Remote work is a significant part of Tokyo Techies’ flexible working culture. We have always allowed our teams to work remotely from where they are. We also have Techies who work entirely remotely, like Niraj.
Niraj Dighe is our fully remote software engineer Techie, from India, who joined the team in October 2022. Niraj worked remotely from India for six months as our HR team sorted out the paperworks needed for him to come to Japan. Fast forward to March 2023, and he’s finally working alongside our Techies on-site in our Tokyo office.
Keep reading to see Niraj’s journey from Pune to Japan!
Hi Niraj! Can you tell us more about yourself?
Hi, I'm Niraj Dighe and I’m from Pune, India. I’m a backend developer with five years of experience. I previously worked as a backend engineer in a German startup and an American multinational company in Pune before joining Tokyo Techies in October 2022. In my free time, you can find me playing with my Nintendo Switch, listening to true crime podcasts, or reading a horror novel.
Meet Niraj Dighe!
How did you find out about Tokyo Techies?
I first heard about Tokyo Techies through LinkedIn when I was looking for job opportunities in Japan, and that’s how I found a job opening from Tokyo Techies that suited my profile.
What did you enjoy most about remote work?
With remote work, I enjoyed the flexibility of my schedule the most. My flexible remote work allowed me to attend to both work and my personal matters. I had enough time to sort out my personal chores while also being able to work on exciting problems and challenges at work each day.
Please tell us about your journey of coming to Japan.
I first came to Japan as a tourist back in 2019 and fell in love with this place. After visiting, I felt really eager to live and work here. But then, COVID-19 happened, and the whole world, including Japan, went on a complete shutdown.
When the world started opening up, I began to look for job opportunities in Japan. I worked in Pune for four years, so I had prior experience before applying for job openings in Japan.
Personally for me, I’ve always liked the feeling of a tight-knit team. There’s a great and warm feeling of camaraderie since everyone knows one another well. Luckily for me, I found Tokyo Techies, which checked all the points on my checklist. The Tokyo Techies team are full of warm people, and we all get along with one another really well!
How are you adjusting to life in Tokyo? Anything you found interesting or challenging?
Life in Tokyo has been amazing so far!! I’m really lucky that I have some friends and family living here in Japan that make me feel at home, so I haven’t felt really homesick so far.
Since I also just started learning Japanese, it’s been a little bit challenging to travel around by myself. I still need some time to get used to everything, including the public transportation systems. I’ve boarded the wrong train before and even missed some bus stops til now, but luckily all of that has been a learning experience. I always have a good laugh whenever I look back on those moments 🤣 I am looking forward to making more silly mistakes and learning from them 😅
What are the most significant differences between living in India and Japan?
The weather between Pune and Tokyo was the biggest difference I noticed! Spring in Japan is so much cooler than even the coldest day in Pune that I have personally experienced.
I also miss the convenience of having my bike to travel around with, which I always use in Pune. However, public transport in Tokyo is timely and efficient! Even if I miss a train, there’s always the next train with a waiting time of not more than 10 mins.
How do you like working in the office with other Techies?
Working with other Techies in the office has been a lot of fun! While working remotely is also great, working with other Techies in the office does speed up the process of resolving any work-related questions or queries I may have.
If I ever feel a bit bored or overwhelmed in the office, a good ping-pong match with other Techies helps me to reset my mind, relax and refocus on the coming action items.
How would you describe the culture and environment in Tokyo Techies?
The environment in Tokyo Techies is fast-paced and challenging, but everyone is very supportive of one another. Since we all set our goals each quarter and focus on achieving them. We’re a genuinely growth-minded team. These goals help us learn new things and continuously develop and hone our skills.
In what ways has Tokyo Techies supported you to feel more integrated in Japan?
I think Tokyo Techies helped me feel integrated into life in Japan by helping with all the paperwork and processes needed before moving to Japan.
Whenever I faced difficulties, everyone had an open-ear attitude to listen to me and actively tried to help me as much as possible. I really appreciated how helpful everyone is.
Niraj is all smiles in the Tokyo Techies office!
Is there anything else you’re looking forward to in working on-site alongside other Techies?
I look forward to improving my technical skills as a back-end engineer and utilizing my skils to make more Klever Suite features and help create an even better Klever Suite for our users.
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