Finally, my new life will start.

After long and serious consideration, I decided to come back to Taiwan and start my career here.

This decision was against the intuition of most Taiwanese young people because we kind of believe that working in the US means better career. I did have chances to work in California, and I liked the opportunities there, too. However, thanks to the suggestions from several friends, who are now my personal board of directors, I realized how important to chase my dream job and career, instead of choosing a job by only salary or location.

Eventually, I weighed different options and found that I will be able to do what I love in Taiwan with a good company. Now, I'm back to my hometown, and ready for the new challenges.

These two years in Claremont were so great that I really feel I chose a right school, right place, and right program. The friends I met in Drucker School are one of the most valuable parts of the whole experience. Even one month after I came back to Asia, I still think of them and the life in Claremont all the time. I truly hope we can meet once a year or two years in the future.

Well, my new working life will start soon next week.

Good luck to all my friends and myself!

Chinese New Year Dinner in Santa Monica

This is the 2nd Chinese New Year I had in the US.

Thanks to Nick's family, we enjoyed a traditional and delicious Chinese New Year dinner in Santa Monica!

It's very interesting for me to have such a great dinner in the US for Chinese New Year.

Since this is the last semester for me, this can also be the last Chinese New Year in the US.

Thank's Mama Hsu, we ate A LOT!

Just want to be grateful to all the great friends and people around me.

Even I am not in my hometown, I do feel warm and the atmosphere of the traditions!

leadership and responsibility

I have been believing that leadership and responsibility are inseparable.

Once a person volunteers to take the role of leader, he or she should take the responsibility for that group. There is no way to be a great leader while being irresponsible for the group.

People say the Management School is to develop future leaders. We also say we are here to learn.

I'm hoping we can see more and more great leaders with their responsibility and courage to make the world a better place. This may sound silly and idealistic, but that's one of the evidence showing I am still young enough to hope, right?

Crazy (Fun) Week

The midterm week finally finished. Since I had only two classes in 1st module and only one of them had midterm exam, this week became crazily fun week for me!

During this week, I played golf 4 times, One time in regular course, three times in short course!

Also, I played poker at the night before midterm exam, and although I was so lucky that I won the most at that night!

After the midterm, we went to golf (I almost got a hole-in-one), 燒肉, and then Karaoke. "Tamaen" in Torrance was so dili. Singing with friends is still one of my favorite activities!

Other than these, finally, my car has run more than 30,000 miles, and I went to car service, Ontario Mills (while waiting for my car,) and Costa Mesa (Book-off & Mitsuwa).

Finally, I bought the driver that I have been wanted to buy, and a pair of golf shoes. Although I have no idea how much time I need to practice before I can use the driver well, I am motivated by the purchase and eager to play golf more!

We also went to go-cart racing. This is really fun and tiring! I still can't move my arm even two days after playing this. However, I do find I am not a competitive person in this game. Although I was the 1st place in the 2nd tier group, because I bumped other people during the race, I felt a bit guilty at the end...

Well, it's still a great experience though. I enjoyed racing with so many friends. I am glad I went there!

I renewed my Disneyland annual pass in this week, too.

It's a pity that we didn't go with Disneyland expert this time, but we found we learned something from her. Even though it's Friday night and the park is extremely crowded. We took several rides and had a nice dinner in the park without waiting too much. I was still scared while taking Splash Mountain, and still feeling good while taking Pirates of Caribbean.

Today, thanks for the invitation from A & H, we went to Little Tokyo restaurant together. Luckily and surprisingly, we met K's family there. Of course, with this group of people, the meal would be amazingly good. We had not only nigiri sushi but also a lobster sashimi+nabe. This meal is so good that I almost couldn't stop eating even I was so full...

With this happy ending, I finished the happy week. And from tomorrow, the 2nd module will start, and I will be crazily busy again with tons of homework to do. However, I am glad to have so colorful life here. Claremont is the best! Drucker School is the best! My friends are the best!

