How to tame wild boys

Since August, I've been teaching four soccer boys in my condo.
All of them are six graders. One of the mothers is my friend and she said...
"They are too wild to be seated for a class and always very noisy... We, mothers, want them to prepare for English learning starting from junior high school. But we're sure they would drop out if we have them enter an English school or something because of their BAD behaviors. ...So, I would like you to teach them. Will you do that for us?"

When I had the first class with them, they were very cute kids & not noisy at all.
I said the mothers, "Hey, relax! They have no problems!!"
But you know, mothers always know their kids more than anyone...
As they get to know me, they have been getting to become "usual themselves" in front of me.
They really can't stay being seated!!
They are running, chasing another boy, slapping the other by a slipper, pushing someone away...
Whenever I say, "don't!!" Boys say, " どんと押せって言った？”(Did you just say, "bump him hard?") and keep doing that...

I teach them every Friday, so, sometimes I have a wedding emcee job the next day.
I'm really afraid if I lose my voice the next day because I can't stop screaming, "Stop!" or "Don't!!" or "Come here!!!!" or something, like I did in a four-year-old class at school.
Sometimes I'm really upset their rough behaviars!!

Now, their class is the hardest class ever.
I know how to use their energy for having them compete by English games. So, I let them do basketball, soccer, bowling, using some kids props. However, since they're already "low-teenagers," they get tired soon for a game and try a new one.
Therefore, I need to take at least two hours to prepare their class.
It takes time, is tiring, and I use my precious time on my day-off, I mean Friday...but I know it's worth to keep having the class for them, and for me.

For me: I can learn a lot by using another textbook other than my school's. Right now, I don't teach boys in the five & six grade, so getting to know them would make me an experienced teacher for the generation.

For them: They get to take in English, gradually. For example, even when they curse each other, they ask me beforehand, "How do you say 豚 in English?" Then, they scream "Hey, pig!" each other...
Oh, most importantly, they never skip my class and never late. Also, they never neglect homework! They are good students, aren't they?

Yesterday, the wildest boy saw the second wildest boy running, and said.
"Hey, you! You're such a kid! Why don't you go back to first grade and start over with the kids!!"

...Was he reading my mind!?
Teaching kids is great cause I can see the phase of their growing on site!!

Nightmare

...Do you have frightening dreams sometimes at night? ...I do.
I don't know why, but one of the symbols of those dreams to me was...F.I.S.H. Fish.

According to a dictionary, FISH is "an animal that lives in water, and uses its fins and tails to swim." Definition No2 is, "the flesh of a FISH used as food."
Yes, that FISH...

I don't have any bad memories about them in my real life.
I have gone fishing (definition #1) when I was a kid, I like to eat "definition #2" of FISH.
However, when I have a nightmare, they often scared me very much in my dreams.

Recently, I had kept having the kind of nightmares for a few nights, and I had a hard time to sleep well.
One night, in my dream, my hubby threw out fish of a big bucket on the floor.
The floor was covered with muddy water, and a lot of gross black fish.
I screamed to my hubby, "this is your fault! Clear them up!!"
But he didn't listen to me, so I raised my voice louder.
"TOOOOOM!!! (my hubby's name) YOU ARE BAD!!! YOU ARE A BAD BOY!! CLEAR THE FISH UP!!!"
...Then, my hubby whispered by a small voice.
"Clear...what?? I was sleeping!"

I screamed the sentence with capital letters, not in a dream, but in a real life.
My hubby was completely woken up, even though he didn't have any faults in his real life.
"Are you teasing me? YOU ARE A BAD GIRL!!" he complained, and tried to sleep again.

The next night, my hubby went to bed, saying, "don't yell at me tonight!"
While sleeping, he was woken up again, not because of "my" screaming, but...himself's screaming.
"AHHHHHH! What's this!? I'm wetting!!"
...I always put a glass of water on the top of a bed stand. At the night, when he was sleeping, my hubby came closed to my bed (we have two connected queen-sized beds) and unconsciously, slapped my glass!
So, the glass fell down to my hubby...then the content was spread over him and his favorite Futon!!

