LIFE IN JAPAN vol.12 – from Indonesia

In the LIFE IN JAPAN series, we introduce the lives of thriving PayPay employees from 50 different countries and regions who have moved to Japan. In this issue, we chatted with Hilmi from Indonesia about what led him to join PayPay and how he lives authentically in a country with a different culture.

What sparked your interest in Japan?

I’ve loved computer games since I was a kid and played many popular Japanese games in Indonesia. I also became interested in Japanese anime and culture. In my middle and high school years, smartphones started becoming popular. I was obsessed with Android at the time and felt that in order to learn about the latest technology, I needed to go abroad.

While working at a fintech company in Indonesia, I had the opportunity to go to China to learn about financial technology. Seeing everyone making payments with their smartphones and using facial recognition at vending machines made me realize how much financial technology can make people’s lives easier and how big of an impact that can have.

I was at a point where I wanted to work overseas and learn new technologies through working with people from all over the world. I wanted to continue challenging myself in fintech, an industry that plays a real part in changing everyday life. That was when I came across PayPay. I was attracted to the idea of working in Japan, a country I had been interested in since childhood, in a diverse environment with members from 50 countries and regions. This led me to decide to move to Japan and join PayPay.

How is life in Japan?

I’m completely used to it now and I have made friends as well. I encounter many small acts of kindness every day, which is a nice thing about Japan. It is also my first time living in a country with four seasons, and each season offers something to look forward to. The autumn scenery is especially exquisite. It’s very refreshing to watch the autumn leaves with my family. Summer fireworks and festivals are also a lot of fun!

I’m not the type to actively go out or socialize, but my wife is adventurous. She enjoys life in Japan, finding Japanese friends who speak Indonesian. It’s very important that my family enjoys living here, and my wife has been a great help.

Our child’s kindergarten was introduced to us by my wife’s Japanese friend. Only the principal speaks English, but with the help of my wife’s friend, we managed to prepare for the interview. Now, our daughter looks forward to going to kindergarten every day, waking up even earlier than us.

Do you ever feel homesick?

In my case, I was able to find a community of Indonesians, so I haven’t really felt homesick.
However, during Ramadan in Indonesia, it was customary for my entire family to gather at my grandmother’s house, so I did get lonely then. During those times, I try to have video calls with the whole family to feel a sense of connection. While I live in Japan, I also have family members living in Germany, so we share our experiences with each other. We even play online games together!

Have you had any difficulties with the language?

We have interpreters at PayPay and many engineers speak English, so I haven’t had any difficulties at work.
However, in daily life, when I first came to Japan, I wasn’t able to get medical treatment for my daughter who fell on that day and had a small wound because I couldn’t speak Japanese. That experience taught me how important it is to gather information in advance about essential services like healthcare and knowing where to contact in case of an emergency. At the same time, I found that even without understanding the language, if you try communicating, people will often try to listen, so I am less intimidated now!

That said, there are times when communicating with teachers at the kindergarten doesn’t go smoothly, so I feel the need to learn Japanese for my child. I participated in PayPay’s Japanese boot camp and learned the basics of Japanese. Being able to speak Japanese is wonderful, so I want to take my time and learn it properly.

How is working at PayPay?

I was very surprised that anyone could join a chat on Slack channels. For example, if I face a problem, I can ask if anyone has a solution on slack and everyone will respond. That kind of support is very reassuring and makes for a great environment. In the Android Team too, there are always many people discussing in the group chats.
There is a lot to learn from it being a diverse workplace as well, such as the different perspectives when you share opinions with people with various backgrounds, and about the state of digital payments in each other’s home countries.
By the way, the Slack channel for members from Indonesia is very active. When a fellow countryman joins PayPay, we immediately invite them to the channel and welcome them.

A message for those who want to come to Japan and work at PayPay?

My experience at PayPay has been nothing but positive. My colleagues are very kind, and it is an optimistic workplace where even if you fail, you can learn from it and use it for future challenges. We can openly discuss as a team, and the support from team members is really reassuring.
PayPay is a place with lots of great things to offer, so I would love to work with you in this wonderful environment!

Next time…
We will talk with a member from Bangladesh. Stay tuned!

*Job openings and employee affiliations are current as of the time of the interview.