Parents' visit

The 1st week of semester, my parents came to visit me after their trip in Boston with my brother. Although they stayed 5 nights, I feel we couldn't have enough time to talk.

We played two golf games. The weather was a bit weird because of the huge fire in the West. However, we did enjoy and I have never felt so nice while playing golf with them. Even I still played terribly, we enjoyed playing together. That's the most important thing, right?

I took them to Solvang, a small Danish style town near Santa Barbara. Although my dad does not drink alcohol at all, while we tried a bit wine tasting, he smelled the wines. I appreciated that. Also, I missed the days we traveled together with my brother.

Of course, we ate some good food. In Solvang, the dinner in hotel was so delicious that we were a bit surprised. Also, we went to Ojiya, Shin-sen-gumi, Mitsuwa for all kinds of Japanese food. I am really glad to see them enjoyed here.

I am so lucky to have them visit me, and I am looking forward to meeting my brother in Oct. when we attend some career fairs together.

Well, I do love my family. I do.

Taiwanese

Nothing can change the fact that I am a Taiwanese.

No matter which language I am using or trying to use, no matter what kinds of events I am trying to attend, no matter how hard I am trying to be not only a Taiwanese, I am and will always be a Taiwanese.

Sincerely, I am hoping Taiwanese can achieve more and collaborate more.

When can I step out and do something?

Really, I am so weak... Taiwanese is so weak....?

根

最近一直接收到同樣的訊息, 我從哪裡來, 又該往何處去?

從小對於出國唸書就有著一個幻想: 想著在國外唸書, 英文變超強, 然後在美國找到很好的工作, 之後頂著光環回到台灣, 之類的種種不切實際幻想...

儘管許多長輩不斷給我建議: "你終究不是美國人, 還是要知道自己的根是在哪裡, 誰會提拔你, 誰會給你機會, 不要不切實際" 但我總還是抱持著原本的想法, 從申請學校的essay, 到美國來之後找的intern, 一個個動作都表明了我想在美國找工作, 想證明自己在這邊是有辦法生存的...

經過了八個月

可以說我終於漸漸夢醒了

姑且不論我實力根本就不夠, 就算在這邊找到工作又如何? 能有多大發展, 學到多少東西?

和我在學校的mentor聊過, 一些台灣來的前輩聊過, 自己花了好幾個月找尋工作之後, 漸漸我發現, 我必須要承認, 在這邊找尋工作的難度, 尤其在這個經濟狀況下, 實在是不容易實現的目標, 而且, 即使真的可以在這邊找到工作, 能夠為自己增加多少能力, 我真的是相當懷疑...

亞洲才是我的根

但 即使是和台灣人最容易相處的日本人 語言依然是個隔閡 文化依然是道牆

要如何跨越? 是接下來我應該好好思考的問題

anyway, 繼續學習日文吧!

日本語先生

This week, as usual, I had three sections of Japanese classes with my dear friends.

After the three lessons, in fact, my strongest feeling is guilty.

My poor memory and limited performance are really not enough to be a good student.

Please tell me I am too lazy. I will study harder because of your words.

Thank you very very much. All my dear friends...

海鮮丼を作った

Finally, Michie, Sean, and I made the "Seafood Don." The materials were all bought in Marukai supermarket.(map is attached) We bought the sashimi seafood, such as salmon, scallops, sea urchin, etc. Michie cooked the 玉子燒 and I put everything on the rice. After Sean made the sauce, we had a great dinner. It's so lucky that we can even make 海鮮丼 here!

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Meeting old friend is always a pleasure.

Coming back from San Francisco, the pleasure of meeting Edward still makes me feel good.