"What's this!? Is it tea!? Oh my God, it will remain a stain here... You shouldn't put a glass on a bed stand! You know I toss & turn while sleeping!!"
At 3:30 at night, we were busy to get rid of the stain from his favorite Futon and our sheets.
Then he said, "Now I get what YOUR nightmare predicted!! YOU are the one who made a mess by throwing water out! Not me! Not FISH!!"
I laughed, "Well, actually, you are the one who made a mess! I was the one who put a glass of water near you, though!"
He squeaked, "BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO SO! YOU ARE BAD!"
Like me in my nightmare...

I don't know why, but since that night, the fishy FISH hasn't appeared in my dream.
My hubby might have saved me by getting wet in our real life instead of me, like a nightmare??
Anyway, now I'm relieved!!

Lack of beauty = lack of career?

A month ago, I took a class about corporate bilingual emceeing, from Ryoko Sumitomo.
It was a one-day, eight-hour lecture. But...coincidentally, I was the only student at the class.
So, I asked her some personal questions.
"I don't think my English pronunciation is beautiful... Would you advise me how to improve it?"
She listened to my English announcement, gave me a feedback, and that was...mind-blowing to me!

"...Keiko, you're losing your breath!"
"...What do you mean?"
"I guess, that's because of your crooked teeth. Your breath goes out from those teeth, so you sound very breathy sometimes. Also, you might have a problem with your teeth engagement. You should visit an orthodontist when you have time."

...Well, well, well... I thought I needed to pay my EFFORT to be a good bilingual emcee.
But, is she saying, I need to pay an ORTHODONTIST to have my crooked teeth straightened!??? I was saying that to myself.
Ryoko might have gotten what I was thinking, so she said.
"...However, I know we can't get the perfect teeth arrangement magically over a night...
But you know, you got the first step because now you NOTICE it's about your teeth!
The (instant) solution is, to open your mouth wider than you did before, and try to speak slowly & clearly. Let's hope it will solve most of your problems."

I practiced for several minutes.
Listening to my English announcement, Ryoko said, "Your pronunciation was improved!! You could correct it immediately, I think your English pronunciation will be much much better if you care for your teeth arrangement. But, remember, it's an instant solution.
If you want to be a first-class bilingual emcee, you should go to an aesthetic dental clinic!"

...Well, I noticed about my teeth problem, but I didn't realize my lack of beauty might connect to my lack of future career!!
When I lived in the U.S, some of my friends got braces on their teeth even though they were mothers. I thought my teeth arrangement was not so bad (it's true!!) so I didn't have to...
Also, one of those friends got a severe disease. She was diagnosed as having a "chronic fatigue syndrome." It has not been cleared, but she said, after she got braces, the symptom started.

I don't want to lack of my health, so I won't get braces...
I'm fine with ending up to be,"a second-class bilingual emcee!!"
...Do I have a problem?

Unforgettable Moment

Teru is a 4 year old kid student, and his brother, Yuto, is 7 years old.
Their mother, Akiko, is the same as my age.
...And all of them are my students!!

Teru gave me a hard time when he was a "terrible two."
He didn't want to stay away from his mom. Whenever he took my class, his mother was at the door of the classroom. If she sneaked out of the room, he started to cry, very hard.

Two years has passed. Now...he doesn't want to stay away from ME!!
Whenever the family comes to school, I play with Teru and Yuto when I don't have a class.

That day, my classes were over, so I wanted to leave school to go shopping...
But I stayed at school for awhile because they were there.
When they leave the school, they always give me Hi-5 at the elevator.
An hour later, finally I got their Hi-5, did some errands at school, and left the school, caring for the department store's business hour.

When I went outside...I heard a kid's voice.
"KEIKO SENSE---I!!!"
I looked across the road, then...Yuto, was screaming my name, climbing the road fence to get my attention!!
When the signal turned green, he dashed to cross the intersection.

"Hey hey, don't run! Where's your mom and Teru!?"
I was surprised and asked, then he grinned.
"We were having dinner at MacDonald. Then、we found you, so I came! Come on, grab a bite with us at Mac!!"
He grabbed MY HAND, and drew me into the MacDonald across the school.
His mother, Akiko found me and said,
"Keiko sensei! Sorry to bother you!! We were at the second floor, and I found you. Just after I said, "Look! Keiko sensei!" Yuto dashed immediately to reach you!!
Teru wanted to go outside to see you too, but I stopped him. Thank you for coming to us!
...A combo is OK?"
She offered me a dinner, but they seemed to have finished their meal (and I WANTED TO GO SHOPPING!!) so I said, "Oh, no, thank you. I need to go. Will you go to the station? Let's go together!"

