I'm sitting on my chair and writing this blog at a nice cozy home at Mountain View, CA. I was in Japan 5 months ago and never thought that I would have lived here in Mountain View at that time. I was a sale person of one of the biggest electric companies in Japan. I had a decent salary and social status. A lot of people around me told me that my life is going great. Only me (and maybe some other coworkers in my company) was the person who was not happy about the current situation. I had a dream and I felt that I couldn't make that happen in the company.
My dream was working abroad with people who have different background. The reason why I wanted to work in abroad was related to my experience as an exchange student in Florida State University. Even though I have visited America twice for couple of weeks and Australia for one month before, it was my first actual experience living in other country outside of Japan. Everything looked very excited to my eyes and I had a great time there for ten months. I met great people there and fell in love with American culture. I didn't want to go back to Japan and decided to go back to America or another country after I graduated my university. I wanted to see the world more.
I started a job hunting after I came back to Japan and got a job at the electric company. The HR people were very thoughtful and nice people, and they told me that there would be a tons of chances to work in abroad. Therefore, I decided to join the company. I was assigned to Automotive equipment division and I became a sales representative. Even though I was only female at the sales office and there were tons of extra work hours, I tried my best to get a chance to work in abroad. Every year, I kept saying to my bosses that I wanted to work in abroad. I knew that it would be difficult for unexperienced employee like me to work in abroad especially in a big company, so I have just worked hard hoping someday I can get a chance. After working in the company for 4 years, I thought I had waited enough time, so asked my boss "When can I go abroad? " and he said "If you wait for a couple of more years, I will let you send to abroad." I asked him again "When exactly can I go? Two years later? or three years?" and he said, with unconfident voice "I cannot promise when, but I will try to make it happen."
This is why I quit my job. I didn't want to wait for uncertain "couple of more years". I have learned a lot of things through the company and I do appreciate them, but that was not the job I wanted to do for rest of life. I live my life once, so I thought I should pursue my dream. If a company doesn't let me go abroad, I should make it happen by myself. If I have something I want to do, I should follow the passion even though that is not easy way.
I'm doing an internship at one of the semiconductor companies in Silicone Valley right now. I'm very happy that I made this decision. I'm learning a lot of things through my American boss. Of course there are up and down everyday, but I'm so grateful for my current life because I'm doing something that I have been wanted so bad. The most scary moment is always before we start something new. We should not stop moving when we meet the scary moment because the greatest things that you have never experienced before might be waiting for you.
