Actually Using that Degree I Earned

     I have to admit when I applied to be a missionary, I thought my degree in event management and hospitality would just sit there and look nice in its frame on the wall. When that degree actually played a part in why I was placed in Japan, I was excited to see how I could apply my (expensive--Sorry Dad) knowledge I had gained in Florida.

     Over the last few months I have spent three days a week working at Seisen-Ryo, KEEP's hotel side of the operation. Seisen-Ryo was originally built in the 1930s as a leadership camp for young Japanese Christians to come and relax in the mountains. Today, it has evolved into a relaxing resort retreat that is well-known around Japan--mainly because of its association with the infamous soft cream. The whole Seisen-Ryo property is made up of the "Original Lodge"--built in 1957 after the first building burned down, the "New Annex" which was constructed in 2009, and then the surrounding Cottages. Guests can enjoy the old world charm of the Western and Japanese style rooms in the Original Lodge, the new amenities offered in the New Lodge's Western or Japanese style suites or stay in the Cottages in the woods with their larger groups (as you can tell, one of my jobs was to work on the wording for translated marketing materials).

     GM--our name for our general manager of Seisen-Ryo and the Paul Rusch Memorial Museum--had tasked me with working at the hotel at both the front desk and in the kitchen of the restaurant. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to be doing at first, all he told me was I was to be there to speak English with everyone and to get them accustomed to working with foreigners.

     My first task working at the front desk was to collaborate with Hoshii-san, my manager while there, to translate signs around the hotel. She has really great English, so she would tell me what the Japanese sign said and then I would translate it into native and natural English. She told me it was a task that they had been slowly working on over the last few years, but would just fall to the wayside as more important tasks arose. We went around the entire property and translated anything and everything we could find. There were signs warning of the slippery bridge ahead, giving guests directions on how to rent items, where people that aren't guests should please refrain from entering, where to wait in line for check-in/check-out, etc. That was the easy part, wherever there was a Japanese sign, we put it into English. The harder part was going through and deciding what needed to be explained to foreigners that Japanese people don't even think twice about. Hoshii-san had me stay in the hotel as a guest in the Japanese style room and really analyze what, as a foreign guest, I didn't understand. Just as an example, the idea of bathing in the hot springs is second nature to the Japanese, but as a timid foreign guest, the proper procedures are something that needed to be explained.

Just one example of the MANY translated signs around the hotel.

Working with guests at the front desk.

     After that big project was done, we moved on to creating an English handbook for the staff. Seisen-Ryo frequently gets inquiries from English speaking guests and sometimes things can get lost in translation. I created templates of emails that staff can just plug in the necessary information for any situation that a guest may present--emails about available dates, room styles, menu options at the restaurant, room packages, etc. Hoshii-san was also very interested in knowing how best to interact with guests in English--key hospitality phrases. I created a list of easy phrases that any of the staff could practice in their free-time. Things such as formal greetings, formally welcoming guests, asking how their stay was and inviting them to stay with us again. She was very interested in knowing words that would really polish their service standards--four years of being ingrained with that at UCF? I think I know a few words to help. Also, there are a lot of documents, ie. local train schedules, that are all in Japanese and confusing even if you do know Japanese, so I compiled train schedules of the local lines into an easy read English document that staff could easily hand to guests without much explanation. All of these documents were put into a nice little handbook. Over the past few months during the morning staff meetings, I had been updating everyone about what I would be working on that day. Everyone seemed very excited about eventually having that resource, so it was awesome when I finally got to distribute them to all the staff--my first finished project here! The guest rooms also now have completely translated information books for guests as well! Something I know I miss when I'm staying in Japanese hotels. One of my proudest moments so far has been staff telling me about Mika, one of the girls I work with that has limited English, and how she worked with a foreign guest and how great she did!

Hoshii-san also translated everything for the table of contents so everything is easily found!

English is so complicated when you sit down and think about it!

     On Fridays, I worked in the kitchen of the restaurant of the hotel. I had so much fun down there! I didn't really have any tasks besides just to socialize with everyone, but I hated just standing around, so I would always find something to do. I would arrive at nine, put dishes from the guests' breakfast into the washer and then it would be the staff breakfast time. We would eat as a group and that time was spent throwing dictionaries back and forth, using translator apps, learning new words, and essentially playing charades to communicate. It was good practice for me as well because a lot of people's English was about the same level as my Japanese. We would work until lunch--me mainly doing kitchen tasks that I couldn't screw up, like peeling potatoes or washing lettuce. This was another great opportunity for us to practice our vocabulary with each other, they would hand me something and say the Japanese name and I would tell them the English word--eggplant was the most confusing and hilarious to them. Having worked in restaurants with big kitchens and having culinary labs in college, I have to say not much is different in kitchens in Japan. A lot of things are French words, just like in the US, but I will say the head chef is not a scary as the ones in the States can be.

Plating dessert.

They trusted me to work with scallops one day.

Watching Japanese chefs work with fish is mesmerizing.

Making a raspberry mouse--gelatin comes in sheet form in Japan, not powder.

Stirring up the mousse!

