Perfect English Resume

One day, the president of my emcee agent called me and said.
"One hotel wedding staff told me an American groom wants to read your resume before he asks you to be his wedding emcee. Would you write your resume in English?"

Oh oh, I see, I was a bilingual emcee who never wrote an English resume because I have had a job from a Japanese staff!
Referring to my mentor'(a very experienced professional emcee)s English resume, I started to write mine.
Then, I realized...writing my resume is looking back my life.

I found myself filled with a mixed feeling.
1) How inexperienced I am as a professional bilingual emcee!
I know I just started this job. But if I write honestly, "I'm sorry I just started this job, but I will try my best to your happiest day" on my resume, the American groom will never hire me!
On the other hand, I can't write a lie on my resume.
So, I appealed my experiences & skills with...a kind of "word magic."
I put my Japanese professional work experience forward, and my professional English emcee experience backward.
Don't blame me! It's not a sin. It's what people do to get a job! ...right?

However, the second feeling came to me was...
2)How experienced I am as an amateur bilingual emcee!
Because I had dreamed of doing that for several years, all of what I did in America was related to my current job(maybe.)
For example,
 Volunteer lecturer in Japanese culture and Japanese wedding practices at Purdue University, Purdue International Friendship Group, Purdue affiliated English school, while living in West Lafayette, Indiana, America, in 2003-2008
 Winner of the Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest in 2007, Division G (Indiana state)

I'm proud of myself having became bilingual.
But, there have been actually "five B" situation which I just named.
That is, "Being Bilingual Brings me Benefits and Burdens."
I should become a "go-between" of two cultures. That brings me joy, but sometimes, requires me to overcome the barrier or cultural differences.

For instance, I asked Seth, my American co-worker, to proofread my English resume.
He said, "where is the reference section? You should put the couple's names & dates of your wedding emceeing, and write "reference is available upon."

I know asking reference is very important in American business society...
But when it comes to international weddings here, most brides are Japanese, and many Japanese people don't want to reveal their personal information for unfamiliar people for them.

There were other issues Seth pointed out from his America view for my resume, but we needed to compromise at some point. I had to submit it (a Japanese-translated version) to hotel staff, so I should take in American ways and Japanese ways, too.

...I hope the American guy offers me a job! I took much time to appeal him!!
Oh, now I realize...He could read this article! When I searched two key words, "bilingual emcee, keiko" on the Internet, my blog appeared in the first section.
You! American guy who asked me to submit a resume!! (So sorry, I don't know your name, though,) I'm not inexperienced!! I'm capable of making your wedding party perfect, and I'll do my best for you! You don't have to worry at all!!

...A blog is personal? or public? So tricky! That's why I've told about my blog to my closest friends...

Axis

Another tip what Ryoko gave us at the workshop to work with confidence, was...
"Have your AXIS. Have your own criteria for your business. What can you allow and what can't you do? If you haven't established them, you would wonder between "yes" and "no," and that would make you agitated. I am not perfect at all, but I know I've established my axis. I mean, I KNOW ME. So, I make up my decisions immediately all the time. "

...I was already wondering and said,
"Well, I hope I can reach at your stage someday... But I'm not experienced enough to get to your phase..."
Then, she smiled.
"Sweetie, regardless of experience or age, some people have established their axes and some people don't. If you feel you haven't established your criteria yet, keep your diary!
I recommend you the "five-line, one-day" diary.
After you wake up, write 1, your short-term goal and long-term goal. 2, The things you want to do today.
Before you go to bed, you write 3, the things you did the day(here is the gap between ideal (No.2) and reality.) 4. The things gratitude 5. Today's impressive words or phrases.
This is easy & doesn't take much time. Try it!"

Since the next day, I have kept the "five-line, one-day" diary...
So far, I've just felt how big the gap between my ideal & reality, but...can I become like Ryoko, or famous Ryo Ishikawa, or Hiro Mizushima, those who are really consistent people??"
Can I? Even though I change today's plan often!??

Dragon's wings, Angel's wings

On Halloween day this year, I was in Yoyogi Uehara, where many international residents live.
Looking outside foreign kids were parading for "trick-or-treating," I was taking a bilingual emcee workshop provided by Ryoko Sumitomo, with another two girls.
The day's theme was "summarizing translation."
Bilingual emcee sometimes don't need to do an interpreter job at all, or sometimes we are required to do full-translation...
But when it comes to "summarizing translation," we used this skill for international wedding occasions, mostly.

After the intense workshop was over, we chatted with our teacher, Ryoko, then...I found my eyes welling up with tears.
Why? Because I just felt...grateful, maybe.
At that time, I was talking about my anxiety for entering hotel wedding business, which seema having many red tape for me. One of the great things of Ryoko's workshop is we can tell what we feel nervous about our job. She makes that, "speak out, clear the clouds in your mind up NOW, gals!" kind of atmosphere.

I am always not good at talking what the CLOUDS in my mind (I mean, anxiety) are...
But, Ryoko always understands what I'm trying to say, exposes how vulnerable even she was before, and gives me great tips for getting rid of my "anxiety-clouds."
Her tips are not only for overcoming current situation, but also for building guts to keep working.

