Conversation with a stranger

English Only...

In the last post, I wrote I got a wrong train on my way home from Birmingham. While I was waiting for a train to Manchester on a platform in the city, I was so exhausted. Since I had not been able to sleep well, I was running out of energy.

Just before I rode on the train, I asked a question "this is going to Manchester, right?" to a stranger. He answered yes with a beautiful British accent, and he asked "what happened " with smile. I did told him I got a wrong train. He was saying that in this country, such a thing sometime happens, but this train is going to Manchester.

Due to the fact that the train was a bit crowded and I might have to explain my situation to a train staff in a case with regard to a ticket issue, I sit down next to him. I don't know why I thought, but I thought that he would help me if I need a hand for the case.

Until arriving to Manchester Piccadilly, I talked to this guy. He looked a backpacker. My assumption was correct - he told me that he went to Nairobi to work on a job in terms of architect. In addition, he has been to various countries for his job. Yes, he is an architecture. This was the begging of our conversation.

We shared our experience and culture with each other. He got curiosity about the job hunting in Japan. In my country, a major doesn't determine a range of jobs or industries that we can apply for. Even in a case that someone studies english literature, s/he can apply for the financial industry. This is natural. The reason why companies are opening or welcoming all major's students is simple: they wanna 'educate' new graduates with a fascinating training before&after new graduates join firms.

On the other hand, in UK (or other countries), what students study in bachelor determines the range. For instance, if I study economics, I could apply for the financial industry. However, if I study fine arts, I couldn't. So, students are required to think their future plan in a certain meaning before they enter universities.

This Japanese system in terms of job hunting is only one thing that I like. It is because the major doesn't define our career. (I have to say that I would agree with only this aspect of Japanese job hunting).


After this topic, we moved on to another about how to find our passion. He mentioned that although he has a career in architecture, he doesn't know this is what he wants to do in his heart. So, I told him a discipline that Joi Ito, directer of MIT Media Lab, says - compass over map. In my understanding, this is saying that people are trying to look for their destination with a 'right' way. The way might be designed by society. I mean a society believes in that the way is 'right' to obtain social reputation - the destination. However, a compass shows a direction. This shows our passion. We don't know where to go and a way. But, the way is our original, and also the destination we don't know is what we want to do.

After he was listening to my explanation about the discipline, he nodded. I said reasons why you are going for trips around the globe might be following the direction showed by your compass. It might be my misunderstanding, but his eyes were a bit in red and tears came into his eyes. He said 'I like the analogy'. When he said that, our trip from Birmingham was almost over. Just before we got off the train, I told him that the analogy is not my original. It is said by Joi Ito. Although tears were coming, he suddenly smiled. Finally, a time to say goodbye was coming. I would hope that I could see him again somewhere in someday.