Fourteen hours flight. Longest I ever did before. Alone with hundredths of strangers stuck the biggest plane I ever saw. Every second getting far from place I knew moving closer to place I can't imagine. Place which should be my home for another eleven months. No return ticket, no friends. Only promise of job I hope be able to do.
Probably feeling lost and completely useless is similar for every student, who just graduated and start to work in company such is Mitac. Head full of theory and abstract information with weak or no ability to use them in real life. Things I was confident about didn't seemed so surefooted. Those which were my weaknesses became a problems for me. It was hard. Especially to stay objective and focused on my goal.
It's like to bite a large sweet good-looking cake and find out that it can't be chewed or swallowed. Simply it was too big. First instinct, trying to calm down and pretend that everything is alright, didn't work. Calling for help was second step.
I remember when I first asked right person for advice. This simple act had created a typhoon from my point of view. That was my mentor and like every typhoon he changed everything around me.
Meeting right people is most important at the begging of every journey. I came to Mitac to become professional designer, with almost no clue what it really means. I've got great opportunity to learn about it through designers and projects of Mio. I have been working on my personal tasks, watching my colleagues to do theirs or helping them, asking stupid questions didn't know they are stupid, asking right questions, making mistakes and trying understand them, creating some good ideas and hopefully inspiring others to create their ideas. All those things let me forget how big that cake was.
Working in team of people has lots of bright sides. Final design is rarely product of only mind but something what came from discussion and cooperation. It takes responsibility for result from one's shoulders, on the other side it creates challenge for designer to enforce right concept. All I saw from behind scenes and with big help of people around me I finished that large cake.
After eleven months I have got bit closer to my goal. Knowing how much I still don't know made leaving safe place under wings of my mentor very unpleasant. I know I am going to use everything what I have learned in my following projects.
Creating objectives. Being rational. Thinking about details. Choosing from several possibilities. Making evaluation. Providing recommendation...
I hope is enough to do better job. With bit of luck and knowledge about material, technology and especially people I will keep moving forward and stay focused.
Back in huge metal bird. Excitement mixed with sadness. This time I know where I am going but my mind is focused on what I am leaving behind. Mysterious, wild and extraordinary environment with very hospitable people, interesting job, people who inspire me, my friends. Another item appear on my wish list. I want to go back one day.
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