Korea 6 of 9 - Korean War Museum

It took me about seven tries of exporting and uploading to youtube, to finally get it right. All of the stress has finally been lifted.  I was getting pretty frustrated with the whole process.

I've already begun working on the Busan episode and should have it done sometime around next Wednesday (Nov. 3rd).

Attempting to Finish My Korean Videos

It's been almost two months since I last posted a video on Korea.  Two months!  Can you believe that?  Well, a lot has happened to me since I last posted a video.  I moved into a new apartment, got hit by a car while riding a bicycle, started up school, and had to practice for the speech contest. I'm hoping that if I have the time, I will talk about each of these incidents.  For now, I'm just trying to finish up the last few videos I have about Korea.  

I don't know if you remember or not but all of these videos are from when I was in Korea last year.  It's taken me the longest time to get around editing these pieces.  I really enjoy putting them together but it's hard to balance a hobby with my free time.  

I really wish that putting these kind of videos was my full time job. Alas, it's not.  There is a little revenue that I get from it but it's not much.  Better than nothing right?  It all really depends on how many people are watch or reading my content.  At the moment, not so much.  That's ok though!  :)

At the moment, I am attempting to upload part six of nine, of my Korean series.  It's a video about the National War Museum of Korea.  Youtube is kind of being a pain and not processing the videos.  I've tried about six times so far and am getting really frustrated in the process.  It would be nice to get it up now but if not, I'll try and get it up by this Wednesday.  Remember, the video is finished, it's just youtube that isn't co-operating.   

Bizarre Dream

Last night I had a dream in which I was forced to leave Japan and go back to America.  I've had this dream a few times before.  There have never been a reason to 'why' I had to move back.  The problem I've had in each of these dreams is that, I've never been able to find work.  I love Cascadia but I have a very stable life in Japan.  Let's hope it doesn't come true.

(Japanese forest nearby my house)

Japanese Customer Service

I was at my school the other day, just sitting down at my desk.  There wasn't much work for me to do, so I was scribbling some kanji on blank pieces of paper.  Class didn't start for an hour anyway and I had some time to kill.  While in the midst of practicing a mechanic showed up at school.  He was there to pick up one of the teachers cars.  I glanced out the window and saw his car in the parking lot.  He grabbed the keys to the teachers car and drove off, leaving his car in the parking lot.  A few hours later, the mechanic returned with the teachers keys and a bill for the work done to his car.  This isn't the first time I've seen customer service taking to that level.  

Since many employees in Japan work long hours, it can be difficult for them to get normal errands done.  I've once seen travel agents come to the school, sit down, and talk with the teachers planning to get away during summer break.  This level of customer service is super rare in America.  

I think there are a few reasons for this, not all of which I want to get into.  The main point I want to get to is most Japanese take their job seriously or take extreme pride in their work.  Rarely is anything done sloppy here in Japan.  Let me give you an example.  

If you walked into a 7/11 in Japan, you'll see at least three people working.  They'll great you immediately.   You head over to the chips section and pull a bag off the shelf, leaving an 'empty' space. Then you grab a coke and head to the front to pay.  While at the front of the store, you decide you want a corn dog.  You tell the clerk and before you can finish your sentence, another employee or the clerk themselves quickly head over to the corn dogs and pulls one off the shelf for you.  Puts it nicely in a bag and hands it too you.  When you're walking out of the store, all of the workers yell 'thank you' (in Japanese of course) and you're on you're way.  What you won't see is that one of the employees will go back to where you bought your bag of chips and 're-face' the brand, making sure that the shelves don't look empty.  

The level of detail and pride the Japanese take in their work is insane.  Sometimes I think it's a little to much but I have grown accustomed to it.  I have a feeling that when I go back to visit in America, I might be a little discouraged.