#1

DAMN!!!

So, I am finally back in Tokyo after about 1.5 years.  Last time I was here was when I was studying at Aoyama Gakuin Daigaku, from 2009-2010.  Amazingly enough, this is my 10th year anniversary of being in Japan.  The first time I was here was in 2002 with Kazu.  This is also my 10th time in Japan.  10 times, damn. Thanks to DJ and his mom for the years and years of first-class flights to Japan for $400!

This trip is basically a combination of fun and job hunting.  Since I just graduated from SDSU and finally got that useless piece of ass BA, I felt like deserved a little vacation.  This trip was honestly supposed to be pure vacation, but with some luck, I was able to get the chance to meet with the new graduate recruitment director of the company I'm applying to for the second time.

Let me bring everyone up to date with how I got this far.  I'll try to make it as short as possible.

In November, I went to Boston Career Forum, which is a 3 day bilingual career fair held in Boston every year.  Companies fly from Japan to try to find, select, and successfully recruit new graduates.  The entire interview process is in Japanese, as well as all the documents and papers you need to fill out for the position.  I applied to two gaming companies, while many other students applied to many more companies (applying to 7-10 companies is not uncommon at all).  Since the entire thing was in Japanese, I didn't want to have to juggle information between several companies and risk the chance of screwing up.  So I stuck with the two.

The first interview for both companies went great.  Company A said I passed the first interview, and told me to take a written exam on Sunday at 10:30am.

Company B went even better.  They told me I passed, and that the final interview was on Sunday at 9:00am.  They also invited me to eat out with the company at this bomb ass Italian restaurant.  I felt like I already got the job.

So when Sunday came along, I was feeling really good and mentally prepared.  Well, the final interview for Company B was a group interview with 5 other applicants, and the topic of discussion was the "tourism industry in Japan, and solutions on how to fix it."  We were given statistics, demographics, and a bunch of random information to help us create a solution.  Then, we would have to present our solution to the HR folks.  During our discussion. we were being starred down at by 3 of the HR people, who were analyzing which role we were taking.  I think I was taking the role of, "nervous but hanging in there" dude.

It was tough.  Some of the other applicants were half Japanese, which made the entire thing much more stressful.  I wasn't able to keep up with some of the crap they were saying.  Every time I heard a word I didn't know, I'd remember it (lets call it XYZ), wait until they were done ranting about it, and then say something like, "Yeah, I completely agree.  XYZ is the bomb.  However... ABC is better!"  That was the only way to avoid getting pulled into a topic in which the vocab was out of my league.

Anyways, this is the crappy part of the story.  The interview ended up lasting until 12:45pm, which means I couldn't take Company A's written test.  I couldn't call Company A since I was in Company B's interview.  When I realized Company B's interview was going to pass 10:30am, I didn't feel too bad, since I already felt like I got the job at Company B.

Well, after the 3.75 hour group interview and presentation on the Japanese tourism industry, my confidence was slightly crushed.  I didn't feel like I got the job after my performance.  I felt extra poopie since I missed out on Company A's written test, as well.  I sent them an apology letter, and expressed my regret.

After receiving the well-expected rejection email from Company B, I was back at square one.

OK SO HERE'S THE HAPPY PART!

My friend Kosuke ended up getting a position at Company A after having the final interview with them in Tokyo.  He told me the hiring director remembered me, or mentioned my name to him.  When Kosuke told me this, I felt like I had to do something - anything.  With the help of many friends, I was able to compose the sexiest apology letter I have ever written, both in English and Japanese.  I expressed my regret, asked for forgiveness, and asked if I could have another shot to take the test while I was in Japan for vacation after I graduate.  I wasn't expecting anything.  I just really wanted to send the email out, to make myself feel like I did everything I could in the given situation.

BAM!!! He replied, and said okay.  So that's kind of where I am now, and why this VACATION all of a sudden got a little serious.  I already took the written test, and am currently awaiting the results.  It was extremely difficult.  Like Max 300 8x speed.  Oh wait...

But regardless if it was something Kosuke said to the director, if he didn't tell me that my name was brought up, then I wouldn't have had the courage to email him to ask for a second chance.  So I thank you, Kosukebe.

OK NO MORE JOB TALK, DUDE JUST TELL ME ABOUT TOKYO YOU FOOL!

OKAY!!  It's only been 5 days, so I'm still just bumming around and trying to get my stuff straight.  I've been chilling with KIM, playing some SSF4AE, and just seeing old friends.  This week is full of reunions.

Here are some random pictures for your eyeballs.

BIG AMERICA Grand Canyon Burger from McDizzles.

This was pretty damn good.  Tastes like rocks from the canyon itself

Walking from Usami's house to the station...

She lives at Takahadafudo.  Nice area, full of history and broken arms

Totally forgot this was out......!  Kind of not interested in it right now, though.

More interested in the resell value haha

Super BIG BOY with a picture of a Bronco or some shit?

I think I'm gonna ask them if I can open it to REALLY see what a SUPER BIG BOY is all about

 Trying to find Company A for the written test..

FOUND IT!  Now I stare and stalk it for 30 minutes

Hella stalking from afar.  Pretty nervous at this point.

Trying too look cool in the elevator.  I ended up looking pretty damn gay.

YEEEEE!!!  This was right after the interview

This is the view from where I'm staying.  Little kids center right below there.

Thanks again Usami for letting me stay with you!

Shibuya hasn't changed much.  Just a few shops and arcades.

The AURA is still thriving and fresh like frank 

This place has the best ranked products and what not all in one store.

Pretty sick idea, however most of the stuff is more for a QUEEN then a KING

Shibuya Center Gai is now renamed BASKETBALL STREET.

SO RANDOM but then again that's what this place is all about

IT WASN'T REAL :( 

Sick guitar in Shibuya

Whacky ass art.  So sexy tho!

Nabe with Rino and Michiko

TONKOTSU NABE - I had no idea this existed.  SO GOOD 

 KARAOKE with BOA

I was full of nostalgia when Amazing Kiss came on.  I WANT HER

By chance, CHARLES and ALENA were in Japan doing some Job huntin as well!

Great seeing you psycho-ass lovers :P 

THAT'S IT FOR NOW!

P-P-PEACE!