Kaori, the pastry chef, measuring out bacon for a savory creme-brulee.

     The most unique experience I had in the kitchen happened at breakfast one morning. I was sitting down and they placed a styrofoam box next to me and told me to open it. Inside was a turtle crawling around. By lunchtime I had seen said turtle beheaded, gutted and its shell boiled to make a soup. Fun fact--turtles' heads can continue to move around for at least twenty minutes after it's been cut off. THANKS FOR READING!

Until next time, 

            Charlotte

Easter Services

     Easter is my favorite holiday in the church. I've always loved the Easter Vigil and the build up and anticipation. I was worried that this year I wouldn't really get to experience that because I was so far from my home church. Of course I should have known that whenever you walk into an Anglican church, it's going to be fairly easy to follow along, even if it is in another language. For the Easter Vigil, there were very few people there, maybe they were saving up to come on Sunday? There was no English program for me to follow, but luckily having my Book of Common Prayer there with me, I was able to use my deductive reasoning, educated mind, and handy Bible book translations I've been working on to follow along. Whether I got every single thing right wasn't really my concern, I just enjoyed being in the company of the five or so other people.


My supplies for the Easter Vigil--trying to keep up was easier said than done.

Before the Easter Vigil services.

Easter Vigil.

     REJOICE AMERICANS! We are not the only country with "Chreasters" out there! (People that only go to church on Christmas and Easter) There was a record turn out on Easter Sunday. All of the tatami and pews were full. I found that to be oddly comforting, a characteristic of church at home. After the services we had a really lovely brunch. I sat at a table with an uncle and nephew on holiday from England, the presiding bishop's parents and Mr. Kazunori, who invited me out to dinner with him and his wife and his daughter when she was back in town for Golden Week. They had lived in San Fransisco for many years until moving back to Japan recently. It was a really great time and made me feel like I was at home. I did get to Skype with my family that morning so that was a bonus, too!

Easter Sunday packed house.

The altar with the gifts.

All the children receiving communion.

One of the parishoners' sons made Easter eggs for everyone.

Father Shimada giving the prayer before the meal.

Great company during Easter lunch.

My really sweet Easter gift from my coworker Hata-san!

 Until next time,

                   Charlotte

Hong Kong Holiday

     I recently had the chance to do some traveling on this new side of the world I call home. So why Hong Kong, you may ask? Well there are currently three people with the church working there, a sorority sister of mine lived outside the city teaching English, and another friend from college is living there with her husband , so I decided I would be stupid not to visit with all the people I knew there. Kiyosato is about three hours by train to the airport, so I decided to stay the night at the airport because my flight was at 6am--which is also 15 minutes after the trains started running, so I actually didn't have an option. Totally the best decision ever! At the Haneda airport they have one of those capsule hotel--the ones Japan is so famous for. It was a really great price,too, for a hotel that wasn't just at the airport, rather actually IN the airport, as in when the shuttle came to get me to take me to the international terminal a hotel employee had to walk all of us out and unlock the doors to the terminal. So if you ever have a layover at Haneda in Tokyo, I recommend the First Cabin Hotel. They rent for the day, too!

Bags all packed! Ten days in one suitcase--I was impressed! Unfortunately, I left my camera on in my car, lucky I brought my iPhone.

Entrance to First Cabin Hotel.

My little home for the night--that's a shade that comes down and acts as the door.

So much easier to wear the provided pjs than to dig through my suitcase that was in bed with me.

Looking out my capsule to the rest of the ladies' area.

Yepp--that's how big it was!

From this point to my gate, it took me about thirty minutes--only because my gate was at the end of the terminal. The Japanese airports are so much more efficient---as with everything else Japanese.

World Traveler!

Was at the airport early enough to see the sun rise over my plane.

Everything is Asia is so much cuter!

Outlying island on the decent into Hong Kong.

