【What brings me to Flores Island】

Hello! Thank you for visiting my blog, “Haruka jalan-jalan in Flores”.

Let me explain about this blog title at first…💡In Indonesian language, “jalan-jalan” means “Traveling”so my blog title means Haruka traveling in Flores😄

In this article, I’d like to introduce myself & what brings me to this island🌴

Studied abroad in Bali

Yes!! Everything started from here✨

When I was in university in Japan. I majored in Indonesian language for 4 years🇮🇩

Why I chose major of Indonesian language…? Because when I was a kid, I went to Phuket island in Thailand with my family and I saw that a young Japanese woman was working at hotel as receptionist and she looked very enjoying working with colleagues in local language. And I thought that it is very cool if I can stay in resort island and speak not only English but other language!!

So I decided to study Thai language in university. But unfortunately I couldn’t pass the entrance examination of university which has major of Thailand language. And I passed exam of university which has major of Indonesian language but it was my second choice. I just selected this university because I thought Thailand language and Indonesian language is similar that time but actually it’s totally different lol

I went to private English lesson since before entering the kindergarden so my goal was to be a trilingual in the future🙌 So I was studying quite hard during I was in university✏️

Didn’t know how to “communicate”

Since I was studying Indonesian language very hard, my score was really good in my class (Is it okay to be a little bit proud? lol) But when I was second year university student, I went trip to Bali with my friend and l really couldn’t understand what Indonesian talked to me🤣 And of course they didn’t understand what I was talking lol

I was so sad but could realized that I didn’t know “how to communicate” in Indonesian language.

Because of that I decided to go study abroad in Bali⭐️

I was in Bali for only half a year but I started to be able to communicate in Indonesian language with my local friends;)

And it was good experience that I could learn Indonesian culture as well. It is much more better to know the culture itself to learn the language.

To be honest, Japanese culture and Indonesian culture is really different so there were so many culture shock in my study abroad life🤣 Toilet is wet, my friend never show up on time(actually depends on the person lol), eat something with hand, it is rude if I shake hands with my left hand etc…

I didn’t even know what small shower is just next to the toilet bowl. One of my Japanese friend thought that finger bowl is free drink.

It was just half a year but I learned so many things living in Bali🌴Because of that I know how to use manual washlet now🚿haha

Worked in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Normally in Japan, we start to do job hunting 1-2 years before graduation from university. That time I wanted to work as sales at trading company or supplier because I thought I will have opportunity to go business trip in all over the world✈️

Training trip was “key”

Finally I succeed to get a job offer from supplier in my hometown. The company is located at just one station from my house. During the interview, human resource staff offered me to join international business headquarters so I was so happy to take it.

After join this company, there was training trip for new employees. The schedule was to stay in temple for 5nights in Kyoto👘

Did you think “Omg that is sightseeing!! I envy you!!”…??

NO NO, there is very very scary buddhist monk in the temple and we need to follow his strict training😨

We woke up at 4am in the morning, cleaned up all areas of the temple. After that ZEN time which is meditation with cross-legged for an hour…..!!!!!

We can’t make any sounds during eat (Of course, no talking) but need to eat quickly. And we listen to a sermon, “Why do we need to work”.

It sounds like little a bit crazy but it is very good for new employees to set up their minds to be a member of a society🔥

After training, human resource staff offered me to work in overseas sales office. According to him, I look have strong mental since I was always calm during that training🤣

Being strong is important in overseas

So I flew to Kuala Lumpur and started to work as sales marketing. I didn’t even know how to put petrol but I started driving the car to visit many clients. I didn’t know business English but I was trying to make an appointment to get new clients by phone call and sometimes couldn’t find out their office because I didn’t understand what they said clearly.

It was very tough but I enjoyed working there and slowly got many clients and local friends whom I still contact consistently till now:)

Thanks god, my heart has been getting stronger because of this experience!

Moved to Bali from Kuala Lumpur

After working in Kuala Lumpur for 3 years, I started to remember that “My dream is to live in resort island”. I really liked to work in Kuala Lumpur but I was afraid that I will be lazy to chase my dream if I keep staying in my comfortable zone.

So I decided to chase my dream!!

Hard to get a job in Bali

Especially for foreigners, it is very hard to get a job in Bali⚡️

Why…? The answer is very simple, There are many foreigners who wants to live in Bali🌴

So even I sent CV and e-mail so many times nobody replied me🤣

Just Do It!!

That time I was really wanted to make my dream come true so I flew to Bali to meet people in company which I sent my CV to✈️ Fortunately it takes only 2.5 hours to reach in Bali from Kuala Lumpur so it was easy to visit there to talk to people there to show “How serious I want to work there”🔥

Thanks to what I did, human resource offered me to join interview:) I was very lucky!!

Finally I got a job offer in Bali and started to live in Bali🌺

Moved to Flores from Bali

Everyday was like a dream when I lived in Bali because Bali is my destination for trip but I was in Bali everyday~♪

Life is fate & timing

After living half a year in Bali, I got offer to be transferred to new office in Flores island💡

When I was in Kuala Lumpur I’ve been to Flores island for traveling and I mentioned that “I fell in love with Flores island❤️”. So I suddenly felt that “Maybe this is a fate!!” So I took this offer and started to live in Flores island🤙

It is very important to take action without too much thinking sometimes;)

Let’s follow your heart and challenge new things~✨