Anyway, what she said on Halloween day left something precious in my mind, instead of anxiety clouds. They are "dragon's wings & angel's wings."

Ryoko said, "Keiko, you are so kind that you're worried about those issues. Your kindness is your virtue! You don't have to try to change yourself. But, remember, sometimes, in business scenes, you need to show your MALE side of yourself. You certainly have it because EVERYONE has both sides. When you are emceeing, take out your ANGEL'S WINGS (female side,) perform gracefully, then attract people. But when you are negotiating your performance fee, or when you need to speak out something important for you, take out your DRAGON'S WINGS and be brave!"

Since then, her words have been echoing in my mind repeatedly.
Dragon's wings...Angel's wings...I CERTAINLY have both of them because EVERYONE HAS the both...
Basically, I am a feminine girl, and I know the advantages and disadvantages of being me, a feminine person.
However, Ryoko's "you also have dragon's wings!" magic, work out for me.
I really want to make a good use of both wings!!

On Halloween night, looking at kids' with costumes, I wore "wings" in my mind.
Angel's wings. and certainly...dragon's wings.

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?

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...

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!!

First offer as a bilingual emcee

A few weeks ago, I got the first formal offer as a bilingual emcee.
It was an international wedding ceremony & reception,　between a Japanese girl and an American guy. The wedding place is a big, traditional hotel in Shinjuko.
Yes, my first job as a bilingual emcee...CORRECTION: a TRANSLATOR emcee.

I'm wondering, why are international couples so easygoing?
Most Japanese couples order their wedding emcees AT LEAST a few MONTHS ago.
But when it comes to international couples, they start to think about their emcees a few WEEKS ago!
Another correction: It was not my first offer. I got another offer, but I had a Japanese wedding job already! The offer came just a few weeks ago from the actual wedding day!

The couple, who's going to tie the knot in Shinjuku, have their wedding on October 11.
They tried to find a bilingual emcee, but all of them were booked the day. They hired a Japanese emcee. After that, the event planning company which has a connection with the hotel (co complicated!) heard about me from the president of my emcee office. So, the couple happened to hire me as a "translator" because they have already had a Japanese wedding emcee!

...Do you understand? The route how I got this job offer was so complicated.
When I heard about that, I answered, "OK, I do." But once I told about this offer to my bilingual emcee teacher, my role model, Ryoko, I felt so blue.
Because even she said, "It is much harder than a regular bilingual emcee job. Having two emcees at the same party!? It's not good at all to everybody! Just too much for the audience, complicated for the staff, so awkward for the two emcees, and double-cost for the couple. You should decline the offer, if you can!"
But I couldn't. I said, "Yes" already!

In addition to, we don't have much time. Their wedding day is October 11, but our meeting (the couple & the emcees) is October 3.
Look at this! You can see international couples' easy-goingness again... Just one week!
We, emcees, need to set up the meeting with newlyweds about one months before.
But in case of an international couple(I don't think all of them are so...) one week!!
I asked the president (of my emcee office) to ask the event planning office about the Japanese emcee's phone number & e-mail address.
Yes, it's complicated, but the Japanese emcee belongs to another emcee office, so we need to ask how to contact her to the event planning office, but the event planning office may not know the emcee office, so the planning office might be asking the hotel wedding office....
Well, I'll stop talking about the details.

Anyway, what I want to say is, I don't have necessary information.
I just know their wedding day, the groom's first name & nationality (American,) and the bride's family name and the nationality(Japanese.)
But I should manage under these circumstances.

Recently, I'm writing the script for their ceremony (Intimate style! 人前式）& reception.
But we haven't had a meeting yet, so, my scripts are based on another international couple.
I can memorize the script & perform emceeing under scripts, but on actual wedding sites, things are not so easy.

My catch is "translation" thing... I've never done it as a professional.
Therefore, I'm practicing that.
From the scripts I was given at the bilingual emcee lectures, or some videos from YouTube, I translate wedding speeches from Japanese to English, and English to Japanese.

I'm nervous, but somewhat, I'm excited.
I finally can work on international wedding occasion!!
Also, I realized I'm lucky I can ask for help to other "professionals."
My bilingual emcee teacher, Ryoko, is very supportive. She always replied to my questions with very, very detailed answers. (Even though I took her class just one day! She is so nice!!)
My American tutor, Sally, will give me lessons to check my scripts.
My American co-worker, Seth, was excited to hear I got the first job offer, and pleased to have a "rehearsal" of my meeting with the couple, pretending a groom.

As long as I prepare enough & work hard for the job, I will be all right.
I'm not experienced, so, each job occasion is very precious for me. I need to learn a lot on the sites, with professionalism, flexibilities, and concentration.
...The most importantly, I must enjoy them!

By the way, I got another "first" job offer as a "corporate" bilingual emcee.
That was an awarding ceremony of electronic companies. Most judges were from America.
The place was Makuhari Messe, and many media crews were supposed to come. That sounded a very big event!!
...But I couldn't get the offer. It was on Thursday! The day I should go to school to teach!!
I forgot, most corporate events are held on weekdays.
Anyway, just work on for the following wedding job!!