The special series to put a spotlight on our international staff, “Eyes, JAPAN employee interview” is back! Our first interviewee of this year is Habineza Marie Merci from Rwanda.

She has been working in Eyes, JAPAN for about 5 months and we would like to ask her about her experience in living in Japan and working in Eyes, JAPAN!

(Interviewer: Angie)

Life in Aizu: Calm and Fun

What is your favorite thing about your home country or home town?

Merci: I love the weather and the food. I consider my country’s weather to be really good basing on the fact the temperature mostly varies between 13 degrees Celsius (the coldest) and 29 degrees Celsius (the hottest). The food is also unique and fresh, I personally love our traditional dishes.

Why did you come to Japan and what do you like about Japan?

Merci: I wanted to study abroad, as in somewhere far from home and Japan was perfect. In addition, it even has a culture so different from mine, so I thought it would be a good challenge for me to grow.

What do you think about life in Aizu and what is your favorite way of spending you holidays in Aizu?

Merci: Life in Aizu is calm and fun. I love the people, they are so kind and fun to hang with. I also love the nature, sometimes I go to mountains and enjoy the nature. It is a refreshing place. I do not have a specific way that I love to spend my weekends, it always varies depending on what is going on, but sometimes I love hanging out with my friends or going for a hike.

What is your hobby and how do you usually spend your free time?

Merci: My hobbies have been changing as my environment changes. Recently I have been enjoying taking pictures that I am planning to do photography in a serious way. And in my free time I love talking to people like my friends or family, I enjoy discussing various topics. Also, I like watching movies and TV series, so I do that as well.

Do you have any things or skills that you are proud of?

Merci: Lately, I am proud of taking nice pictures. People have been complementing my work and it makes me really happy and motivated to even become better.

Loves the Challenge

How did you know about Eyes, JAPAN and why did you decide to join Eyes, JAPAN?

Merci: I learned about Eyes, JAPAN from my friend who works there as a part-timer. When I first joined the weekly meeting as a visitor, I was honestly nervous because I had never worked in a similar environment let alone Japan. I was scared that it was going to be challenging and that is exactly the reason why I joined. I tend to chase what scares me sometimes.

What is your role and what kind of projects have you been working on in Eyes, JAPAN?

Merci: I usually work on software development projects, specifically, front-end and back-end sometimes.

Could you let us know your most memorable project in Eyes, JAPAN?

Merci: The most memorable memory was when we went apple picking and did the drink testing. I enjoyed helping with conducting the drink testing.

What customs in Eyes, JAPAN that you like the most?

Merci: I love the study sessions that we do in every weekly meeting. Although the idea of presentation can feel worrisome, I think it is a good opportunity for us to learn how to organize thoughts and effectively communicate them to others. I genuinely love it.

What do you think about your colleagues and the working environment in Eyes, JAPAN?

Merci: I think everyone are really kind and helpful. Many of them are welcoming when I ask questions and sometimes they even suggest me what I should do to improve in various aspects. And I think the environment is relaxing and fun at the same time motivating.

What do you think about working at the company and working at home?

Merci: In my opinion, even though working from home can be convenient sometimes, I think working from the office is better due to the fact that it makes communication with the team easier and increases focus therefore productivity.

Advice: Be Open Minded!

Have you experienced any culture shock while working in Japan?

Merci: Not really, I cannot recall of any experience right now.

Can you give some pros and/or cons of working at a Japanese company?

Merci: In my opinion, the pros is you get to learn the Japanese culture and their thinking. And for the cons, it can be difficult when you cannot speak and read Japanese.

How do you balance your working and private time?

Merci: It can be quite tricky sometimes, especially when you just started, but I have come to find that planning and making schedules (fixed or not) is helpful.

What kind of project do you want to work on in the future?

Merci: I would like to work on back-end of more app development projects.

Any advice for people who wants to work in Japan?

Merci: I would tell them to be open minded because things might be done differently that they are used to. Also, it will always be beneficial if you can speak Japanese, so がんばって！

What motivates you to keep working or studying?

Merci: The fact that there is much I do not know or I know nothing, but I also find it fulfilling to acquire knowledge. It elevates my spirit and makes me feel good.

Lastly, what is your dream?

Merci: My dream is to do something impactful for my community. I also want to be happy and help other people find happiness. I do not know yet how I will achieve that, but slowly I will find out.

Thank you!

If you are interested in Eyes, JAPAN and would like to hear other stories, please do not hesitate to contact us at the following contact form.

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Everyone welcome.