Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »ILT. LET. NFW. WFH. DSP. PMEM. OMX.
Those are some of the numerous new acronyms I’ve learned so far during my internship at Qualcomm. Don’t worry too much about what they stand for (for those curious, here’s a hint: half of them aren’t even technical acronyms). It’s the end of my third week here and I’m slowly getting assimilated into the QCOM culture. I work for the Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc., aka QuIC, which is a “wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated that brings together a dedicated group of engineers focused on this area of growing innovation. With the goal of investing greater resources into enabling and optimizing open source software with Qualcomm technology, QuIC works closely with the open source community to enable the faster advancement of the wireless industry as a whole.” Specifically, I’m on the Android Linux’s OpenCORE team. OpenCORE is the Google Android’s multimedia framework (the middleware, or part of the Android operating system that links Android applications’ media functionality to the hardware). Of course, recently, the Android has moved onto a new framework called Stagefright, so chances are, my team will soon be called the Stagefright team. I’m not entirely sure how much information I can divulge about what I’m working on so I’ll play it safe and not post anything at all. The last two-and-a-half weeks have been spent watching videos, reading wikis, and going through a lot of source code. It wasn’t fun, but thank God that’s done.
Qualcomm treats its employees (especially interns) really well. I got a luxurious, fully-furnished apartment with bi-weekly maid service in San Diego on top of competitive pay. There are plenty of intern events here to take us away from work to have a good time and you’re working with very smart people. With all that said, however, I am having a hard time finding my niche. I have a feeling it’s because I was part of the last group of interns coming in. By the time I started, other interns were already entering their third, fifth, or even seventh weeks. Qualcomm was no stranger to them anymore, they’ve found their place in the company, and they have their group of friends. The past few weeks have been a struggle in that regard in particular. I’m just hoping it gets better with time.
Today, Qualcomm had its annual QSOL (Qualcomm Summer on the Lawn) event. There were many performances, lots of people, and tons of cheap ($1) food. When I got there, I quickly spotted a “Sushi and Asian Food” stand and lined up. The line was extremely long, but well worth the wait. Unfortunately, the stand was not selling sushi, but it had a good alternative: yakitori. When I got to the front of the line and ordered, I had a short conversation in Japanese with the lady handling my order. It really brought me back to Japan and made me miss it so much more… That experience made my day though. Now I’m craving something Japanese so I’ve decided that I will go out for ramen for lunch tomorrow. I already found a place: Tajima Japanese Noodle House. Yelp had good things to say about it so I’m stoked. It’s not Japan, but hopefully it doesn’t disappoint.
Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »Here’s an interesting article: http://ha.ckers.org/blog/20100625/places-to-mitm/
I find myself guilty of the ctrl-enter trick. What about you?
Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »It’s been an eerie feeling ever since I have been back in the States (since June 23). I find it weird to see cars driving on the right side again. I’m finding myself saying “itadakimasu” and “gochisoosama” before and after eating, saying “arigatoo,” “hai,” and “un” quite often, and nodding/bowing when I clearly don’t need to. I’ve been having lots of Japan withdrawals. Here are just some of the things I miss most about Japan.
- 食べ放題’s, 飲み放題’s (all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink places), and bars. Sure, there are buffets in America, but all-you-can-drink? I don’t think so. Especially at such a good price. Oh and I miss the fact that I can drink legally in Japan. Oh well, just one more month in the States before I turn 21!
- Clubbing and karaoke. Nothing beats dancing or singing and drinking the night away from 10PM until 5AM.
- Vending machines. Quench your thirst by buying a drink that’s less than a minute’s walk away.
- Japanese toilets. I miss the heated seats and the butt spray.
- Push email on my phone. I wish all phones in the U.S. did this and not just BlackBerries, iPhones, and Androids. Japanese texting is essentially emailing which makes so much more sense. I like the fact that you know right away when you get a new message.
- EWS every Monday. Teaching cool people English who are eager to learn with a great group of foreign students is always fun. I’m going to miss you guys…
- Mondays and Thursdays at the cafe in Doshisha with Andrew, Hisayo, and Sachie. I enjoyed the conversations. Those were always fun.
- Hanging out with the gang (you know who you are). Oh the adventures!
- The コンビニ’s (convenience stores) which were always open, had everything you needed, and just a short walk away.
- Nice Japanese people and amazing customer service. It is just unmatched in America.
