Last week, I had been in Finland to take my studying abroad program at my school in Japan from February 10th to February 17th,2018. The trip was amazing and I had so many things to realize and learn from this trip and people I study abroad with. I would like to analyze this study abroad program and make most out of this experience in this post.
The Purpose of This Program and Schedule
This study abroad program is about creating video games together with students in Finland who learn about game creating. My school in Japan has connection between Owl game lab in Finland and Finland government give support for student to study abroad, so I could go and study in Finland at very reasonable price. I also had opportunities to go and sees some game companies in Finland.
This was the schedule of the trip.
I would like to recall the trip and write about my realizations.
MY WHOLE TRIP
February 10th
The first day:FLIGHT TO OULU
My parents took me to the airport by car on that day and see my plane fly to Finland. I really appreciate the support from my parents. They are the best parent in the world for me. I was a little nervous and exited about the adventure that awaits me. I watched Moana by Disney in the plane, which I thought great, and read a book, Man’s Search for Meaning in the plane. It was very hard for me to be seated for about 9 hours in the plane. After arriving at Helsinki, we took the plane to Owl, where game jam will be held. After arriving, I realized the coldness and view full of snow. It was very different from Japan. We took a taxi to a hotel, and after that, we went to a supermarket near the hotel to buy ingredients for dinner and some for breakfast. There was no dinner or breakfast provided in the hotel, so we had to cook dinner for ourselves. The dinner was a disaster for us. There were 3 women and 5 men in this program including myself. 5 men get together at the kitchen in our room to cook, but no one knew how to cook. On that day, we just grilled pork with, olive oil, salt and pepper on the pan. The taste was not good. I can describe the taste in two word, no taste. I thought we needed some sauce to add so that it taste something. However, we laugh together how bad we are at cooking and determined to improve cooking during this studying abroad program.
February 11th
The second day:INTRODUCTION
I woke up at 5:00 and I felt still sleepy because of jet lag. I did some exercise and eat cereal that we bought yesterday at the supermarket, and became ready for the first day in Owl. First, we went to Owl lab on foot, and look around the lab, then ate lunch that we bought a supermarket near the lab. After that, we headed for the university of Owl and looked around the university. I could talk with some of university students who work on some projects to improve other people ‘s lives. One of them was to a project to raise understanding of whose who has chronic pain. I also have skin problem, so I hope they will succeed in raising awareness in chronic pain. After the university, we went to one of the game companies in Finland, Lodecraft. We heard a talk about the company and creating games. The company was great. There were room for drawing, exercise, music. The most impressive thing about the company is people. They work not for money but for people. I could feel her talk that she really loves the company and the company really cares for its employees. In Japan, many many companies use its employees like a machine or thing to produce profit for the company especially in animation and gaming industries. Therefore, I strongly felt that I wanted to work in a place like this and determined to improve my skills very hard and look for work overseas in the future. By the way, the woman talked about Lodecraft was very very attractive. She is smart, talkative, independent and has positive energy around her. She stressed about how important it is to communicate in a team or work environment, and work and be with people who encourage you.
It is time to dinner. We have decided to cook pasta. We put pasta into tomato souse and cooked for some time. On the day, we decided girls and boys eat together. Girls brought grilled potatoes and minced meat. It was great!! I like the time eating together with other students. After eating, we went to a bar, and played some card games together. I played a game called Cabo. It is a memory game and I had to use brain to remember the placement of cards and get the point. It was really hard for a jet-lagged brain.
February 12th
The third day:
In the morning, three of us went out early before the time to leave for Owl game lab. We played on the park near the hotel full of snow. I can rarely see the snow in Japan, so I was so excited to see and play with snow in Finland. After we get to the game lab, I heard a presentation by Marcus about how to be generate good ideas for games, comics and films. These were a few point and habit to be internalize, which were very useful in my life.
"We are already in the industry" Marcus
When seeing or observing something or creating some pro, for example, playing a video game, don't just play it. Think about why it is interesting or boring.What makes the game a good game? Is it because of UI or SYSTEM? what makes the game better, and what I can learn from the video game ALL THE TIME. When making a project, think about why I want to do this or why I need to do this.
In other words, be a critical thinker!!
2. Always Bring a Sketchbook
When the habit 1.THINK about WHY all the time is internalized, it will be more chances that ideas naturally flow from the brain. As an creative person, it is better to bring sketchbook everywhere we go so that whenever ideas go to the mind, we write them down. It will eventually make more and more ideas in the future because we lose less ideas because of not writing them down and slip through the brain and forget the precious ideas.
3.Take a break
Marcus also talked about the importance of taking a time to do nothing. Maybe, I can go out and lay on the grass, looking up to the sky. It is the time when the brain takes a rest and starts to make connection between several ideas. It is said that great inventors and thinkers came up with their ideas, after they literally stopped thinking about their ideas and thoughts. I think this is the reason why it is said that meditation is a good way to be more creative because when meditating, we relax and let the mind do the work for us to make connection between the ideas. It is the moment when good ideas come.
4.Do Things We Hate
If I do the same things over and over and over again, what will I learn? Learning experiences lies in things that I hate or don't wanna do. Do things that makes me uncomfortable and nervous. Talk to strangers, Go to places I have never been, work in a different place, do things that are bold and challenging, there lies opportunities to learn something new.
5. Your First Draft is a Shit
When an idea comes to the mind, and write it down to the sketchbook as a first draft, usually the idea or the first draft is a SHIT!! Show them to as many people as possible and receive feedback from every possible angles. Improve the idea, little by little, then the idea becomes something which is not a shit.
6. Know those who come before
Learn history, autobiography of those who you admire, masters, play and watch old films, games. Know what people in the past did, and know what you are going to do.