It's been a year since we met in Philadelphia. Time goes fast and we are at an age without certainty. No one knows he will be in the US or in Taiwan at May, and no one knows I will be here or somewhere else in summer. We both are struggling for our future. Because of a career fair, I found a reason to go and meet him. It's a nice trip, we went Napa, Stanford, and Apple headquarter. Of course, we did try hard in the career fair, too. I am really glad I went on this trip. Although we grew up together, now there is few chance we can meet and understand each other more.

This time, we met in San Francisco. Last time, we met in Philadelphia. Where will I see this guy next time? I have started looking forward to it!

Welcome my brother in Claremont

Last week, Sean came to the beautiful city, Claremont, to visit me. He will stay here for a while and apply school as well as lean English here. It is not common that two brothers are staying together for a long time at this age, but I feel I am lucky. Since I regard the experience being here would actually develop and help Sean in certain way, it is my duty and pleasure to make it happen. 

There is one thing that I am happy about. Sean told me he is surprised that I got so many great friends who are eager to help me in many ways here. It's impressive to him, and, in fact, to me also, so I still want to say thank you to everyone who helps me and is being my friend. I love you all. Thank you!

ありがとう 私の日本語の先生たち

きょうから、毎週水曜日は、ぼくの日本語の勉強日です。

先生たちに感謝することが、たくさんあります。これからも、おねがいします。

ありかとうございます！

Long Trip

I just finished a long trip. To where? Back to my home, and my most familiar foreign country: Japan. Now, I am in beautiful Claremont, California again. This time, I felt totally different emotion from 8 months ago.

May, 2008, I was a stranger to Claremont. The traffic here was terrifying, the sun was amazingly shining, and the language and culture were so special and interesting. Jan, 2009, I am a returned student. The traffic here is more acceptable than Taiwan, the sun is so warm and charming, and the language and culture are not so fresh to me anymore. The biggest difference, surprisingly, is that I miss Asia much more than last time.

In Taiwan, many friends were so nice that they arranged to meet with me even they were busy. The period I stayed in Taiwan was very short and I was almost meeting friends every day. Finally, I could play games until sunrise with them again. Finally, I could sit in the noisy tea shop and chat with them. Finally, I could lay on the sofa in Scott's home and watch movie with them. Finally, I talked about all kinds of stupid words and gossip all night again. It is somehow meaningless, but I miss it a bit.

My family and I went to Japan again. This time, we had four people together, no one missed. I could finally take the photo for them again, for three of them. 

Japan is still such a nice place to go for vacation and hot spring. This time, finally I tried a new Onsen hotel, 藏群, which is in Otaru and has a bar with free drink(including  kinds of alcohol). We revisited Otaru and ordered sushi with my poor new learned Japanese. As a result, we had one of the most amazing experience of eating sushi in Japan.

Thanks for Michie, the Tokyo part of this trip was enjoyable as well as tiring. Kamakura(鎌倉) and Yokohama(橫濱) now have different images in my mind and these two places are really really beautiful. The dinner, Isakaya(居酒屋), and cafe we went with Sean's friend, Mariko, and Michie were all special. I am glad to have some different experience and places to go in Japan.

In this long trip, I did a lot I have wanted to do for a while, but there were also many things I could not do. I met some people but I also missed some people that I could not meet or talk with this time. There is always no perfect trip. That's why the trip is always beautiful in memory and perfect in planning.

My wish in the beginning of this year: my family can be healthy and happy, my brother can get admission from the school he wants, my friends can be successful and cheerful, and I can get an internship.

X'mas party, Little Tokyo Restaurant

To be honest, sometimes I feel I get confused that I am studying in the US or in Japan. Since I like Japan so much already and now I have so many good Japanese friends, it's not surprising that I always eat Japanese food. One of our favorite sushi place near Claremont is Little Tokyo. It's about 10 mins by car from Claremont. The Chef Tomy San is a kind, interesting, experienced sushi chef.

