Lost in Translation?

[tumkursudhi]

I am a bilingual engineer who has managed to survive here in Japan for last three years. I came to Japan through a company on contract for 5 years. Initially we were told all good things about working here, but once here I was made to work in different companies as a Hakken Shain (contract employee), depending on the period of the project. Thereby my domain specific ness started loosing its grip. Due to some personnel constraint I had to join this job. And quitting of the same now will demand 75 Man Yen (6,400US$) from this company. I was made to hand over all my Degree certificates at the time of joining. The places I work here at Japan don’t treat us as employees (or even better Human beings?). Since we are people from outside, not much vital or critical work is given to us. Most of them are based on translation and like wise and very less on technical subjects.
How do I get out of this place? I really cannot act to be working hard till late night when I don’t have any work. But people around me simply drag their work till late night. When I complete my work well with in time and want to get home fast people around me look at me as though I am not putting enough efforts. Somebody please suggest me a way out…

 

[MDXer]

if you quit you will have to pay them?

"Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!"
- Daffy Duck

 

[DrJavaJoe]

Are you contractually obligated to stay and if so what are the consequences of leaving?

Do you have somewhere to go if you do leave, a place to stay, job prospects, food, etc?

If the consequences are reasonable and you do have a place to go, then write that letter of resignation and be done with it.


"Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'."

 

[xmsre]

If not, and you find yourself stuck in a foreign country, a visit to your consulate may be in order.

 

[willir]

tumkursudhi

Hmmm. See the May 19, 2004 post by medic

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?SQID=200811&SPID=672&page=1

This type of hardball does not motivate people to work well. Time and time again, ruling by fear may seem to produce results, but history shows otherwise. ...when will we ever learn. A balance between standards and free will type of stuff.

What to do. Very tough one. Ideally, you should try to find out what others before you have done.

I agree visiting your local consulate is a good approach although my dealings with them have shown the process to be very slow, but I suspect they will have the best vantage point on providing guidance and perhaps assistance. Also, see if family members outside the country can find some one with expertize and experience to help. Maybe even consider trying to get their local politician involved. Build a support network of friends, relatives and experts.

I can not comment on legal footings. A neighbour of mine worked for the major car company, and was involved in bringing a new line of cars to the local plant. He was sent to Japan for training. He was shocked at the disregard of dignity and respect -- it changed his once positive attitude to a dubiously negative attitude. You need legal council and advice, and you may not be able to trust the persons you work with.

I would not be too concerned about your academic degrees. You should be able to obtain replacements from the original institution. Consider those who loose their positions in a flood, strom, fire -- similar issue -- lost documents. (Probably another excercise in patience) But make sure you have your pasport!

I would be more concerned about getting out with as much of your funding as possible.

Having said this, Japonese people I have worked with have been some of the nicest, kindest and warmest I have ever worked with. I suspect, I hope this is a big business hardball attitude.

I wish you much luck.

 

[jtb]

Willir, your experience with Japanese people was obviously not in a situation where you worked for mid-level management. their confucian roots encourages stuff in the workplace that makes the iraqi prison scandal look tame...

cultural differences aside, I think many of the contracting firms from the Subcontinent operate with the same degree of crapulence towards their workers... not at all what we US types would stand for a minute; but that's one reason we're losing jobs to them...

Best bet is volunteer for more work. Keep at it. Annoy them. If you can't quit, be so freakin' helpful that they don't know what to do...

And try to out-polite them. They hate that... It'll make you look like you out-rank them if you're more polite than they are... It'll ruin their mental image of you as a servant...

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
"A knight without armour in a [cyber] land."

 

[KenCunningham]

JTB - have you been watching 'Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence' and/or 'The Bridge On The River Kwai'?? ;-)

 

[KornGeek]

About a year ago, you posted another topic about this same issue (thread655-493005). What steps have you taken since then, and what results did you get?

<I'm not a lawyer.>
I'm not sure which country this contract originated in, but I seem to be under the impression that it was the U.S. If all else fails, you might want to consider simply hopping on a plane, flying back to the U.S., and making it their burden to try to collect the fee for your quitting. You could also use legal methods to reclaim your certifications, or simply replace them as mentioned in a previous post.
</I'm not a lawyer.>

You could always take the approach from the movie Office Space:

"I don't like my job and I don't think I'm going anymore."
"You mean you're quitting?"
"No. I'm just not going anymore."

Although ethically I wouldn't normally recommend this, but in your situation you could consider making your performance so bad that they choose to get rid of you. Then, you're not quitting and the penalty wouldn't apply.

Keep in mind that I'm not a lawyer and I haven't seen the contract you signed. Also, I don't have to live with the results of your actions. Ultimately, what I suggest may not be the best solution for you.

 

[jtb]

KenCunningham,

I've seen the movies many years ago; but I've worked in a number of places in Confucian Asia and that is just the way it is over their...

It's not very PC; but they aren't either (though they really expect you to be)...

I work for a Fortune 500 corporation. We had a joint-venture with a very large [deleted for security reasons] corporation, one you would know and probably have their products in your house. We regularly had to check our contracts with them--because they had no compunction about changing them after we signed but before they did... always in their favor... and didn't even blink when pressed...

That is just the way business is done over there.

So the only way out is to follow their rules... which can change... in their favor... any time they want...

I love the area for recreation... but I don't trust 'em as far as I could throw a Sumo Wrestler holding onto an anvil welded to the deck of a battleship...

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
&quot;A knight without armour in a [cyber] land.&quot;