In October of 2000 Christine was asked to represent the Governor’s office in hosting a visiting Japanese dignitary She did so with grace and aplomb. But before the guest arrived she felt it appropriate to prepare many of us in the Governor’s Office who might have felt a bit unsure of how to greet our guest. Here are her hilarious suggestions.
Top Ten Ways to Make Our Japanese Guest Feel at Home
10. Take off your shoes. We are inside after all.
9. Bow frequently, not just as 'hello' or 'goodbye,' but also to emphasize a point, disagree with something someone else has said, or even just to pick up a paperclip that's been lying on the floor.
8. Emphasize Japanese electronics. Bring a camera - preferably a Japanese one. You don't need to actually load it w/ film, but take lots of snaps - make sure the flash is on. Point out all the electronic stuff that’s from Japan: the electric stapler, the fax machine, the microwave . . . you get the gist.
7. Tell him that even though your best friend's dad was killed in Pearl Harbor, you own a Honda and you think it runs really well.
6. Wear a robe to work and ask him how to make it look like an authentic kimono.
5. Let him know that even though you think eating raw fish is really gross and potentially life threatening, you think that California Roll thing is pretty good.
4. Pop Culture: Buy lots of Hello Kitty stuff from Target, and place it in strategic places around your office. Tell him you saw Karate Kid "like at least a million times."
3. Ancient Arts: Show him you care about the culture and talk about sumo - ask him why all those sumo wrestlers have really tiny girlfriends.
2. Invite him out for a night of karaoke and sake bombers.
1. Keep looking out the window, in a really distracted manner, and when he finally takes a peek, tell him he just missed Godzilla.