Business Cards

Two posts in two days? A Christmas miracle!

I had to post again today because I saw the business card exchange ceremony first hand! Here's the scoop: soon after moving into a new building and getting set up, the company gathers a number of representatives together. For us, this meant both counselors who work with me, my branch manager, the section manager of sales in Hiroshima, another manager of sorts, and myself. I am not sure if everyone in the new company would come, but we took everyone we had. The building I work in is 9 floors with multiple companies on each floor. We rode the elevator to the top and knocked on every door and introduced ourselves and our company to everyone who answered. Each member of our group who had a business card would walk up with it displayed facing the other person while bowing and introducing themselves. They both exchange cards, lots of bowing, and try to use both hands when giving and receiving. Upon receiving, the person reads the card, or at least looks at it, and then the next person walks up to begin the ceremony again. Everyone had a separate wallet for their business cards, so I got the impression that the ceremony happens often enough to warrant one (also so you can carry a lot on you at all times). I mostly stood there and bowed when everyone else did and when I was introduced. I tried to make a lot of mental notes on what my coworkers were doing, for example they would not just walk out of the room but back out of it so they could keep bowing. I was surprised how much I could understand of the conversations from body language and voice intonation. It still felt pretty awkward not really knowing what was going on.

After work, I went to Aeon, one of the big department stores. I found a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in there which is exciting because I hadn't yet seen one yet in Matsue. I picked up my name stamp so now I can stamp my name in katakana everywhere! Pictures soon. Since I was already nearby, I stopped at the McDonalds because wow, cooking all the time is not a lot of fun and oh those french fries are so good. Here they call them fried potatoes. It is also pronounced mack-a-dough-nal-dough.

Well, tonight's the night. I'm going to finally take on this Japanese washing machine. Wish me luck.