From:
Date: September 17, 2012
Subject: [ABA]bi-weekly newsletter 9/17/2012
Index
1.Upcoming events:
2.Asian culture — Nomi-nication – Kohei(Japan)
2.Asian culture — Nomi-nication – Kohei(Japan)
3.Asian food — Kimchi – Hailey(Korea)
4.Success Story —Amazon(Operation) – Kai
Upcoming events:
1. ABA career panel related to DISCO
1. ABA career panel related to DISCO
Time: 9/18 12:30-13:30
Place: Room 146
2. Asia Trek Information Session
Time: 9/24 12:30-13:15
Place: Room 152
Asian culture — Nomi-nication – Kohei(Japan)
Reflecting back on the time when I was a 1st year, sitting in the corner of Room 152 hunched up and feeling like a lamb in the lion’s den as I was scared to be cold-called by a crabby professor, B**rs was the only time I’d feel REALLY comfortable with assimilating with the Tepper community (and it still is). That’s probably partly because I was born and raised in Japan, the country where drinking plays a vital role in many communities.
If the observation I’ve done so far is not way off base, it seems like here in the US it is oftentimes considered fortunate or cool or awesome if you are a guy and you’ve been blessed with a supernormal ability to tolerate alcohol. Likewise, in Japan, you may want to expect that. Alcohol is a magical drink for Japanese people. Yes we do LOVE boozing in private with close buddies until we get wasted, and we also drink with clients in business settings to cultivate business opportunities, sneakily expecting the guys armed with suits and ties sitting in the other side of the table to spill their guts.
That being said, we actually have strict “code of conduct” which we must obey in a drinking party aka “Nomi-nication.” It is a portmanteau of "Nomi (drinking party)" and "communication" – we like playing with words! Literally it means “get to know with each other more through drinking together.” Here are some tips on how you should behave in a drinking party in Japan: Nomi-nication 101. Imagine a case where you’re having a drinking party with your peers and boss at a bar on Friday night.
The first rule of Nomi-nication is never fill your own glass. Wait until another does so. Conversely, others are waiting for you to do the same thing. If you fail to fill other people’s glass in a timely manner, you’re a stick in the mud. Particularly, make sure your boss’s glass is never empty. If you are busy chatting with peers and fail to pay close attention to your boss’s empty glass, that’s called “So-soh (gaffe).” That’s not cool. At the end of the day you’ll see your boss self-serving and it’s a probable sign of him/her getting pissed. Don’t be a gaffe machine. I’m dead serious.
Secondly, hold your glass with both hands while somebody’s pouring for you. Be respectful of him/her. You can do better by saying “otto-to-toe” (nevermind, it’s just gibberish) to warn him/her not to overdo. Then he/she would respond with “mah-mah-mah” (another babble) and this nonsensical back-and-forth communication lasts until your glass is completely filled with beer. Don’t ask me why we do that. It’s just the way it is.
Finally and most importantly, take a sip from your glass when filled. You don’t have to actually swallow it if you don’t want to. Many people feel queezy more or less after hours of drinking, and so do I. You just need to show you’re enjoying the party. Just take a shot and have some beer or sake in you – then you are a nicer, funnier, and happier member of the community. In that way you can make the stuffy world a bit brighter. Unlike decades ago, nowadays being a lightweight is no big deal in Japan. Alternatively, some people demonstrate their exceptional ability to pretend to be tipsy (or hammered, whichever they prefer) on a glass of non-alcohol beer. Great invention. God bless you, we’re living in the 21st century!
The way people behave at a bar is a very accurate microcosm of what is happening in the Japanese society as a whole: being respectful of one another, devoting plenty of time to team-building, and making a difference as a team.
For avid learners of the Japanese culture, visit this link below if you want to explore the mystery and rules of Japanese drinking party a bit further.
Good luck on your midterms! Right after you guys nail them, let’s raise a toast together and say “kampai! (cheers)”
Asian food — Kimchi – Hailey(Korea)
Kimchi, also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. Kimchi was originally developed as a way to preserve the vitamins and minerals in vegetables over the long winter since the cold winters of Northern Korea and the mountainous areas meant that brining and pickling foods was the best way to achieve this. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, scallion or cucumber. It is the most common side dish in Korean cuisine. Kimchi is also a main ingredient for many popular Korean dishes such as kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae), kimchi soup (kimchiguk), and kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap).