On the way to the station, I took Teru's hand on my right side, and on my left side, I took Yuto's hand.
Yuto asked me, "Are you coming to the Halloween party? If you come, I'm gonna give you my treasure! Please come!!"
Teru asked me, "Are you coming to my house? Please come with us!!"
I laughed and said, "I'm going to the Halloween party...but speaking of visiting your house, let me do it some another time!!"

We took the trains for opposite directions. I sent them off.
When their train was about to leave, they said, "Hi-5! Hi-5, Keiko!"
They gave me Hi-5 respectively. Even after the door was closed, they tapped the door again and again, trying to touch my hands.

See? The moment was too adorable to forget!!
I didn't imagine I would start teaching kids before. I thought they were uncontrollable... Yes, they are sometimes, but moreover, they give me unforgettable moments.
I just can't wait to see them every week!

When I told this story to my friend, who has also two sons, she was a bit sarcastic.
"Yes, they give us unforgettable moments...
But you're lucky to see them once or twice per week! If if happens for four days, the adorableness will stop! "Unforgettable moments" would become "want-to-forget" moments!!"

Oh, I see...

Dress to Impress

People say, "dress to impress" especially in business scenes.
It means "if you want to look as a professional, wear a professional clothes."
But in American culture ( from my impression,) it also means "dress to impress yourself."
For example, in hospitals, nursing staffs wear white robes(professional,) but inside the professional robes, they wear vibrant-colored or full-printed clothes just to cheer themselves up and to show their personalities.
Or, even when business women wear (professional) power suits, they might have cute stationery to show their characters.

In my case, we have a dress code at our English school.
I keep that, but I try to show (not try, I just can't stop) my personality and preference through my appearance.
For instance, I got my favorite glitters, blings, spangles, crystals...on my shoes, belts, my pen case, automatic pencils, purses, or my memo-pads...
They just lighten me up while working, and also, they become kind of " leads of small talks."
When my students saw my blinging stuff, they say, "Look at that! It seems you!! Where did you get it?!
Even kids say, "it seems very Keiko!" when they see glitter things, their mothers said...
My boss, co-workers and students have known me for two years and a half, and my office is kind of westernized, so it's OK to have & wear "my favorite ones."

However, in a very Japanese business scenes, I might be better not to do that.
Unlike my English school, I started to work at conservative hotels when I do wedding emcee job.
To me, "wedding" is a bright occasion, so I thought a wedding emcee should wear a bright-colored ( I mean, not dark-colored) suit.
In some wedding venues, my idea is right, but in other venues...
"Wedding is a very formal occasion, so a wedding emcee should wear a black formal suit."

When I worked in a big hotel in Shinjuku as a wedding interpreter, a Japanese wedding emcee wore a black plain suit. To everybody, she looked like a wedding planner. To me, she looked like a guest in a funeral. (sorry!)

Fortunately or unfortunately, the hotel crews got to like me through the job, so they offered me to join their DVD as one of their wedding emcees.
The shooting is coming soon... I asked them what to wear, then they said, "Any suit with a DARK-COLORED is fine. Black, navy, or dark-gray."
Oh, those are very depressing colors to me...

I remember, when I went to the meeting of international wedding with the newlyweds, a Japanese emcee, and an event planner, I was advised not to be outstanding from the president of my emcee office because hotel staffers were very conservative.
I wore a navy suit and had a black binder (if I were at my school, I would have a pink one!)
I tried not to bring something "seems like me," but I brought up my pen case, which is a shoe-shaped with a lot of spangles.
The bride saw it and said, "look at that! So cute!" to the groom, like my students always say.
I knew it became a lead of conversation, but also I was embarrassed to bring up my "personal side" in a professional occasion.
If it had been after I get to used to a wedding venue, maybe it would have been fine...
But as long as I'm a "new emcee" to the venue, I should try "to impress as a team player" first, here in Japan.