7. Research!!
Know the market, read industry website, talk to people in convention, show, game showcase, go to party and discuss!!
tips on communication
1.Find similarity on people
When communicating people, find similarities in others like what are they interested in? what do they like to do? At least, we are human beings and have similar problems to live.
2.Think about the audiences all the time
When communicating, think about who you are talking to and what is their paradigm is. We don't have to try to please them, but at least think about others. Be a provider of pleasure.
There were so many things to learn during the presentation, I think it is very easy to understand these ideas, but it is very difficult to internalize them as habits. I have to come constantly back to the note and remind myself until I internalize them.
After the presentation by Marcus, we had a small expo, we show what we are doing at school to students in the Owl game lab. I was surprised how good their games are. I liked a horror novel game, which hero is a mushroom detective which students in the lab created. It was not complete, but it made me thrilled because of the character design and atmosphere of the game. After the expo, the game jam has begun. The theme of the game jam was to create an AR game, using a latest software, Manomotion. I had to create a team to work on the game. I finally managed to create a team.
the team was like this
Mitsuaki Programer
Ibuki Music Artist
Paabo Artist
Noora Artist
Me Artist
Uhon Game Designer
On that day, we decided what kinds of games we would like to make, and Noora suggested we would make puzzle game which is inspired by a child puzzle toy. I thought it is a great combination with AR and a puzzle game.
February 13th
The Forth day:Game Jam
I don't remember much about the day, but I remember I was working on the AR puzzle game,nine pieces all day. I was doing translation for Mitsuaki and design for the puzzle game. I stayed until very late, and I played Osu! with Paabo. It was a great time with him to play a game both liked. Uhon also joined and talked about that osu! also can be used to improve AIM in FPS games. The moment in the night was one of the most precious moment in the trip, playing games together with friends in Finland.
Feburary 14th
The Fifth:The End of Game Jam and the Party
I finished the design of the puzzle. Our team somehow managed to finish the game in time. Sadly, we could not win the prize. However, I enjoyed to create a game together with some of my friends in Japan and new friends in Finland. We decided to keep developing the game on and on, so that maybe in the future,we can sell the AR game. After that prize, we had a party at the lab, drinking, eating things students in Finland cooked, singing Karaoke, it was great.
Febuary 15th
The sixth day:FLY TO HELSINKI!
On this day, most of the program is finished, and we are ready to enjoy sightseeing in Helsinki. We flied to Helsinki, and I was surprised to see the sight there. Everything was different from Japan and Owl in Helsinki, the building, people, culture.
We enjoyed Hesburger,which is a famous burger shop in Finland for lunch, and Asian noodle cooked with soysauce for the night. We also went to a beautiful market in Helsinki. I ate valira ice cream there. On this day, 5 of male students went sauna together. It was an experience that I cannot forget. People there swam naked in the pool there, and going to sauna there after swiming. I hadnt swam for a long time, and I felt really good about swimming there. I thought that swimming was one of the greatest exercises. I will go to the gym and start swimming in Japan. That day was so busy,but full of excitement.
Feburary 16th
The last day:The Last Day
In the morning, we ate breakfast at the hotel. It was a buffey style breakfast and it was great. After that, we left our baggage to the teacher, and had a the last free time. We did some sightseeing in Helsinki, we walked and walked... We stood on the sea which is frozen, and took picutures. We went to a church which is made of stones, Temppeliaukio Church, and we lastly went to a beautiful park. After sightseeing, we headed for the airport, and took the plane to KIA, Japan. I cannot forget how much interesting this trip was, and how much I learned from it.
Learning
1.From people I traveled together
I learned mostly from people I traveled together, especially boys. I want to learn good traits from them.
Eddy, a teacher who leads this whole trip.
He created this study abroad program, and leaded students during the whole trip. He did so hard to make this trip successful. He also has a great sense of humor, making people laugh and put them into a good atmosphere, a mood maker. He is also good at women. He make female students at ease with his humor and presence.
I would like to learn from him the importance of humor and atmosphere. His presence always makes the place lighter and more interesting to be with him. I would like to thank him for every hard work he had done during the trip. Without him, this trip could be not interesting.
Mitsuaki
He is a 3rd year student and a programmer. He is very good at programming and he works really hard. He will do things that is told to do completely. He is also natural, and talk about anything without a hesitation. I usually think about others too much and try not to talk so that it may hurt, so his character was very interesting and I need to learn from him. Let go of myself.
Gunji
He is a first year student and a programmer. He is a bit shy, but very sensitive about the atmosphere. He dont speak a lot, but the calmness also makes us calm and relaxed. I learned from him that I don't need necessarily TRY to speak. To be just there and talk little is OK, and make people relax and calm.
Yusuke
He is a second year student and a very talented game planner. He can do programming also and create video games by himself. He is a little sensitive, but he has a strong passion, love of creating game and use brain effectively. I respect him because he has a strong future goal and he actually do something for it.
From the trip
I think it is very important to do something different constantly. At home, we tend to do things that is similar over and over again because constancy and being safe is one of the features of human mind, but it reduces the times to learn something new moment by moment. As Marcus said in his presentation, I need to do something I fear or not want to do. Fear for me like talking to girls, doing presentation, is a clear sign that I am not conformable about it and, also that I can transform myself by being exposed by those fears. Little by little, I will feel less fear and more confidence and comfortable to live in this world.
When I realize that the life is too safe or comfortable, it is a clear sign that I tend to avoid feeling of pain, and I cannot learn in this way. Then, I need to change my life by doing something a little bit new or bold.
EGO is the Enemy. OBSTACLE is the WAY.
I loved this trip and I will never forget this trip. During this trip, this word constantly reminded me about the truth.
“In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.”
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