Benjamin: Speaking Japanese daily and interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds has really pushed me to reconsider my views..."
The biggest cultural shock I experienced working in Japan came from the number of discreet rituals that occur every day.
Take exchanging business cards for example. Not only do you stand directly in front of the person you are meeting and take their card in two hands, you also make eye contact when introducing yourself, pass your business card subtly under theirs (to show humility), say "choudai itashimasu" (“I humbly accept this”), make a positive remark regarding their business card, and then gently place it on the table in front of yourself with the card directed towards the person you received it from. When the meeting ends you carefully pick up the card and put it gently into your business card case.
In Japan being humble and respecting your superiors is of the utmost importance and exchanging business cards correctly is one important way of demonstrating this respect.
Benjamin says he was amazed at the ritual of exchanging business cards
During my internship, I was based in Fukuoka, the capital city of Kyushu. Fukuoka is a very busy city, being the main port of access into Kyushu with shinkansen trains running to and from it daily and an international airport located only minutes away from the city centre.
I stayed at the male staff dormitory, which was only 10 minutes’ walk from the office. I had my own room that had all I needed – a bathroom, bed and a desk. It was my first time living alone, but I did not find it hard as I shared breakfasts and dinners most days with my colleagues in the cafeteria on the ground floor.
My role at JR Kyushu largely involved me travelling on JR Kyushu trains and observing the many different businesses (38 in total) that make up the JR Kyushu group. At each business I visited, I participated in a guided tour of the company and got a run down on how that business functions.
In the third week of my internship, I presented a 10-minute presentation to the senior executives of JR Kyushu on what I had learnt so far and what I thought the company could do differently.
In the presentation, I spoke about the importance of reducing plastic waste for companies catering to international clientele and recommended ways JR Kyushu could cut down on its own plastic consumption. All in all, I think the proposal went down well.
While I did see room for improvement, JR Kyushu is already making great steps to be more environmentally-friendly such as state-of-the-art battery-powered trains set to replace harmful diesel trains.
The internship provided Benjamin with the opportunity to learn about many aspects of Kyushu Railway Company's businesses
Outside of work, I visited the famous Dazaifu temple with a Taiwanese intern, went to a workmate's house where we celebrated Hinamatsuri (a festival for young girls) and attended the first Fukuoka baseball game of the season with a group of colleagues.
Once the internship had ended, I travelled throughout Kyushu with my parents and girlfriend going to Beppu in Oita, an area famous for natural hot springs, and Miyazaki, the south-westernmost prefecture of Kyushu, boasting crystal-clear seas, beautiful beaches and shrines balanced on rocky outcrops.
Thanks to JR Kyushu I now have a better idea as to what I want to do in my career. Speaking Japanese daily and interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds has really pushed me to reconsider my views and in consequence triggered significant self-development. I now know I want a career that has Asia as a key element to it.
This internship is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Japan through a lens limited to very few. If you are willing to throw yourself into a culture like no other, wake up every day with a positive attitude and remain that way till the end of the day, then this internship is made for you. To JR Kyushu and the Asia New Zealand Foundation, thank you so very much. To next year's intern, congratulations and good luck.