...When can I finally "dress to impress MYSELF" instead of "dress NOT to impress myself" at my emcee working places??
I don't know...

What makes kids scared

Last week, my English school had a Halloween party.

I wore a sexy (I know I'm not a sexy-type, but when a grown-up woman chooses a Halloween costume...we have just two options. Sexy or silly.) witch costume under my coat, and arrived at school.
My co-worker, Seth, was already there, wearing a Japanese-lord （お殿様）costume and a topknot(ちょんまげ） wig. Our manager got the Japanese costume & wig cause she thought it might be very funny & cute if an American young guy wore them...
Yes, he looked perfectly cute for me, but he looked disappointed.
"You look great! ...But, is it something wrong?"
I asked Seth, then he said to me,
"Thank you...but Mai cried when she saw me, so now I'm changing."

Mai is 4 year old kid student. She has come to my class and Mark's class, two times a week to our school.
She has been our student since she was one-year-old, so she was a brilliant student...
Her English doesn't seem a 4-year-old one's.
Every teaching staffs were surprised when she got a full score of the United Nation's English test for kids!!

Even though she's got used to our school & teachers, she cried when she saw Seth, an "American-version of a Japanese lord."
To us, it was funny, but to her, it was completely frightening.

Seth changed his costume to "Elvis Presley," an American superstar singer.
Then, Mai stopped crying, came closer to Seth, asking, "Who are you??" smiling...

I couldn't stop wondering.
Why did she cry when she saw a Japanese lord costume??
What made her scared?? Why Elvis Presley was OK to her, but Japanese lord was not??

After I got home, my hubby gave me an mind-blowing answer.
"It's clear! Because she has been at English school, she is westernized!! That's why she didn't like a Japanese costume! She wanted to say, "I love American costumes! Halloween is an American festival, don't bring a Japanese style!!" Don't you think so??!"

....Well, I don't know...
I have no idea what makes kids scared sometimes...

Another day, I had a class at my condo (Every Friday, I teach English soccer boys in my condo.)
When I asked "How are you?" a six grader kid, he stared at me and said...
"I'm...scared!! Your make-up is just thick!!"

After I got home and told that to my hubby, he said.
"A score to him!! I'm with him!!"

...I have no idea why kids are scared by a Japanese costume or my make-up, but my hubby seems to completely understand why.
...Is it fair or unfair???

Basic skills & Dream

...This is about a few years ago.

When one of my American co-workers, Mark, asked me as usual,
"Hey Keiko, what's new?" I was dying to tell someone about this exciting news.
"Well, don't be surprised! Two of my acquaintances got a Novel Prize!!"
Mark couldn't stop being surprised.
"WHAT!?? That's huge!!!"

Yes, as you know, two Japanese Novel winners this year.
Both of them (and one more American professor ) were credited for unlocking carbon's potential through palladium-catalyzed cross coupling...which I have no idea what they're talking about... to get Novel Prize in chemistry.

Distinguished Professor, Eiichi Negushi of PURDUE(!) University, and Emeritus Professor, Akira Suzuki of HOKKAIDO (!) University, once researched that at Purdue, under their mentor, the late Herbert Brown, an American chemist who received the Novel Prize himself in 1979. Herbert Brown Nominated them to the Novel Prize, that made them winners finally this year.

If you're my friend, you might already notice...
PURDUE!!! I had lived for four years and a half in West Lafayette, in Indiana, in America. Purdue University is exactly located in the city!! I went to Purdue-affiliated English school (actually, I gave a lecture once at Purdue about Japanese culture!!) and took some classes there. Of course, the classes I took were not clever chemical ones, but crazy theatrical ones...

Also, just after I started to live in West Lafayette, I met Mrs. Negishi.
Mrs. Negishi is actually my hubby's company's interpreter who helps Japanese families when they go to hospital or school. Just after I went to America, I had some small health troubles, so she took me to the hospital. I asked her to do that just a few times because soon I started to go to hospitals by myself to practice my English...but she was so nice that she invited me to her house ( I mean, the Prof. Negishi's house which was often broadcast when they got interviews!!) several times.
The house was MUCH more gorgeous than you saw on TV...and Mrs. Negishi is so open-minded and unique that she took me to the house tour even to their private bedroom!!

