

   But in regards to the Japanese language thing, I have to throw in the proverbial, “I told you so!!” I can still remember when I was telling you to power-up on the language, but you gave some lame excuse about not having time. 8P

   September 19th, 2006 at 10:27 am
2. Davide Pasca says:
   

   Mr. Ragin’ Lion,

   As you can imagine I’m not exactly the laziest person in the world. You can tell me to study Japanese as much as you wont, but that won’t give me extra time 8P

   September 20th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
3. rince says:
   

   Kaz you are not the laziest person, but just like me you tend to procrastinate on tasks that seem unenjoyable, such as studying another language for example!

   September 21st, 2006 at 2:16 am
4. Ragin' Lion says:
   

   rince: Hey, what’s this?! 8P Kaz is the laziest person the planet! 8P I’ve been asking him for wire-frame support in his GPU plugin for years now!

   Kaz, you know I’m giving you a hard time! 8P In my case I really had no choice (sink or swim) … it’s no good for me to be in a meeting and not understand what’s being said. Also (it seems) the folks here in my region tend to treat you better (i.e. more open) if they see that you can speak (or at least are making a great effort to speak) the language.

   I’m no expert at the language for sure, but it’s made a huge difference in the amount of “access” that I have.

   Of course, I still haven’t learned how to dial 9-1-1 here … (^-^;

   September 21st, 2006 at 8:09 am
5. Davide Pasca says:
   

   > rince

   Procrastination is a pretty common illness !
   We could call that a simple question of priorities. I like to do better the things I like better. I like to read CG papers rather than read a Japanese kids’ book, or watch Columbo in English rather than in Japanese (my cable TV gives me that option on most serial TV, which are translated, unlike movies).
   Let’s not forget that kids go to school every day, 5 days per week for at least 12 years before they can come out with some confidence to speak and write proper Japanese.
   And even then, many (usually the dumb chicks) can’t speak politely or forget kanji because they don’t keep on reading constantly.
   Working in this field, sometimes long hours, trying to keep up to date with all the advances, writing occasional software on the side, running a blog, a home server, having a social life.. it’s all very important stuff.
   Perhaps I could have given full priority to Japanese. Not using my free time to read about 3D or to write software, forget about trying to keep a blog (it takes a few hours during the week for sure).. but then I’d simply turn into a common person that speaks Japanese and that once was a good programmer. Surely there are many of those in this country already 8P

   > Ragin’ Lion

   I sense a lot of confidence in you, Young One 8)
   What makes you think that I was simply scratching my belly while you were studying ?
   Well, it looks like we are going to meet again soon, get ready to draw your guns !

   eheheh

   September 21st, 2006 at 9:07 am
6. rince says:
   

   Sure all very important stuff =)

   But what is more important than communication?

   I think communication is at the base of everything.

   So what are you going to do? Live in a country and not speak the language?

   One day maybe you will have kids, what language are you going to speak to them? =)

   Are you planning to always be a foreigner?

   September 21st, 2006 at 2:42 pm
7. Davide Pasca says:
   

   Mr. Rince,

   Communication is important, in fact I’ve undergone job interviews in Japanese.
   The point really is that I’d like to be excellent at the language, especially in writing and reading. But that takes a huge amount of time. I don’t think there are very many good foreign game programmers out there that are excellent at Japanese as their third language.. it just takes a lot of time.
   I honestly think that I’m very good at my job and that too requires a lot of experience and constant studies (albeit hopefully during working hours).
   Try to think how much easier it must be to be the same programmer, without having to bother memorizing other human languages and writing systems.
   Well, you are fluent in 3 languages, but you are also an exception 8) and you didn’t have to learn the third one as an adult.

   Generally keep in mind that I’m a fairly modest person. Most people out there will say things like “I know Japanese”, “I know C++”, “I’m superfly TNT motherfucked motherfucker !“.
   Very generic definitions that clearly round skills for excess.

   wooo !

   September 22nd, 2006 at 1:42 am
8. rince says:
   

   I used to be fluent in 3 languages, however my Hebrew is very rusty now due to lack of practice for the last 20 years or so =)

   But I do have experience in the process of immigration and know some russian people (friends of my parents) who have been living in an English speaking environment for close to 30 years and still can hardly communicate.

   Interestingly enough those people are all highly educated. one reason that I can think of that stood in their way of learning a new language was that somehow they accepted their role of always being an immigrant. Which is pretty sad.

   September 22nd, 2006 at 2:50 am
9. Davide Pasca says:
   

   > rince

   I blame my relatively many Italian friends in Tokyo for not having had much chance to speak Japanese 8)
   But at the same time I’m definitely not avoiding local culture. In fact, most Japanese by now think I’m Japanese. I mostly act like one (just bring out the shyness in you !) and my accent is also pretty good because my native languge is also full of vowels.

   woo !

   September 22nd, 2006 at 9:05 am
10. Lara says:
    

    Wait….
    What??
    Most Japanese by now think you’re Japanese too 8)
    Do you think it’s a compliment?….an honor?

    Do you have to deny/give up yourself just to fit in?
    Yeah, there’s some benefits…..
    Well, it’s good that you can blend with the Jap
    people but just don’t forget who you are 8)

    I like the Japanese culture and their products too!
    But I just don’t like the fact that most Jap people have “big-egos” and bunch of snobs. They think their the best in the world 8)

    Lastly, a lot of Asian women like to hook up with
    white men!!!!!!!!….better identify yourself as white L O L

    September 23rd, 2006 at 5:52 am
11. Davide Pasca says:
    

    > Lara

    It’s not true that most Japanese people have big egos.
    Japanese are generally very humble and kind. Perhaps those Japanese-American you meet over there tend to have bigger egoes.. but then again even Chinese-American are like that.. with that funny “Asian-pride” concept 8)

    I don’t forget who I am. If my personality is similar to the personality of the average Japanese I can’t really help it. I didn’t do it on purpose.

    maomaooooooo

    September 24th, 2006 at 1:32 am

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