- There is oroshi: 下ろし おろし (which is to lower)
and THEN there is oroshi: 卸し おろし (which is a wholesaler).
Considering I was presenting on wholesale functionality all week, I'm embarassed to admit I didn't figure it out contextually right away. I eventually had to ask.
- ZAG is the Airport code for Zagreb, Croatia
- Temperature today in Tokyo = 86 degrees and 70% humidity (dew point = 70 degrees).
- Temperature today in Zagreb, Croatia = high temp of 50 degrees.
- Eddie Bauer has stores in Japan and although they only sell petite sizes, their clothes will fit big ol' gaijin like me.
- The electrical outlets in Croatia are like the kind used in Germany. Some REALLY helpful sites are: here and here.
The long rambling usual version:
All in all my week in Tokyo went very well. I think I did a good job, I know I managed to be helpful. I know I left the team here with more info. than they had before - I think that's mission accomplished.
The minor grumbles I have center around the fact that when we worked on the holiday (Tuesday the 23rd was a bank holiday here in Japan - the "Autumnal Equinox") no one clued me in that the building would be un-manned, un-air conditioned and that dress would be "casual".
The teams' preparation was a bit poor but they were respectful, thoughtful and bent over backwards to make sure I never served a drink or cleared up glasses. (As the presenter, it would have sent the wrong message for me to play any part that looked like an "OL".)
Click on link if you don't know what an "OL" is: OL Link
I had a working Japanese cell phone (that I grudgingly accepted - and it turned out handy in the end I guess), Suica (subway) pass and my employee ID worked on the badge readers here in the new office. It was as if I'd lived and worked here always - really it was that comfortable and easy.
Speaking of the office - that was quite a surprise. No one told me that they'd only just moved! They moved to a totally brand new purpose built skyscraper exactly one week before I arrived. The building still has some new paint smell - it's THAT new. And it's REALLY beautiful..
as beautiful as any office building I've ever seen. Gleaming, covered in the traditional "ran" (orchids - that are gifted when a new building or new business opens) - waterfall features and shining white floors. Amazing, really. I actually took pictures because it was so lovely.
The biggest surprise this week though was on my Wednesday morning first thing. I got a message from my boss asking me to call her right away. I reached her at home to find out they wanted me to go directly to Croatia from Tokyo.
Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, do not unpack suitcases.
I spent Thursday wrangling with the Travel people - first talking them into holding me one of the last two seats left on the flight, then succeeding in getting them to NOT route me via a different flight than originally planned with four stops and three different air carriers (checking and re-checking luggage between air carriers I've never heard of in cities where I don't speak the language sounds like a travel nightmare to me..)..and then finally talking them down from $9,000 to $6,000 as a grand total and managing to book the ticket in a way that it wouldn't get held up in the approval chain and could be e-ticketed immediately. (And yes, that's cattle class, NOT business. One way flight legs are spendy.)
I was so shocked after the initial news that I was going to Zagreb (and it was morning - time for me to head to the office) that I quickly packed up my work bag for the day, ran to the office to get there to present...only to discover while on "auto-pilot" mode (due to the shock, I really think) I'd completely forgotten to pack my laptop.
Oops.
I ran back to the hotel and back again to the office (and when I say ran, I mean trains, taxis and sprinting through buildings in high heels and panty hose trying not to sweat off all my makeup) - and made it JUST in time to present. In fact, I walked into the conference room at 9:30am just as we were intended to begin and launched into presenting with great enthusiasm and while still catching my breath from my sprint. Go figure - I guess adrenaline works for me.
The end of this week has been lovely. I worked one day at the office and attended meetings - again, just as if I was always based here, and then Friday I worked from the hotel room.
I find working in a hotel room to be reallly efficient. No one bugs me, I can listen to music, I get SO much more work done. And, unlike working from home I don't feel like I have to do any cleaning up. No dishwasher to load, no guilt about not running the vacuum.
I work until I need a break or feel like I've gotten enough checked off my to-do list that I deserve a small reward, run an errand - then go back and work until I fall asleep.
Last night was a trip to Shibuya for MOS burger dinner and then to Omotesando to see the new Ometesando Hills building and toy shopping for the kids at Kiddyland.
I leave for Croatia in just under 24 hours now. I'm SO glad I have my camera with me as this is someplace I never imagined I'd get to visit.
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