My hubby was in charge of hiring interpreters stuff, so he used to talk to Mrs. Negishi often, and went to her house several times. I have never met Prof . Negishi himself, but my hubby has met him at the company's party.

On the other hand, Prof. Suzuki, works for Hokkaido University.
I'm from Hokkaido, lived near Hokkaido University. My brother graduated from Hokkaido University (unfortunately, not me though, ) and my father had worked there for almost 40 years!!
Prof. Suzuki was from a small city, Mukawa cho, in Hokkaido.
In front of the Prof's parents house is...my uncle's house!!
I have never met Prof. Suzuki himself, but my uncle has known him for a long time.
Mukawa cho is such a small city, but after the fascinating Novel news, many TV crews visited Mukawa. My uncle runs a bookstore, boutique, and drag store in Mukawa.
He got marvelous news of his old friend, and also much more customers to his stores.

That was great to share this vibrant news with my hubby, my friends who lived in West Lafayette, and my family in Hokkaido.
Moreover, it was great to hear the winner's delightful winning speeches.
I was especially impressed by what Prof. Negishi said.
"Lads and lassies, have a big dream and sharpen your basic skills. If you keep doing these, your big dream will come true like me. I had been chasing my dream for 50 years, now today, finally it came true!"

I know I'm no longer "a lassie," but his persuasive message got me.

HAVING A BIG DREAM. ...and, SHARPEN YOUR BASIC SKILLS.

He is absolutely right! If we keep doing the two diligently, every single day, anyone can be successful, I believe...

But the thing is, "keeping those EVERY SINGLE DAY" is not so easy.
Even 10 years sound very long to me, but look at him( I mean, two of them!) 50 YEARS!!

...Basis skills and Dream. I repeated the words to myself. B and D...
There's such a great deal that I might not be able to follow all the time...
But so far, just go on...working for...my B & G.

My B&G!? ...Bride and Groom!???

Bilingual Emcee Job

I should have posted this article just after my first job experience, but...you know, from my laziness...I'll tell you about it now!

My first bilingual emcee job was an international wedding ceremony & reception at a gorgeous hotel in Shinjuku(Guests from overseas were 30 out of 100.)
The meeting was a week before the wedding.
Usually, there are supposed to be just newlyweds & emcee at the meeting, but there were...me (an English emcee & interpreter,) a Japanese emcee (the event planner ordered her because the couple couldn't find a bilingual emcee...until they found me,) and en event planner.(why was he there? He said, "because it's a special case," he meant, an international wedding.)

In Tokyo, I used to be a wedding emcee at restaurants or estate-style wedding venues.
So, I didn't know that...traditionally, hotel weddings have "event agents" for wedding.
I got this job offer from an event agent of the hotel, therefore, I should have asked everything not directly a hotel wedding planner, but an event agent. However, the event agent didn't know much about my bride and groom, so everything was unclear until I met the couple at the meeting. For example, the agent said, "the groom is American." But it turned out he was Australian! Why do many Japanese think "All westerners are the same!??"
THEY ARE DIFFERENT!!
They have different accents, different cultures, different characters...
My attitude was right to prepare for the meeting depends on which country he was from, but, you know... it happens. There are many people are involved in business, so, I need to be flexible all the time.

Anyway, (if I need to write so much even "before the meeting," how much I would write until the wedding was over!? Prepare for the worst, baby!!) eventually, the meeting was very successful.
I was afraid if I didn't understand the groom's Aussie English, but I completely could.
My communication was perfect between the newlywed, that made the event agent relieved.

I tried to communicate well enough to make the couple confirmed that I am professional.
We exchanged e-mails a lot after the meeting in a week (for Japanese couples, sometimes it's annoying if an emcee asked too many questions. But in western culture, it's a good attitude to ask if something is unclear.)
Via e-mail, the Australian groom said, "Keiko, you seem a lovely person & very professional.
We're (he and the bride) happy to have you one of our MC's!!"
That words made me lighten up.

