Just one of the reasons I like working in Japan more than in England...

3 and half years ago, I worked for a small boiler company in Diss. Aside from a few other males, it was a female zone, and a volatile one at that. There were daily spats and spiteful altercations, and plenty of tears before bedtime. Outfits for the christmas party were chosen months in advance, and a day didn't go by when at least 4 girls didn't run off to the bathroom in tears over something trivial. It was immature, it was dull, it was superficial, and I hated every moment of my two months there.

Having experienced this in England, I came to Japan with hopes for something better and my goodness did I get it. Although there has been a lot of bureaucratic silliness in my 2 and a third years here, there have been some wonderful things that make each day a pleasure. One of the best things about my job is the Japanese girls that we work with. Under incredible pressure from above, and facing a job that doesn't seem to have any benefits, they somehow manage to maintain a state of cheerfulness and brightness, and add a bit of sparkle to every day. Aside from being nice girls, the staff also control the teacher schedules, so it makes good sense to treat them nicely. A lot of the teachers bad mouth the staff, and treat them with indifference and then wonder why they seem to be unlucky with their schedules. More fool them...

Most of the staff are fantastic, but I think a special mention should go to Mari.

Mari is quite new to the job, and is always smiley and full of vim. Not only that but last wednesday, we got to work to discover the following...

Yes, she had made cheesecake for everyone! Wow... and I can say without reservation that it was the best cheesecake I have ever tasted.

I sometimes think back to those few chaps working away in Diss, outnumbered by those shrill, unpleasant girls, and breathe a sigh of relief that I got away...