Hair cut

I’ve never had a hair cut in a foreign country. I heard that Asian hair is more difficult to cut than other people’s hair. I tried to find a fair price and average quality. It’s more difficult than I thought. I checked web sites. Some people recommend the hair salon, but some other said “you shouldn’t go there.” I couldn’t find a good one. One of my Japanese friends got her hair cut in London by a Japanese hair stylist. Yes, I thought it was nice, but pricy. My other Japanese friend got her hair cut in Manchester China town. But she doesn’t recommend it. I’ve searched for four months. Finally I got information that there is a Japanese woman who is studying to become a hairdresser. I sent an email to her and she arranged to cut my hair. It’s wonderful.

Summer time is just finished

On Sunday, I usually wake up at 9am and go to Tai-chi（太極拳） class. I woke up this morning as usual, had breakfast and checked email on my PC. Then I noticed the clock on my PC was an hour early. I completely forgot that it was the day when the summer time is finished. I used this extra hour to read “Harry Potter and the deathly hallows”. Every time Harry potter is published, I tried to finish reading it in English before the Japanese edition is published. I’ve never succeeded. This is the last chance. I would like to make it this time.

These days

I was not coming Manchester for part-time job. So, I take a day off on every Wednesday and go to an English class. There are 20 students and I am the only Japanese in the class. I look forward to improving my English and having international friends there. My classmates are from China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Spain, Chile, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

I also started going to fitness club. I join Tai-chi, Yoga and Pilates classes. One instructor teaches these three classes. She isn’t a European or Asian. She is a Brazilian. When I waited for Tai-chi class, some people asked me “are you Tai-chi teacher?” It’s interesting that an Asian learns Tai-chi from a Brazilian in UK.

My boss at work went to business trip to USA last week. So I could enjoy conversation with customers without a sales talk. They are interested in Japan. Some of them are looking for Japanese language exchange mates. Why not me? I will start language exchange with two people. One is from America. She had three years experience in Japan. The other is originally from Iran. He has a plan to work in Japan next year. I look forward to sharing learning languages and cultures with them.

Now I start enjoying my life as an international person in Manchester.

Good things and bad things

Since I started my part time job, I go to work almost every weekday. Do I enjoy working? Well, there are many good things and also bad things.

I describe good things first. My working shift is from noon to 6pm. This is nice because I have free time in the morning. I can go shopping, bank, post office or dentist before work. I usually don’t have time to have lunch before work, but I have lunch break at 3pm. The supermarket where I work is located at the basement and there is a restaurant at the ground level. People working at the restaurant prepare lunch for me. Sometimes I can eat the same menu served at the restaurant and sometimes they prepare special meal for workers. I like eating meal with people. After coming to Manchester, I was so lonely when I have lunch at home alone. I missed my lunch time with friends in Japan. Now I feel better to have lunch time with my colleagues. I have no complaint about the taste because it’s free!

My work is not difficult. I usually start my work with cleaning the shop and check items. I prepare some translation tag in English for Japanese items. If a customer needs some translation or explanation of items, I would tell it to the customer in English. Sometimes I can enjoy talking with customers. No customers complain about any unsatisfactory situation. Sometimes I keep customer to wait because the machine for cash card or debit card doesn’t work well. Sometimes we don’t have the product customers wish to buy. In any cases, they are not complaint. I saw a guy who was interested in “language exchange”, teaching mother tongues to each other. So we met at a coffee shop at a weekend and had nice talk about England and Japan.

Some Japanese customers were also glad to know that I was Japanese. There aren’t many Japanese here, so some Japanese students enjoy talking at shop.

You would think I really enjoy working here. However, there are bad things as many as good things. It’s my boss. If I asked something, he said “think by yourself.” If I did something without asking him, he said “ask me anything when you are not sure”. WELL what should I do? No one working at the shop can communicate with him. He also loves to say “your responsibility”. Anyway he is a British and understands neither Japanese nor Chinese. My Chinese colleague told me how to say a curse word in Chinese. We sometimes say the word together....