Today, "Little Tokyo" restaurant had their X'mas party. They prepared buffet style Japanese food and 太鼓 performance, which is really interesting to see in the US.
I went to the party with Michie and Ryo. We ate unbelievably tremendous food and enjoyed talking with Tomy San, drinking with huge sake cup, and great unlimited sushi. Looking around the party, I saw Hispanic, Chinese, Japanese, and American. Everyone enjoyed and was friendly. I am really grateful that I can stay in such a mixed-culture places so that I can meet so many different people who understand and respect each culture and opinion. Although it's just a X'mas party in a small Japanese restaurant, the experience made me feel I really learned a lot here. 

Anyway, we ate and drank a lot. Next year, probably we will come again with more people. haha~

(Sorry to everyone that could not come with us. Next time, let's go together!)

看到哲瑋姿伶結婚的照片了...

真希望自己在場

無法想像他們兩個結婚時我竟然不在場

那麼多的照片中我竟然沒有出現在任何一張...

看著照片中的老友們

感慨萬千... 想想高中 大學 當兵 哪一段大家沒有聚在一起?

現在 他們兩個結婚了 我人卻在千里之外 隔著電話 心中情緒激昂卻又無以言表

會不會我畢業前恰吉也結婚 乃倫也結婚 凱晏也結婚了?

拜託晚一點結 我不想再錯過好朋有的婚禮了呀!!

話說這兩人一路走到現在

說風風雨雨 說跌跌撞撞 也算是吧 感覺就是註定在一起 大家也不意外吧

這種牽絆 怎麼說呢... 真是不可思議

總之

再次祝福兩位 希望早日見到你們可以當面說恭喜!

The message.

Sometimes, I feel life is delivering some messages to me, and in order to let me really understand, it expresses its ideas by different people's words and attitude. 

In college, I realized the importance of open-minded from Chinese Medical class, Mathematical logic, and a very good American teacher, Steve Wallace. These classes and people did not tell me, "You should be more open-minded," but they inspired me through the power of open-minded attitude.

Yesterday, I talked with one friend and we discussed about my future career a lot. By his experience, the glory of getting into "marketing devision" may not be necessary a good thing. Since everyone has the pride of being a part of the most competitive devision, in his experience, working there reduced his life quality a lot. He suggested that if he got into some "top-ranking" MBA school, he may feel high pressure and can not really make good relationship with people because everyone thinks they are the best.

When I applied MBA schools, I did try to apply by ranking on major magazines. However, I really felt I was wrong. I somehow feel this is my fate to come to Drucker, although it does not even attend most of the rankings because of small size and short history. 

Since I was in Taiwan, one of my high school friends has strongly suggested me to choose Claremont because of the location and small size. At that time, I worried about the ranking and reputation of school, so I could not easily decide to come here. Now, I know she was right. 

I was told by one of our Taiwanese American classmate that in top ranking schools, only the top students got the benefits. That makes sense. Who will want to hire the worst performance student in any school? Also, the huge class size of traditional top ranking MBA school leads the atmosphere not intimate and not close. These are not the qualities I am looking for in my MBA.

There is one friend, who is also working on  her MBA, told me, "it take something to make my MBA's top ranking." when I suggested her to maintain healthy life style. To be honest, I felt I am lucky to be here because Drucker School matches my priority of life choices.

To know Japanese students is also helpful for me to understand myself. It's obvious that Japanese spend more effort and time on studying and working. I really admire and respect this attitude. However, when this leads to irregular or not enough sleeping time and little time for eating, I really can not agree.

In short, there are many choices in life. People choose what they think is right. However, there indeed is nothing right or wrong. Only one thing is for sure, different decisions lead to different results. I am grateful that I chose Drucker School and I hope everyone makes the choice that he(she) really desires!

This is the one of the messages I received recently...

給 哲瑋 姿伶: 新婚恭喜

恭喜了 兩位!

終於進入人生的另一里程碑 

兩個人攜手共度快樂與艱辛一輩子

需要多大的決心 現在的我是無法想像的

兩個好友能有這樣美好的結果

我由衷感到開心和祝福

抱歉無法前往當面祝賀

在這邊 祝福兩位 早生貴子囉!

