Day in life as a Japanese Bilingual Engineer — Part 2

Not a instruction or guideline ! No fancy or big words ! This blog post will be very simple and straightforward. This is a day in life of me as a Japanese Bilingual Engineer in Goalist Vietnam.

If you haven’t read the part 1 of this series, here the link:

Day in life as a Japanese Bilingual Engineer — Part 1

Welcome back to Part 2 of my series about life as a Japanese Bilingual Engineer in Goalist Vietnam. In this segment, I’ll share what I like and dislike about my job, as well as the skills I have and need to improve to become a better Bilingual Engineer.

What I Like About My Job

1. Cultural Exchange: One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is the cultural exchange. I get to work with teams from Japan, Vietnam, and sometimes other countries. This not only broadens my understanding of different cultures but also helps me learn new perspectives and approaches to problem-solving.
2. Variety of Tasks: The combination of bilingual and engineering tasks keeps my work dynamic and interesting. One day I might be deep into coding a new feature, and the next, I’m interpreting a crucial meeting between Japanese and Vietnamese teams. This variety ensures that no two days are the same.
3. Continuous Learning: Working in the tech industry means constant learning. Whether it’s a new programming language, a framework, or just improving my language skills, there’s always something new to learn. This continuous growth keeps me motivated and engaged.
4. Problem Solving: Both the bilingual and engineering aspects of my job involve a lot of problem-solving. Whether it’s debugging a piece of code or finding the best way to convey a technical concept in another language, I enjoy the challenge and satisfaction that comes with solving these problems.

What I Dislike About My Job

1. High Pressure: The bilingual part of my job can be very high-pressure. Ensuring clear and accurate communication between teams is critical, and mistakes can lead to significant misunderstandings or project delays. This responsibility can sometimes be stressful.
2. Balancing Act: Balancing between the bilingual and engineering tasks can be challenging. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not able to give my best to either side because I’m constantly switching roles. This juggling act can be mentally exhausting.
3. Technical Catch-Up: As mentioned in Part 1, the tech industry evolves rapidly. Keeping up with the latest technologies, frameworks, and best practices requires a lot of effort. Sometimes it feels like as soon as I get comfortable with a technology, something new comes along that I need to master.
4. Isolation: Despite working with international teams, there are times when I feel isolated. This is especially true when I’m deeply focused on coding. The solitary nature of some tasks can be a bit lonely, even if it’s necessary for productivity.

Skills I Have and Need to Improve

Language Proficiency:

• Current Skill: I am proficient in Japanese, English, and Vietnamese. This proficiency is the cornerstone of my role as a bilingual engineer.
• Improvement Needed: There’s always room to improve my technical vocabulary in each language, particularly as it relates to emerging technologies.

Technical Skills:

• Current Skill: I have strong front-end development skills and a good grasp of various programming languages and frameworks.
• Improvement Needed: I need to deepen my knowledge of back-end technologies and improve my understanding of full-stack development to become a more versatile engineer.

Communication:

• Current Skill: Effective communication is one of my strengths, helping bridge gaps between teams.
• Improvement Needed: I want to enhance my ability to convey complex technical concepts more simply and effectively, especially to non-technical stakeholders.

Time Management:

• Current Skill: I manage my tasks efficiently, balancing multiple responsibilities daily.
• Improvement Needed: I aim to refine my time management skills further to reduce stress and increase productivity, ensuring I can handle the bilingual and engineering tasks more seamlessly.

Conclusion

Being a Japanese Bilingual Engineer is both challenging and rewarding. It requires a unique blend of technical expertise and language skills, along with the ability to adapt and learn continuously. While there are aspects of the job that can be stressful, the opportunities for growth and cultural exchange make it all worthwhile.

Stay tuned for future posts where I’ll delve deeper into specific projects I’ve worked on and share more insights into the life of a bilingual engineer.