Dentist-2

As scheduled, I went to the dentist on 25 September. Fortunately, my tooth wasn’t hurt till my treatment date. So, it wasn’t scary for me to go there. All I need is to have my filling fixed. In Japan, the filling is made by metal after making a plaster cast of teeth, so the treatment isn’t finished in one day. A dentist took the form of a tooth and ordered a metal crown for it. Usually after one week, the crown is ready and the dentist puts it on my tooth. I thought the procedure was the same here. However it wasn’t the same.

At first I explained that I had all my teeth checked in Japan before my coming to Manchester. Then my dentist told me he didn’t do any extra check for my teeth and just put a new filling where the previous one ripped off. He told me it’s easy and will finish immediately.

He didn’t use metal, but something white and special filling. He didn’t make a cast of teeth, so I was happy that my treatment was finished one day, but I wasn’t 100% happy with this treatment. It’s not solid like metal, and the problem is that the filling is smaller than the previous one. It covers the top of the tooth, but the size is the required minimum. Every time I eat food, something is stuck between the teeth. It’s uncomfortable.

This treatment fee was 55 pounds (about 12,650yen). I can afford this without a insurance. The current insurance costs 30 pounds (about 6,900 yen) per month for two persons, and they cover just 75% of payment of the treatment. So, if my teeth are fine for more than one month from now, it’s cheaper to pay 100% treatment fee and cancel my insurance for teeth. However, my teeth may be in a bad condition again soon.

In the meantime, I joined International women’s gathering meeting at International Society. It’s a society by some of universities in Manchester. They gave us information about NHS, medical insurance and TV licence or anything we ask. I asked about insurance for teeth. They said there are some dentists who accept NHS (free medical insurance) registration. If I could register a dentist with NHS, I can cancel my private insurance. So, I went another dentist for NHS registration. They said, however, I have to be in a queue for NHS registration. They will call me as soon as possible.

“How long does it usually take?” I asked.

“Three months.” was the reply.

What a great “ASAP” in England!

OK I will pay my private insurance at least three months.

Customer service

In a rainy day, there are few customers at the supermarket I am working. So, the British owner gave me a lecture how to do “customer service” in England. From my point of view, customers asked me questions if they have an interest in something. So, I usually wait to be asked by them. However, he told me I should speak to them first. He says, “they are your friends and don’t be afraid to speak out.”

Actually when I shop at a department store, usually people working there come and give me detailed information about items. I thought it’s just they like talking, but my boss says that is the English way of customer service and it would be worth for me to learn. When in Manchester do as the Manc do :) My boss and I did role play and I practiced explaining items.

At first I was afraid to pick up phone calls, but now I am ok with it. So, I hope it would be OK to speak to customers soon.

Japanese foods

It’s sometimes difficult to explain Japanese foods in English. Now I work at Japanese super market and sell Japanese foods. The majority of customers are not Japanese but international people, especially university students. The location is close to some universities, and also the shop offers discount to the students. Many people who are interested in Japan visit the shop. Some of them bow to me when they enter the shop. Usually bowing persons speak some Japanese.

This is an interesting place for me to work. I need to answer questions about Japanese foods. Sometimes it’s like a quiz. When a customer asked “seven different kinds of spice”, I thought a little and showed “七味”, it was bingo. Some people asked me my recommendation about the selection of instant ramen. The shop have five types of it, i.e.しょうゆ、みそ、塩、カレー and とんこつ. I can translate them into English, such as soy sauce, miso (need no translation), salt, curry. But TONKOTSU....., how could I describe this? If anyone has good idea to explain Tonkotsu, please let me know.

People also ask how Natto tastes like. Well, it is quite difficult to explain the taste to people who have never eaten the food. Also I was asked how to prepare dip for Tempura. I think one could use Udon or Soba soup (mentsuyu) for Tempura, however, I don’t know whether the standard one (tentsuyu) is available in U.K. I have to learn how to cook standard Japanese dishes with stuff available here.