“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
― Ruth Reichl
A shared passion for tech:
Life may have its ups and downs, and I understand that it can be tough and unjust at times. However, always keep in mind that as long as we breathe, we can hope. This is the mantra I shared with a dear friend I met in a covidsurvivors’ group in Chicago back in 2021.
The past few days have been absolutely fantastic. With it being a three-day weekend, I decided to attend a meetup event in Tokyo for the first time in over three years. It was a gathering centered around programming, where individuals with coding experience or an interest in it came together to discuss their projects, interests, and their shared passion for technology.
Since I brought my System 76 laptop, which is quite rare to see in Japan, the event’s organizer quickly recognized it and was interested in me. Then, people kept asking me about what type of job/project I’m currently involved with, and my experiences in tech.
If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, you’re likely aware of my strong enthusiasm for Linux, particularly when it comes to servers. When I shared my experiences and personal projects, it left people truly amazed, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience to share my knowledge and our mutual passion for technology.
Since I began attending meetups in July, socializing has truly breathed a positive energy into my life. I’m thankful for all the interactions and connections I’ve made over the past few months at these meetup events.
Language exchange meetup:
The next day, I attended another meetup in my city, Yokohama. This one is something I’ve already attended a couple of times before, and this was the third time. It was such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and gave me a strong voice of inclusiveness.
The meetup was organized by an English teacher who originally came from Australia. She was accompanied by two colleagues: one is her supervisor, and the other is a new teacher who recently arrived in the Tokyo/Yokohama area at the beginning of this month.
Since the new person didn’t have many friends in the area and wasn’t familiar with our language, their boss sat beside them and taught them some basic Japanese phrases.
Once more, the cozy atmosphere at the coffee shop felt just like home, and I genuinely appreciated their efforts in fostering such a friendly ambiance.
Someone once said – kindness always makes a difference. And I believe that’s exactly what I felt at the event.
Work and stammering:
In terms of my professional life, the week just before last was one of the toughest weeks I’ve encountered so far this year. I had to make the daily commute to the office for effective communication, and it proved to be quite a challenge. However, one thing I’ve observed over the past few weeks is a significant improvement in my speech fluency, particularly my stammering.
Because all of my teammates and I have to attend an online morning meeting every day, there are times when I have to speak up and share my work progress with them. On occasion, I’ve experienced moments of stuttering, and even though it’s an online meeting, addressing 30 other members can be quite stressful and challenging for me.
Being compelled to speak up has surprisingly led to a marked improvement in my stammering. I can’t pinpoint the exact reason for this change, but it’s undeniable. Although I still occasionally stumble and have difficulty pronouncing certain words, this significant improvement in my speech has boosted my self-confidence. Perhaps my participation in meetups has played a role in this as well.
Gravitated towards black:
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been buying some clothing lately, and it seems like I’m consistently gravitating towards black. Whether it’s black pants, black jackets, or black t-shirts, I find that black gives a slimming effect, makes you appear taller, and exudes a sense of sophistication. I’m really drawn to this color – black.
Afterthoughts:
Start by exchanging greetings, getting to know one another, and discovering their backgrounds. Ask questions and show genuine curiosity about their identities. Through my recent social interactions, I’ve found my mental health to have become more stable and peaceful. I used to harbor anger, directed towards my country, society, and the people around me. However, something changed. As social creatures, we inherently need each other – to understand one another and to connect with one another. Essentially, we are naturally drawn to the idea of community.