Can you briefly introduce yourself to us? Thank you.

Hello, my name is Vianti Aprilia but you can call me Vivi. Since I never recognize when Japanese people call me ヴィアンティ or アプリリア, I prefer to being called Vivi. Actually, it is difficult for me to pronounce neither Vivi nor Pipi even Bibi. So, that’s up to you! LOL
I am 25th. I was born and raised in West Java, Indonesia as a Muslim. My religion is Islam. I came to Japan to pursue study to a higher degree. I am one of the Monbukagakusho/MEXT scholarship awardees in 2020. I graduated from the Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, and finished a program called IGPGE, International Graduate Program for Global Engineers in September 2022. It is a program for International students who want to pursue a career with Japanese companies in Japan or their home country. I want to say that I am a full-time learner and a part-time traveler.

How long have you been in Japan and what is it like to live in Japan as a foreigner?

I have been in Japan since November 2020. It was supposed to be in September 2020 but because of the pandemic, it was postponed. I needed to be quarantined for 2 weeks in Tokyo and went to Nagoya to make sure that I was not infected by the coronavirus. During the quarantine time, I only stayed at Hotel. At that time, I did not have many choices of food to eat. They were only rice, boiled egg, fish, vegetable, and instant noodles in 2 weeks. Fortunately, I brought instant noodles from Indonesia. Since I am a Muslim, I don't eat pork and don't drink alcohol. It is because I follow Islam law. Therefore food is one of my concerns living in Japan and the other is the Japanese language. Personally, I would like to say that living abroad as a Muslim and a minority is challenging for me. But I am grateful to always be surrounded by good-hearted people that are willing to help me. At the university, I need to operate an analytical instrument (machine) by myself and it is in Japanese. In my daily life, I need to be selective in choosing food by checking the ingredients. Through those conditions, I understand how and when I need to ask for help. It is kind of difficult to have Japanese friends, they are more closed but In Japan, even though I am a minority, I never feel discriminated against.

What makes you want to work at Kurofune? And what’s your current role?

It is because, at KUROFUNE, I can contribute to both Indonesia and Japan at the same time. At KUROFUNE, we focus on Human Resources and services related to foreigners in Japan. We know that Japan is facing an aging population and on the other hand, Indonesia is facing a bonus demography. I think it would be a great collaboration between Japan and Indonesia to see the problem as an opportunity. Therefore, I believe that I can contribute to both Indonesia and Japan at the same time by working at KUROFUNE. Besides, I am impressed that besides customer first and speed, KUROFUNE values diversity, challenge, open communication, and creativity. I wanted to work in that kind of environment, therefore, I can grow and create innovation. Now, I am responsible for marketing and the person in charge of the Indonesian business related.

May I ask about some of the achievements you have made which implement the contribution to the company?

It was when I was interviewed by a journalist and published in a newsletter as KUROFUNE’s member. I think I am able to implement KUROFUNE’s values in creativity and challenge. I introduced Halal food service as a service that can support Muslims in Japan living easier.

What makes you want to start those services?

Because I want to be helpful to others. Living abroad as a minority is very challenging, Halal food is a food that is allowed to be consumed according to Islamic law. We have two main problems when buying food in Japan. First, pork and alcohol are common things in Japan and the second is Kanji. It comes from my personal experience, when I came to Japan I could not read Kanji and it was terrible for me to check the ingredients one by one. It takes time. Then I started to research Halal food in Japan. There is a lot of information, like the store and restaurant. Halal food is more familiar but far from convenient. Therefore, I have a new mission to make buying halal food easier and more convenient in Japan.

How do you feel about supporting your own people (Indonesian) while living aboard?

I think I am close to implementing ikigai in my life. Indonesian itself has a culture called “Gotong Royong” which means working together to help each other and it makes us radiate happiness. Therefore, I am very happy if I am able to help others, especially Indonesian and Muslim in Japan.

What were some challenges you have faced at work?

Personally, the language barrier and asking for help were challenges that I have faced at work. My Japanese level was N4 when I was hired by KUROFUNE. I started working part-time in June 2022 to translate the article and the document needed for Indonesian, most of them are in English and other is Japanese. I rarely talk to others because I focus on my translation work and my low understanding of Japanese. Since October 2022, I have been working in the recruitment business and became a full-time employee in November 2022. Asking for help was also a challenge that I faced at work. In KUROFUNE, we have our own tasks and I hesitated to bother others because I thought everyone is busy with their job. Now, it has become one of my favorite parts because in KUROFUNE we have an open communication value that there are no boundaries to talking to each other even with our CEO, Ryo-san every time! I get used to working in a diverse environment.

How did you overcome them?

In a new place I like observing to understand the environment, so I can be adaptable. I tried to increase the frequency of conversation with KUROFUNE’s members by having conversations at lunchtime and going home together. It motivates me to improve my Japanese! Now, I know when I need to ask for help from others whenever I need it. KUROFUNE’s members are the most humble ones!

Since you joined Kurofune, where do you think you have grown the most?

I think I have grown my mindset here. I feel like I am able to become a global human resource that can work with a diverse range of nationalities. Trying to understand each other and realizing that we are all human beings and helping people is one of our responsibilities.

Any new areas you would love to try in the future?

Yeah, sure. I am always excited to learn technology. So, in the future, I would love to try the IT area.

Do you have any advice for those who would love to apply to Kurofune?

I have done job hunting as an international student in Japan and it was stressful and fruitful at the same time. Where we need to understand what we can do, what we should do, and what we want to do. But I think the important part is knowing what you love to do. Once you know it, you will be able to see the challenge as an opportunity and here at KUROFUNE, we enjoy the challenge. If you win the challenge, it not only builds the company's development but also our personal growth. Let’s win the challenges to make life easier together!