Mark Pringle-Rigby

Computer/EE Technology Specialist

“The inventions you deal with vary a lot in terms of how interesting and creative they are, but in general there's knowledge to be gained from most of what you'll work with. There's even occasional awkward, strange, and hilarious inventions that warrant a good laugh with your teammates!.”

 

How were your first few weeks in Japan?

Really enjoyable. As soon as you arrive you're already part of the team, and you'll immediately be invited out to whatever is going on that weekend. And there is usually something going on. If that's not your style, it's easy (and relatively inexpensive) to buy a bicycle and boot around quiet suburbs, or go on longer trips outside of town if you want. I highly recommend buying a bicycle as soon as you can.

How did you cope with the stresses of working and living in Japan?

I honestly never felt much stress. Everything is set up for your arrival; you get picked up at the airport, taken right to your apartment, shown how to use all your appliances, and shown where important places in your neighborhood are right away.

How is Japan in reality to what you had imagined before you arrived?

I was surprised to find out that Japanese deodorant is notably less effective than other places (as most foreigners will agree). I recommend bringing a stash with you when you come over.

What has been your fondest experience in Japan?

I recall with great fondness rocketing down Mount Koya on my Granny-bike, after having spent the majority of the previous day pushing it up the mountain with a flat tire. Follow that up with a scenic pedal through the valleys of Wakayama, and it'd be difficult not to have a good time. And when winter comes, you can hop on a bus to Nagano or a plane to Hokkaido for some snowboarding/skiing. There's bound to be some other people itching to go too.

When I am not at work, I am ...

Enjoying excellent food and good times with the SY crew; playing soccer and eating unidentified -yet still tasty- food with middle-aged men who want nothing more in life than to have a good time; cruising around on my Granny-bike; chilling out and eating fresh grilled delights at Sea-dad's barbeques; and vigorously dancing in marginally garish outfits. But who's judging your outfit anyways?.

What did you like most about living in Osaka?

Fun places that you can get to easily by public transit, or even bike. If you want to go pretty much anywhere in Osaka, you can just hop on a train or two, and you'll be there in less than an hour. It's also a fairly compact city compared to a lot of other places, so even biking from place to place is quite doable.

What is the most important thing that working here has taught you about yourself?

My fondness for colorful clothing has been steadily increasing.

What sort of work did you get and was it challenging?

You get the work that needs to be done. Whether that means proving your clients invention is inventive, proving that someone else's invention isn't, or proofreading a specification for a new invention. The level of challenge varies from task to task.

What did you like most about your work?

Reading about technology. If you're a tech specialist, your day is spent primarily reading about inventions and figuring out just what they do that no one else has done before. The inventions you deal with vary a lot in terms of how interesting and creative they are, but in general there's knowledge to be gained from most of what you'll work with. There's even occasional awkward, strange, and hilarious inventions that warrant a good laugh with your teammates!

What advice would you give to incoming recruits?

Don't overstock on dress clothes before you come. While it is true that the dress code at work is business formal, that doesn't mean you need a different suit for every day of the week. Dress clothes in Japan are also significantly cheaper than a lot of other places, so you're better off just bringing one suit and a few shirts, and buying the rest once you've landed. This will save you both luggage space and money! The exception is if you're over six feet tall; clothes that will fit you (especially shoes) aren't easy to find.