On the wedding day, I noticed...
I wanted to be a "go-between" for two culture, I mean, international newlyweds and their families.
But eventually, I was a "go-between" for staff crews and the clients ( I mean, the newlyweds and their families!!)
Hotel staff crews, who were supposed to be very professional for weddings, were very confused at the international wedding.
Because;
The couple basically lived in Australia. They were just visiting Japan to tie the knot in the bride's home country. It means, the groom didn't understand Japanese at all.
However, he was the one who had many plans for their wedding. Firstly, many staffs didn't understand his original plan clearly. Secondly, when we noticed his plan needed to be changed slightly on site, other crews were afraid to communicate with him because they don't speak English.
Therefore;
from the rehearsal of the ceremony to after the ending of the reception, I ran between the groom & stuff crews to "interpret."

I imagined before...but realized vividly ON SITE...international wedding is exactly, mixture of two cultures!!
For example, they had a non-religious ceremony at the hotel's lobby.
But they (the groom) didn't want a Japanese-style-non-religious-one （人前式。）　　
They wanted to have me as a celebrant, who let the couple repeat their vows.
I knew western style wedding was so, and the couple said their vows, exchanging wedding rings... But Japanese staff crews had no idea about it, so I needed to advise them for everything. Even a Japanese emcee and I had a practice for emceeing on the phone, the Japanese emcee was so nervous & misled some orders!! That's why I kept saying, there was no need for "just a Japanese emcee" at international weddings!! A bilingual emcee can do everything!!

For some reasons, ( I want to talk about it more, but please talk to you in person some another time!!) their reception started 50 minutes behind from the schedule.
What I was frightened the most was... speech translation.
I have never worked as an interpreter, but I practiced for that, watching wedding speeches on YouTube etc, and I got some clues from my mentor bilingual emcee, Ryoko.
So, overall, I did good...but again, I realized "ON-SITE" is different from "IN-CLASS."
For example, I learned I could ask a speaker to show me his note for the speech. But one speaker didn't have a note, and another speaker had a lot of spelling mistakes on his note.
I asked them what they were going to speak beforehand, so I could confirm the context while I was listening their speeches, then I summarize them.

I was very busy during the reception because many staff crews asked me to interpret...
Then, a captain said to me, "Keiko, want should I say to the groom?"
I didn't get what he meant, "Say...what??"
"A congratulatory comment! I kept talking to him in Japanese, even he didn't understand... At least after the ending, I want to talk to him in English to celebrate. How do you say, "ご結婚おめでとうございます。　すばらしいご家庭をつくってくださいね。" in English??"
I smiled. "Oh, you could say, " Congratulations for your wedding! I wish both of you build a wonderful family!!"
He repeated, but forgot, so I wrote it down on a memo.
Then, a Japanese emcee and assistant captains surrounded me asking,
"Teach me English! Is there any way to shorten the sentence??"
"Would you write the sentence in Katakana?" etc, etc...
My emcee stand became an "instant-today's English-class."

As the reception was going to the end, a braid maid(hotel staff) told me.
"The groom asked you about speech or something... would you go to him to ask what?"
I asked him, and he said, "I just thought if someone wanted to speak a few words..."
I said to myself..."There he comes! A westerner!!!"
Usually, western wedding parties are "spontaneous," as I wrote in the "Wedding from American point of view" article. They don't decide who will speak except for a maid of honor and best man.
Those who want to speak ON SITE will speak!!

I thought the Australian groom understood Japanese wedding parties, which are "everything is planned beforehand."
But...as he became relaxed, the western part of him appeared.
I wanted to make his request come true, but there were some "red tape" at the wedding.
I needed to ask a Japanese emcee, assistant manager, and a manager...

After all, we couldn't ask, "Does anyone want to say a few words?" because of time restraint.
Frankly speaking, "the red tape" included my inexperience. I thought I would like to avoid "spontaneous, simultaneous interpretation" for table interview...
I asked my mentor the feedback about it later. I should clear about the simultaneous interpretation thing someday!!

Behind one hour and ten minutes from original schedule, the long wedding was over.
My instant students, I mean, captains and a Japanese emcee, who asked me how to say congratulatory messages in English, were about to use the "today's English key sentence" to the groom... But ON SITE, they got scared & let me say that as a representative.

The groom and groom's father said, "Because of the staff crews' hard work, all the guests enjoyed our wedding. We appreciate it."
I translated that, then staff crews, who had been caught in cultural gaps, were so relieved.
The groom told the bride, "You are the perfect bride. Please stay beautiful forever in our married life."
I translated that to a captain. He was astonished,
"We, Japanese guys, never imagine to say so to our girls..."
He, also was caught in another cultural gap.