- Not having to worry TOO much about money. Japanese yen was like play money to me, which was probably a bad thing…
- My host mom’s cooking and Japanese food in general. Yes, that includes Japanese ramen.
- Speaking and hearing Japanese. Sure, my little brother is taking Japanese in high school, but that’s different. And I must say I really miss hearing the voice of the lady on the subway telling you not to forget anything and to be careful of the opening and closing doors.
- Always having something to do. My hometown has been all tired out. There’s not much left to do here anymore. There was always something new in Japan.
- And so much more…
Oh and one thing I don’t miss? The weather. The rain, the humidity, the heat were unbearable. California weather just can’t be beat.
Posted by Michael »
1 Comment »This past month has been crazy! It has also gone by way to fast and I’m sorry for not updating this blog. Too be honest, I’ve either been too busy or I’ve been having too much fun to touch this in a while. With that said, it’d probably be better to ask me in person about what’s been going on the past month. Sadly, I’m in Japan for only three more days, but the three months I’ve been in Japan have been the best three months I’ve ever had in my life. I really wish I could stay here longer but I guess the limited time is also a reason why this has been so special. I just want to thank everyone for the experience: Kyoto-SCTIers, the Stanford staff, the instructors, the auditors, the Bings, my host family, EWS, DESA, friends in the UC program, everyone I’ve gotten the chance to meet and interact with during my time here, and all you faithful readers of this blog. This is one experience I shall never forget.
Now, before I leave you for a while (I’ll probably start posting some stuff again when I start my internship in two weeks), I just wanted to share another America-Japan cultural difference. First of all, if you think American movie theaters are expensive, you’re in for a treat in Japan. Movie tickets range from $15-18. Some movie theaters also have assigned seating. During the movie, no one laughs nor cries–not a single peep. I personally think it kills the experience if a movie is really funny, because the atmosphere just isn’t there. I watched Iron Man 2 and I mean, Robert Downey Jr. is a funny guy, but I didn’t get the chance to, literally, LOL. Some Japanese movie theaters also provide blankets. Oh, and roughly 90% of the audience stay until the end credits are over before getting out of their seats to leave. I got up and quickly sat back down the first time I went to a Japanese movie theater. Just a heads up.
Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »I had fugu (pufferfish) a couple weeks ago and I’m happy to say I’m alive to blog about it. A few of us have been dying (hah!) to try fugu before we left Japan so with the help of Hisayo, we found a place off Shijo-Kawaramachi that was serving fugu dishes for half-off until June 30 (Fukushin). Why not right? I made a reservation for 10 and our fates were sealed.
The people crazy enough to risk their lives? Me, Mai, Matt, Yan, Hisayo, Shirley, Tiffany, Lillian, and Yuki. Upon arriving at the small restaurant, we were greeted by none other than quality Japanese customer service. We sat down and amidst some complications with the ordering of courses, we finally figured out what we wanted after a good half-an-hour. Hisayo did a good job of explaining to the chef our complex order. I’m surprised at how happily the restaurant put up with it.
First up, some appetizer with fugu skin and soy sauce. It had an interesting rubber texture and it was fairly chewy.
Next was the most popular dish: fugu sashimi. The thinly sliced pieces of fugu were to be rolled up with green onion and what I believe were leeks and then dipped in soy sauce. The sashimi itself really had no flavor so dipping it in the sauce was necessary. To be honest, it wasn’t anything too special…
The next couple of dishes were broiled fugu and fried fugu. Broiled fugu was alright. Fried fugu, on the other hand, was amazing. Then again, what isn’t when fried? It was delicious–with the right amount saltiness and crispiness.
Following that came fugu nabe (a kind of hot pot of some sort). This had huge pieces of fugu along with vegetables, tofu, and mochi. This was particular dish was pretty good and filling. I really enjoyed it.
Finally, before our melon dessert (which I couldn’t eat… damn allergies), we had some rice gruel thing. I don’t really know how to describe it, but it was good. Here it is:
Overall, I would say that eating fugu is just for the experience: to be able to come out of it and say, “Hey, I was THIS close to dying!” It’s expensive and the taste doesn’t justify its high price (our course cost ¥6,300 each, or ~$65). If you’re daring enough to try it, go for it. If asked to eat it again though, I would probably pass.
Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »Beef, that is (well, Bryant too).
