Why France?

タイトルの質問は、死ぬまで聞かれるであろう。ただ、ヤボだと思うし（人にはそれぞれ事情があるもので、フランスに来るというのは、スーパーに買い物に行くのとはわけが違って、込み入った理由があることが多い）、相手の個人的な領域に足を踏み入れるような気がする。自分は、躊躇してしまう。ただ、聞き方によっては、それほど領域の奥に入ることはないと思うし、状況によっては、聞くのが自然という場合があると思う。

・最初に日本から出た理由

年上の親友をきっかけに、エンジニアとして来日していた外国人たちと知り合ったときに、エクスパットという仕事のスタイルがあることを知り、ある国にとどまって、そこでずっと生活をしていくのがつまらないと感じたということが一番だろう。大学時代を通して、専攻に物足りなさを感じて、ずっとくすぶっていて、何か外に向けてしたいと思っていたが、大学を通じでは、外に繋がるものが何も見つけられなかった。1年間のインターンシッププログラムに応募した。どんな一年になるか、全く予想がつかなかったけど、何かを得たいと思っていた。経験、語学、仕事、の3つのうち、会社が決まった時点で、とりあえず経験（CVに良いという意味）はゲットした。仕事つまらなかったり、自分の能力以上のものであれば、それは捨てて、語学に専念しようと思っていた。あるプログラムの先輩が「プログラムをウルルン滞在記にするな」と言ったが、これはまさにそうで、いい思い出にするだけには勿体なさすぎるプログラムである。

・残りたかった理由

【即時的なもの】

1．エンジニアの社会的ステイタスが高い・・・エンジニアは給料が良い部類だ。頭を使って、ものを作りだす仕事が、尊敬されている。

2．仕事にとても興味が持てた

3．いい会社だった

5．パリでの生活は問題ない・・・溶け込めているように感じられる必要があると思う。溶け込めているように感じられたのは、フラットメイトの存在が大きかったと思う。

【将来的なもの】

1．キャリアの差別化ができる

2．学ぶことができ、専門を伸ばすことができる

3．英語と仏語の両方を身につけられる

Search apartment (2)

In Paris, the price of apartment has been going up since several years. One of my friend said to me that she bought an apartment in the 11th district when she was a student (now she is 30 years old), and renting it now.

http://www.metrofrance.com/paris/paris-l-immobilier-bat-de-nouveaux-records/pkez!isFN4CHDDoBKXQ6rINuA@Q/

is a free paper distributed every morning at the gate of metro stations in Paris.

Search apartmetn (1)

Finding a nice apartment is difficult in Paris. I found my current place through mixi, but I need to leave for some reason or another in not so long. This time, as I am newly hired as semi-expatriot, the company's agent helps me find an apartment. I just have to tell her the criteria and She does the research calling real estate agent and internet. My criteria are

- along the line 12 or 13

- less than 800 euros

she takes two or three days for the search so I needed to take an appointment in advance to be sure she can take enough time for the search. On May 24 she came over to me to pick me up then we went to see the apartments by her car. finally we did the visit of 9 apartments in or outside Paris. Still it is very difficult to choose one.

What is important is to "work well". Definitely. I didn't chose this time. We will do the second visit next month (June).

Note for moving to abroad

１．外国でproof of marriage registrationは、婚姻届の受理証明書（旧姓のっている）が

届出人のみ受け取れ、350円かかる

２．変圧器について：熱が出るような電化製品はw数が大きいため、大きなものが必要。数万円、かつ重い。

Japanese Pension (2)

Japan has an agreement of premium of pension between other main countries

http://www.sia.go.jp/seido/kyotei/index.htm

In France, companies have to pay the premium of employees.

This site discuss the point of residence registry

http://www.interq.or.jp/world/naoto/benricho/jumin.html

: in my case, thanks to the agreement, the premium I will pay in France will be valid in Japan. so I don't have to pay premium here in Japan, so I should not register my residence in Japan.

easy-to-understand Japanese pension system

http://nenkin.news-site.net/

http://www.think-nenkin.jp/payment/index.html

Japanese prepaid mobile

Even for a short stay in Japan, you will need mobile phone for many practical reason.

The prepaid type mobile offered by Softbank is very useful for a short stay.

Note that docomo doesn't have this service any more (before they had). AU has the prepaid phone service, but the financial situation of AU has been apparently not good since several years, so this seemed to be kind of dangerous, as you may want to use it for next several years.

First, you need to buy these

1. mobile phone (prepaid type) : the price depends on the type, but mine was 2500 yen or so.

2. prepaid card : 2 types, 3000yen and 5000yen.

To activate it, call "1400", then follow the instruction

1. Charge credit: just give the number of mobile card

2. Register free email service: this cost you 300yen, but this is cost-effective I think. this service is only for 30 days, so you have to do it again if you use more than the period.

Every time you come to Japan, you just have to buy the card and do the above.

The credit is valid for 2 months from the date you charged.

The number is valid for 1 year after the last credit is expired.

Voila.

Summer time

Summer time started last Sunday. At 2 am people have to set their clock back one hour.

I love this season. I feel very happy just for the change. The photo is taken at 8:45 pm.

In Japan summer time existed between 1948 and 1951, but the bad reputation abolished it.

So what happened with summer time in Japan?

In fact, people was forced to work (by their bosses or, I guess, spontaneously) longer...