My other main subject was Japanese. Now, I was far too relaxed at university to have excelled at learning Japanese. Studying any language needs constant and consistent application and work – you can’t cram it. Despite my apprehension, I decided to take part in an exchange program, which involved studying at a prestigious university in Japan – all in the name of keeping me on that path to ‘future employability’.
I can tell you honestly, I didn’t want to use my summer break by going to Japan. I was not a diligent student. I was 20 years old. After my first year at university, I had settled more into university life than into university studies. I would have preferred to be at the beach or the pub having summer fun with my friends, rather than staying at the homes of various Japanese families and going to university daily.
I went because, somehow, I knew it would be good for me – a little like choosing to eat a salad rather than a burger. The trip to Japan assisted me greatly with my language skills and opened my mind to a different culture and customs – and I knew it would look impressive on my résumé in the future.
By the time I graduated from university, at the height of the 1990s recession, jobs were scarce. I didn’t want to mope around and do any old ho-hum job. Instead, I wanted to stay on a path of employability and continue upskilling. So, I took myself off to Japan with the purpose of fine-tuning my Japanese language skills. My plan was to stay for 12 months – but I ended up extending my trip to three-and-a-half years.
In the beginning, I was happy to have any job and started in hospitality, at a five-star hotel in a beachside town called Atami. My job was as a ‘meeter and greeter’, and I worked six days a week. It was the norm in Japan, and all of us ‘meeters and greeters’ did it. Our job was to bow all day, every day – when someone entered, when they left and re-entered and then finally when they left for good. Very important job. On one side of the entry were all the petite and serenely beautiful Japanese girls lined up in their soft blue-flowered kimonos, and on the other side were the gents in their grey and blue (flowerless) kimonos.
I was with the Japanese ladies, of course, until I didn’t fit anymore – literally as well as culturally. I ate so much Japanese curry (most people associate the Japanese with sushi, but their curry is very popular!) that I could not fit into my ladies’ kimono. Instead, I was hastened into the men’s kimono but, quite frankly, it was a disaster. I was then ‘promoted’ to the job of dishwasher in the hotel café. At first I was miffed, until I discovered we were allowed to eat ice cream during the quiet times. A silver lining. This experience was my first introduction to the importance of ‘fitting in’ at an organisation, and how quickly things can go pear-shaped if you don’t.
Following my dishwashing stint my vocations began to improve slightly. While my roles were all casual in style, they were helping me to achieve my goal of speaking fluent Japanese. Along the way, I also developed so many other skills and attributes that complemented my degree.
My time in Japan taught me an important lesson: while we may not know exactly how at the time, ultimately all our actions and efforts will lead somewhere. Inactivity and non-exploration is undoubtably a much easier path to choose, but it’s not the way to secure our future.
Working and living in a foreign country, where English is not the main language, for that period of time was tough. My resilience and tenacity were tested and strengthened. The environment was unfamiliar on every cultural level – from views on women, marriage, Australians and foreigners, to beer, food, sleeping, religion – you name it, it was all poles apart from what I knew. I had to negotiate jobs, contracts, visas, bank accounts, living arrangements, car licences – all in Japanese. At the time, I didn’t think of it as an ordeal. It just had to be dealt with if I wanted to be there. The unknown is sometimes uncomfortable, but it’s also exciting, and I relished the thrill of trying to make things work, no matter the obstacles.
Towards the end of my stay in Japan, I became acutely aware of the unexpected benefits of living within limitations. I was discovering something new about myself every time I encountered a new challenge. I came to understand our inborn, human ability to persevere and create solutions instinctively.
I returned to Australia fluent in Japanese, but with no motivation or desire to work for a Japanese firm in Australia. However, those three-and-a-half years in Japan made me the perfect candidate for a job in recruitment. The number-one strength you need to work in the recruitment industry is resilience (refer to chapter 3). After living in Japan, I had this in abundance! During my travels I found there were very few setbacks that I could not deal with. I had to deal with all the stresses and challenges and solve all my problems myself – there was no-one else to fix things for me.
When you live in a foreign country where you must speak in a second language, all your senses become heightened. I became acutely attuned to read body language, interpret eye contact and recognise subtle messaging. For the first time, I became fully aware of what observing and being an observer means, and how powerful it can be. I surprised myself by how much I embraced my newfound observer role, considering I am not naturally patient.
I had to learn the art of observation to survive. Although I might not have understood half of what was being said, I learned to pick up the subtleties of interaction and how to use these to negotiate and influence. These are skills that have served me to this day.