On a trip to Kobe, a group of us stopped by Kobe A-1 Steakhouse to get some authentic Kobe beef before having to go to the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution. Figuring this would probably be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I paid the ¥5,400 ($60) required to enjoy what came out to be the best steak lunch I have ever had. Words cannot even describe how delicious the steak was.
The preparation and anticipation. The show.
The tenderness and how it just melts in your mouth.
The sadness when you’re on your last piece…
Even though I definitely felt my wallet getting lighter, it was totally worth it. Next up: fugu (pufferfish). Alright, now wipe that drool off your face.
Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »Thanks to the generosity of the Bings, our Stanford Kyoto Program got to travel to Hiroshima and Miyajima this past weekend. We set out for Hiroshima from Kyoto at 9:29 A.M., taking an hour-and-a-half ride on the Nozomi (Japan’s fastest shinkansen). Upon our arrival, we had lunch at a place with numerous okonomiyaki shops. We had a hard time choosing one, but we finally settled for one where I ordered the oyster special:
かきすぺしゃる, Hiroshima Okonomiyaki
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I must say that I like Hiroshima okonomiyaki much more than Osaka okonomiyaki. Of course, I suggest you try both if you ever come to Japan!
Satisfied, we set out for the Atomic Bomb Dome, one of the few buildings left partially standing after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 A.M. From there, we headed for the Hiroshima Peace Museum where I learned much about the history of the A-bomb. It was very moving and it definitely put a lot of things in perspective. Our group even got the chance to hear from an A-bomb survivor (hibakusha).
Moving onto something a bit more lighthearted, we went to Miyajima to check into our ryokan and settle in before our kaiseki (Japanese multi-course) dinner. We put on our yukatas and had dinner in a large dining room with everyone in the Stanford program. Towards the end of the dinner, we had a couple performances by Matt, Chelsea, Sophia, and Christian singing things from Korean songs to Disney songs. It was pretty amusing.
After dinner, most of us went out to see the famous torii at the Itsukushima Shrine. It was low-tide so we got up and personal with the torii and took lots of pictures. I returned to the ryokan afterwards to relax in the ryokan onsen. Man, I love hot springs! Relaxed, I went to bed a bit before midnight since we had to get up early for breakfast the next morning.
The next morning we returned to Itsukushima Shrine to see what it was like during the day. We took a couple group pictures, did some souvenir shopping, and then it was off to Osaka!
Two months in Kyoto and this was the first time I went to Osaka. I should be ashamed, I know. We spent the day and evening at Shinsaibashi, walking around, doing some shopping, eating, and chilling before going to Club Pure. We had a fairly large group at Pure: me, both Matts, Yan, Saroya, Austen, Andrew, Abe, Chris, Sachie, Hisayo, Shirley, Elaine, Vivian, and Millard. The steep cover charge of ¥4,000 for men (¥1,500 for girls who wore stripes…) included unlimited re-entry and all-you-can-drink until 5 A.M., given you don’t lose the one cup you receive upon paying the cover charge (of course, you get a new cup each time you get a new drink–otherwise that’d just be disgusting). We danced the night away and left at 5 A.M. as the first trains started running. I was dead-tired by that time and almost didn’t get off at one of my stops because I fell asleep. I made it out just as the doors were closing though. It was a close one… I got home at around 7:45 A.M., passed out at 8, and woke up at 3 P.M. That’s how you do it in Japan!
Posted by Michael »
Add Comment »I may have discovered the best, cheap drunk food in Japan. Introducing… McDonald’s Shaka Shaka Chicken. It’s a fried chicken fillet in a bag in all its glory. And it’s only ¥100. It comes in three flavors (spice packets): black pepper, cheese, and lemon flavor. I’ve only tried the black pepper because cheese doesn’t sound that great and I’m just not too sure about lemon. Anyhow, once you receive your freshly-made piece of chicken in a bag, you dump your spice-of-choice, do the “shaka shaka” (aka shake the bag), tear along the perforated line, and enjoy some Japanese McDonald’s goodness. I need to email McDonald’s corporate NOW. It’ll be a hit in America, I swear!
UPDATE: Lemon flavor is amazing!
Posted by Michael »
1 Comment »As you may have noticed, I changed the blog’s theme. I hope this makes it easier to find things and more readable! Also, please comment! It will make me happy and it gives me reassurance that my posts are being read. It’s really simple and you don’t need to register for anything to do so.