Kimchi varieties are determined by the main vegetable ingredients and the mix of seasonings used to flavor the kimchi. The most popular type of kimchi is the baechu (napa cabbage, a long white-colored cabbage) variety, although there are many regional and seasonal varieties.
Nutrition and health
Kimchi is made of various vegetables and contains a high concentration of dietary fiber, while being low in calories. One serving also provides over 50% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and carotene. Most types of kimchi contain onions, garlic, and chili peppers, all of which are salutary. The vegetables being made into kimchi also contribute to the overall nutritional value. Kimchi is rich in vitamin A, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), calcium, and iron, and contains a number of lactic acid bacteria, among those the typical species Lactobacillus kimchi. Health magazine named kimchi in its list of top five "World's Healthiest Foods" for being rich in vitamins, aiding digestion, and even possibly reducing cancer growth.
Making Kimchi in the States
I couldn’t find chili powder so I used some Thai chili paste, which made the kimchi a bit murky. If you can, try to find the Korean chili powder. I added a scant teaspoon of Mexican chili powder for color. Even though my arm was killing me from carrying home all that pork, I was a trooper and hand-chopped all the garlic and ginger. But I think it could also be done in a blender or food processor.
1 large Chinese or Napa Cabbage
1 gallon (4l) water
1/2 cup (100g) coarse salt
1 small head of garlic, peeled and finely minced
one 2-inch (6cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
1/3 cup (80ml) chili paste or 1/2 cup Korean chili powder
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch (3cm) lengths (use the dark green part, too, except for the tough ends)
1 medium daikon radish, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
#1. Slice the cabbage lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 sections. Cut away the tough stem chunks.
#2. Dissolve the salt in the water in a very large container, then submerge the cabbage under the water. Put a plate on top to make sure they stay under water, then let stand for 2 hours.
#3. Mix the other ingredients in a very large metal or glass bowl.
#4. Drain the cabbage, rinse it, and squeeze it dry.
#5. Here’s the scary part: mix it all up. And you are done!
Success story —Amazon(Operation) – Kai
1. Which Company? (Which area?)
Amazon. Pathway Operation.
2. What’s your background?
# Previous Career
Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard
# Concentration (Track if any)
Operation, Finance, and Marketing
# Gender & Age
26 years old Male
# Nationality
Chinese American
# Any skills important for your job
Excel, SQL, Data mining, Macro Visual Basic
3. When and how did you brush up your resume, CV, CL and interview skills?
(And any suggestion?)
# Resume
My resume was composed during basecamp. I finalized it with my counselor before basecamp.
# CV
I used one cover letter template for all 7 jobs I applied for. That is because I only applied for Operation jobs.
# Interview skill
I did two mock interviews prior to National Black. One with my Counselor. The other one with a classmate. I personally believe I should have done more.
I did two mock interviews prior to National Black. One with my Counselor. The other one with a classmate. I personally believe I should have done more.
4. What did the interviewers ask in the interview?
- how do you define good customer experience? (Amazon)
- tell me about a time you utilized innovation,
- tell me about a time you have to deal with a difficult employee.
- tell me about a time you have to deal with a difficult employee.
- teach me about cargo operation on a ship (Amazon)
- how would you approach the question of how to improve productivity in a facility?
5. What sources did you use to get prepare for interview?
- 2nd year students
- alumni
- google news
(most of my interviews were behavioral based. If you are going for consulting, things may be different)
6. Did you join any special events or other clubs?
- Operation Club
- Endurance Club
7. How many companies did you apply for your internship?
- Sikorsky Aircraft
- Emerson
- Eaton
- Amazon (picked me)
- GE Aviation
- Biogen Idec
- CIA (just for fun…I am not a spy, clearly)
8. From how many companies did you get interview offers?
All listed above except CIA (I am not spy material, clearly)
9. Which do you think are important factors in getting an internship of your company? (Multiple answers allowed)
1. Resume
2. Cover letter
3. Connection
4. Nationality
5. Others ( length and nature of past working experience )
10. What did you do & learn in the internship?
(If your CL or CV includes this answer, just leave here blank.)
*I will upload his CL or CV later on another website.
11. Anything additional you want to say?
Fair Wind and Following Sea~