The couple gave us a gift to me as their acknowledgement.
I wrote a thank you e-mail. They individually replied to me after they were back to Australia.
The bride said, "I hope we could meet some other time privately, or please be our emcee again for another occasion!"
The groom said, "Your help as much appreciated as MC and you were very professional."
Can you imagine how I was glad to hear that?
I think I was very lucky to have them as my first clients. They were very generous, thoughtful, kind, and unique couple.
But some Japanese hotel crews were afraid & didn't know how wonderful the newlyweds were just because didn't speak English!
In fact, we had some issues might become complaints. However, because the bride and groom were so nice & I communicated with them well...( I think I could get a credit about it!) everything was ended fine.
I learned a lot from this job experience!!

By the way, besides the bride and groom, a person who showed me appreciation most was the groom's father. He said, "Keiko, you were the most helpful! You told me everything what we should do next, so we could be relaxed here. Thank you!" He hugged me.
He spoke typical Aussie English, and had many spelling mistakes on his speech note...
God bless me, it was a miracle I didn't have a major mistake when I translated his speech!!

Wedding from American guy's point of view

Yesterday, I had a "practice" for the upcoming bridal meeting with an international couple.
I asked my American co-worker (since the groom is American,) Seth, to pretend to be my client, I mean, the groom. I wanted to confirm all of my questions made sense & if I could communicate smoothly in English.
My English communication skills were no problem when it comes to wedding( when it comes to my unfamiliar field, I might have no idea what they're talking about, though...)
But "some of my questions about wedding in Japan confused Seth, who had no idea how Japanese couples have their weddings.

The point is, a Japanese wedding is "well-planned." We have strict time allotment. Everything is planned beforehand (even a surprise event is well planned.) If there are any changes on the planning sheet, all of the staff crew should know about them to make the wedding go smoothly.
That's why a newlywed needs to hire a wedding emcee!

On the other hand, American wedding is kind of "spontaneous." Wedding is supposed to be fun, so, if a guest wants to make a speech, s/he can do that anytime, on site. The guests even can leave whenever they want!

...So, during the practice, Seth never gave me my desirable answer first.
When I asked, "Would you like to make a welcome speech at the beginning of your reception?"
He said, "Yeah, MAYBE. (Check out the bold letters!) But I don't know if I would do that at the beginning. CAN I DO THAT HALFWAY THROUGH?"
When I said, "would you want me to introduce your backgrounds, or will you introduce yours by yourself?"
He was surprised, "Do...I have to introduce my backgrounds? I guess everybody knows my backgrounds! That's why they're coming to my wedding!"
...And I asked,"who will make speeches?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "I don know...maybe, some of my friends coming from NY... if they want to say a few words on the day, they might."

...Then, I turned to be like a teacher.
"OK, Seth, actually, a Japanese wedding is supposed to be a well-planned, formal party. Your party time length has been decided, so we need to be on time, basically. So, all of the party staff should know who are the speakers, what's going on next, and so on. Also, the guests from the bride side might not know about you very much, so, introducing the couple's backgrounds is very common in Japan. That's why you hired me! ( He didn't, I was just kidding.)"
He seemed stunned, and took a look at Pingu stuffed doll beside him.
(He made fun of the practice meeting, so he said, "Look! This is my bride!" Then, he put the stuffed "Pingu" on the chair next to him.)

...He became like a student who were scolded by his teacher, so I was back to be a wedding emcee.
"...But of course you can mingle two cultures at your wedding. That's why I'm here for you!
You don't have to follow Japanese wedding customs all the time if your bride (Pingu) doesn't mind, but there's one thing. Your party time length is decided. So, we're talking how to make your wedding go "effectively fun."

That was the time he met the "cultural boundary," and I did, too!
The interesting thing is, even he thought a wedding reception would be "spontaneously fun," he took his wedding ceremony more seriously than I did.
International weddings might be more "unexpected" than I imagine, but I feel like they could be much more exciting than I picture...
Besides, a bilingual emcee might be needed much more than I expect.
...I can't wait to meet my first clients!!