下次見面不知道是何時了 到時候再好好聊聊吧!!

Utah trip - Arches National Park

Thank Ryo & Kazuma, I enjoyed  a great trip to Arches National Park during my first Thanksgiving holiday in the US.

We arrived at night after a long long driving. The lodge we stayed was so nice. I was surprised when I knew that we can even use free wireless internet in the room. The scenery was also amazing there! I felt we enjoyed the nature and luxury at the same time. 

After a fun discussion about the plan of the next day, I fell asleep because of tiring long driving. It's really tough to drive more than ten hours a day. However, the experience is totally worth it. Some of us went horse riding on the second day. Riding horse on the trial with amazing view is a fantastic experience. My horse was very stable and cute. I was glad it was not so eager to eat nor too lazy to move. This was my first time to ride a horse and cross a small string. We took some great photos and everyone was satisfied with the guides.

We took some time in Arches National Park. The trials are enjoyable and the weather was good. We were lucky because it's cloudy but not rainy. If the rain came one day earlier, we could not hike anymore. Anyway, the Arches are unbelievable and we hiked a bit so that we could enjoy more in the dinner. 

The dinner was in Moab brewery. People said it's good, and they didn't lie. After dinner, we came back lodge, chatted for a while, and played poker. Everyone was so tired that the next day no one could get up!

The rushing morning was also fun. We all were surprised that no one woke up before 10:30 a.m. and we almost could not check out on time. Obviously, we enjoyed a lot.

The driving was terribly long but also interesting. Especially when Kazuma's car suddenly showed up besides my car. We also ate two meals in Vegas and gambled a bit. This is a great trip with great partners.

Thank you all for traveling together!

Boston Trip - Boston Career Forum

Back from Boston, I was so grateful that my school is in California with great weather. Although I like the atmosphere in the comparably old city, the low temperature is still a huge problem for me.

This trip is valuable, I think. Despite no jobs for me, the opportunity to see and participate the biggest Japanese job fair in the US is still a useful experience. I interviewed with Vp of Amazon.jp. He is really calm and smart. In fact, I believed I did a good job in that interview, although I failed to get the intern because of the lack of my experience and language ability. 

In the event, one may realize the stereo type: "Japanese can not speak good English." is totally wrong. There are so many new generation Japanese who can speak English much better than me. Maybe Japan will change dramatically in the near future. Who knows.

I am glad that I could meet the recruiter of Wunderman again. I regard this is a great company to work for and also a place really attracts me. 

The Taiwanese shabu shabu in Boston is the most impressive surprise for me. I enjoyed the shabu shabu which has 麻辣鍋底, 蒜泥 and 沙茶醬 with Japanese friends. We even ate two times in different shabu shabu restaurant during out very short stay.

In fact, I feel guilty by flying so far without getting a job back. However, I can only keep trying and practicing. I believe some day those dots in my life will somehow connect to each other. I can only keep my faith in myself.  That's all I can do.

Lucky Guy

This post is just about some recent feelings.

 

I am such a lucky guy. And I always know that.

The best thing that keeps happening to me is the great people & friends I meet.

My family is so supportive and understanding.

There are so much solid friendship from my elementary school classmates. 

My high school friends know me so well and our relationship are so deep and long.

Now, I am here. Again, so many kind, knowledgeable, and helpful friends are around me.

I learned how to enjoy golf. I received so many help for my job hunting.

There are so many great people trying to make me a better person.

How can I let them down.

Last night, I met my alumni mentor, who is trying to find me an internship more aggressively than I am. Is the luck from my name: "The one who get great people's help, guide, and support"?

The only thing I can do is to achieve my goal, to show them their help is worth it, to demonstrate I do learn from them, and to honestly present my heart to them.

I wish all my family and friends the best.

You are not wasting your time on me. I will not let you down.