I have been unable to update this blog for over the last one and a half months. I was quite hectic with my business. But at last, I could have some time to post a new article.
Many friends were worrying about me. "What's happend to you!?" I received such messages from my friends by email or chat. I can say, at least, "I am surviving".
On the New Year's Eve, as most Japane do, I wanted to spend time watching the famous TV program named "Red and White Singing Contest", where all Japanese superstars sing their hit tunes. However, the upshot was, I was very busy serving my customers and could watch the show for only 20 minutes.
I was also unable to see the New Year's countdown (in Japanese time). I was tackling with the fax machine for my customers (removing jamming paper!).
However, when the New Year came in Thailand (two hours behind the Japanese time), I could watch the countdown on Thai local TV, enjoying beer with my guesthouse guests.
Here in Thailand, the New Year on the Christian calendar is celebrated a bit more simply and dryly than Japan. The national holidays are only December 31 and January 1 (we have four consecurive holidays in Japan). The guesthouse is open 24x7x365, so I could not really enjoy the new year's holidays.
As this is the first article of year 2008, so I want to write about my resolution for this year. This year may become a turning point for me.
Over the last several years, I have been working as a freelance translator (English-Japanese) and a owner of the guesthouse. Taking advantage of these experience, I am planning to start my own translation business.
I have got jobs/projects from translation companies so far, but hereafter, my company (SPS Thailand) will receive an order directly from our clients. As SPS Thailand is a Thai company, we can offer more competitive rates than Western countries and Japan with the same or even higher translation quality.
Several other new businesses such as a language school and an online shopping website of Thai products will also be started this year. These businesses are relatively more profitable than the existing guesthouse business. So excellent human resourses are absolutely necessary.
Come to think of it, I should not only work hard. changing a pace is also important. It is not so favorable that I am constantly busier than when I was in Japan. I sometimes kick myself... "For what I moved to Thailand..." I was expecting a relaxed life in this tropical country. It is a time I should nreak away from an all-work-no-play life.
So I decided to go on a trip to several countries this year. The most likely destinations are Nepal, Turkey, Laos, Cuba or Norway. I may have more free time around March to April when the first stage of the language school business is completed. I may be able to travel more after autumn this year as the online shopping business is launched and successfully settled.
As I'm doing a guesthouse business, some guests invited me to their home country. The farthest country is Argentina... but it seems too far for a short trip. My Spanish skills have already been rusted away. (If I start a Spanish course at my school, I may study it as a student...)
I am going to post more articles to this blog "Tropical Radio" this year. Please visit my blog occasionally.
