The “LIFE IN JAPAN” series showcases the lifestyles of PayPay employees from 50 different countries and regions who have moved to Japan.
In this issue, we interviewed Awad Khaled from Egypt about how he came to join PayPay and the secret to maintaining his unique lifestyle in a country with a different culture!
Awad Khaled
Payout Team, Technology Platform & Core Components Division, Product Group
Hi, everyone. My name is Khaled and I am from the city of Alexandria in Egypt. I acquired a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering in Egypt and first worked as a software engineer. Then, after working as a cloud engineer for a US company, I joined PayPay in 2021 and moved to Japan in July 2022.
At PayPay, I am a backend engineer on the Payout Team, which is responsible for the daily transfers from merchants’ PayPay accounts to their bank accounts through a complex system. I work on challenging and interesting projects within my team, while in my private life, I enjoy hiking and simply living in Japan, daily discovering the beauty of this country.
What sparked your interest in Japan?
In the Middle East we had a very famous series called “Ideas from Japan” that highlighted the uniqueness of Japan and the mannerisms of its citizens.
Some of the topics were, “What do the yellow lines (on the road) mean?” and “Cleaning time at school,” which I could not imagine in my life in the Middle East. From this show, I learned about Japanese culture and how wonderful it is. I know a lot of this may be commonplace in Japan, but it was very novel to me. That is what got me interested.
Why did you apply to PayPay?
The main reason was that I wanted to work for a company that had an impact on people’s lives. After intense research and looking for a product in the fintech field that would match my wishes, I found PayPay among six or seven companies from around the world.
I will never forget the excitement I felt when I received my hiring notification, then visited Japan for the first time and heard the “PayPay” jingle around me about five or six times in a minute. I was so excited to be part of such an influential company, that all I could think of was how thrilling it would be to make an impact on the world.
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan? And if so, how did you overcome them?
The biggest concern for me was the language. And the second was whether I would be able to adjust to the lifestyle here.
Specifically, I wondered if I would be able to live only in English, as I do not understand Japanese at all. I also was worried whether I would be able to live in Japan given that I cannot eat certain foods because of my religious background.
There are really few people in Japan who are from the Middle East. What helped me to overcome this anxiety was finding a locale with people from my country, where I was able to start my life in Japan.
How is your life in Japan?
I was very anxious about the language barrier, but everyone in Japan is very kind, and even if we can’t communicate perfectly, they try to understand.
Also, since coming to Japan, I have visited various places in the Japanese archipelago as far north as Aomori. There are many places to visit, not only in urban areas like Tokyo, but also in the relaxing suburbs, so there is much to discover.
And regarding dietary habits… my breakfast actually begins at 1 PM, and the time when everyone in Japan eats dinner, so around 7 PM, is actually the time when I make lunch, and I eat dinner at 11 pm. My schedule may be quite atypical, but thanks to PayPay, I was able to adjust my work according to my own lifestyle.
Did you experience any culture shock in Japan?
The biggest culture shock for me when I visited Japan was seeing people eating alone. In the Middle East, that does not happen. We eat with friends and family while enjoying conversation. There are at least two people at the table when we eat. It was very new to me.
What are some challenges you want to take on while living in Japan?
PayPay requires that you can work in either Japanese or English so you have no trouble communicating with your team. However, it is still useful to be able to speak Japanese in private, like when shopping at the supermarket.
I have been living in Japan for a little over a year now, so I can speak simple Japanese such as “konnichiwa” and “arigato,” but now I want to improve my proficiency further. I want to be able to ask for directions on the street and speak in Japanese even in the most trivial conversations. To that end, I am currently studying the language by using online apps and taking Japanese courses.
What’s it like working at PayPay?
My friends who are from overseas and work for other Japanese companies seem to have mixed opinions about the atmosphere in their workplaces. On the other hand, I don’t feel much difference working in PayPay from the way I used to work for US companies.
When we sit around a table, we have colleagues representing four or five different nationalities. We speak English and I don’t feel any linguistic obstacles. PayPay is that kind of workplace.
A word to those who want to come to Japan and work for PayPay!
I am sure you have many concerns about the language, culture, and a plethora of things. I was also like that before coming to Japan. But when I came here, I found out that you can enjoy every most attractive thing a country could offer, like food, culture, and a beautiful nature.
People are very kind, so living in Japan and working at PayPay will surprise you in many ways.
Next time…
We will chat with somebody who came all the way from Brazil. Don’t miss it!
Current job openings
*Job openings are current as of the time of the interview.