          The first half of my trip I stayed with Sara Lowery, a fellow YASCer, at the Ming Hua Theological College where she lives right in the middle of Central Hong Kong. Sara is in Hong Kong working for The Mission for Migrant Workers. We even were able to have some time to visit with other YASCer Will Bryant who works for The Mission to Seafarers. Sara took me around to see the sights and taste the food and was nice enough to introduce me to her coworkers who are missionaries for the Methodist Church. Just to tell you how small of a world this is, while sitting in a tiny little dim sum restaurant off a side street, I found out one of the girls is from Noblesville--the town over from my hometown of Fishers. We all actually went to see Captain America together there. Definitely not something I thought I would be doing in a foreign country, but I felt very aware of how people perceive America after that and wanted to turn around at the end of the movie and tell everyone that "Yes, indeed, we do blow up everything back in the States." My trip ended up happening at the perfect time because one of the the days our big boss man for all of the YASCers in Asia, Peter Ng, was in town along with Bruce Woodcock who is with the Church Pension Group. We explored a little bit of Hong Kong, including the Chi Lin Nunnery, and then had a really great dinner followed by an even more amazing dessert. With Sara's help, I now feel like I know that little side of the world like the back of my hand. I was an expert at the trains by the time I left--NOTHING compared to Tokyo's impossible train system. It probably helped that Hong Kong's British influence is very much noticeable and most things are in English. I had a really great time, but Hong Kong is just so completely different from what I am used to in Japan, so it was all a little overwhelming. It's odd getting to an intersection and have Louis Vuitton on one corner, Chanel on another, Tiffany's on yet another corner and behind you was the church where Sara works for the migrant workers. To get to Sara's apartment you pass a Louboutin store and Gucci stores were like Starbucks. I did find a little oasis in the chaos one day when I was on my own. I visited the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. When you get into it far enough you can forget that you are in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Later that day, I also ventured out to the "New Territories"--which funnily enough are actually over a hundred years old. I trekked out there to visit the Hong Kong Cultural Heritage Museum in Sha Tin. I went through their whole history exhibit and still don't understand exactly Hong Kong's distinction in regards to China vs. Britain. I'm wondering if anyone actually knows. That Sunday, Sara took me to St. John's Cathedral. She usually goes to the early service before she goes to work, which is the 8:00 service. It was the most basic service you could have, no hymns, just in and out and get on with your holy day. It was the first time in months that I've been able to hear a church service in English, so I really appreciated that. This part of the trip was just a nice time getting together with Sara and hearing about how her placement was going and talking about things we both are familiar with, the YASC program as well as being away for so long. Sara is actually making a trip here to Japan soon and hopefully I will be able to meet up with her at some point. They really do encourage us to travel and see the world.

The outside of Ming Hua.



My home for a few days.

Once you get right inside the gates of Ming Hua...

And then if you turn around and look toward the gate you just came through---you're in a sea of city.

The Mariner's Club where Will lives and Peter and Bruce stayed while they were in town.

Sara and I fed our inner bookworms and visited the Hong Kong Central Library

First dim sum experience--and I LOVED it! 

Gates to the Buddhist temple in the Chi Lin nunnery--amongst high rises

Part of the Nan Lian gardens

Sara and Me

Bruce, Grace and Peter--our guests and guide for the day

Peter with all the delicious desserts that were to DIE for.

Little oasis in the chaos.

Entrance to the Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

Plopped right in the middle of the city.

Very peaceful place amid craziness.

Hong Kong Cultural Heritage Museum.

Replica of part of a fishing village that Hong Kong evolved from.

A most impressive exhibit on Cantonese Opera.

Whenever I say I am apart of the Episcopal Church, people look at me like I have six heads.

St. John's Cathedral-Hong Kong.

Sara told me the later services are standing room only.

That week we prayed for my church in Japan!!

     The last two days of my trip I met up with my sorority sister, Lauren, who was passing through Hong Kong after just finishing up teaching in Guangzhou and was kicking off a two month trek through South East Asia before heading to Spain to teach English again. This was my first experience with a hostel and I have to say we were quite spoiled. We had a lovely British couple in our room with us that were very nice, as well as some people that were kind of odd and never left their bed, but that's to be expected staying with strangers. Lauren's friend from Guangzhou, John, also joined us on our excursions through Hong Kong. Our first night we visited Lan Kwai Fong, which is the large party district, which I have been told cannot be missed. The next day we visited the Big Buddha on one of Hong Kong's outlying islands, Lantau Island, and our bus only hit another bus once, so I considered the trip out there to be a big success. The funny thing about Hong Kong is everything is brand new. Sara told me once something starts to show wear, they tear it down and build something new. So it came as no surprise that the Chi Lin Monastery and Big Buddha were actually built fairly recently. Big Buddha was finished in 1993 and is considered to be the largest, outdoor, seated, bronze Buddha--guess you can be the biggest and best at something if it is obscure enough. To get to Tian Tan, or Big Buddha, you have to climb 268 steps, which doesn't seem like a lot, even when you look up and see all those steps. Even about half way up, it still seems like a good idea, but that last probably fifty steps were MURDER. I will have to admit after I caught my breath and my thighs and calves stopped burning, the view was pretty amazing. We had picked a perfect day to go. It was kind of rainy and gloomy, which didn't lead to being able to see very far, but the mountains were covered in clouds and mist and was very serene. Later that night we just explored Hong Kong and went to the harbor to see it lit up at night. The next day was when I was flying out, but had an 11pm flight, so I took that chance to meet up and have dinner with my friend from college, Aleena, and her husband, Mark, who moved to Hong Kong for his job. I am so upset I didn't have more time to visit with them, but hopefully I'll have another opportunity in the future because they were great hosts even for the few hours I spent with them!

Our night out in Lan Kwai Fong---everyone wanted their picture taken with us, but these guys were the only ones WE asked to take a picture with.

John and Lauren getting street food before we head to see Big Buddha.

Gates to the monastery near Big Buddha

Lauren and me before the climb

It doesn't look like that big of a hike, does it?

Blending in with the locals

The view down the stairs---can't believe we made it!

Last night in Hong Kong visiting the harbor

      It was such a great escape to see people I hadn't seen in months and years and catch up, but I was ready to get back to the place I weirdly call home now. Japan just has this calmness that has completely transformed me into someone that values order and quiet. 


Until next time,
                 Charlotte