Tag: guidelines

What to do?

~ Li-Anne Krol ~ 1 Comment

Since this is an era of typing instead of writing, I sit behind my computer desk with not an exactly blank screen, but getting close. What to write about today? Actually, I have no idea. Or I actually have a bit too many ideas. That is okay, it is how I spend most of my life. Not actually knowing what to do.

Is that a bad thing? Well, in this day and age where we can plan everything, most people seem to want to have more surprise and wonder in their life. For the Chinese, this feeling seems to be less prominent, probably because people think more short-term (see my previous Dutch post on this topic). Furthermore, moving to a different country is quite a good measure to experience more wonder and amazement. What makes it even more fun, is that in my case it is mutual.

Whenever I exchange more than 3 sentences with a Chinese person, it goes something like this:

/Hi, you are Chinese?

\I count as a foreigner I guess…

/Are you from Hong Kong or Taiwan?

\No, I am not. Do another guess.

/Japan? Korea? Vietnam?

\No I am from Europe, from the Netherlands.

/Really? You do not look Dutch at all!

\Well… Actually I was born in China.

/So your parents are Chinese?

\No, my parents are Dutch.

/But do you speak Chinese at home?

\No, my parents are Dutch.

/Are your parents in China?

\No, my parents are in the Netherlands.

/Is your family in China?

\No, my family is Dutch and in China.

/But you are Chinese.

\No, I am Dutch.

/But you speak Chinese.

\Well, I studied it for more than 5 years so yes.

/Do you speak Chinese with your parents?

\No, they are Dutch.

/But it is great that you returned to China and speak Chinese now! You are Chinese from the inside after all.

\Uhm… No not really though…

So what does this tell us?

  1. Chinese automatically assume everyone who looks like them to probably be like them. Sort of like the opposite of what we have in the Netherlands, where everyone who looks different is assumed to probably be a foreigner.
  2. It is difficult for both parties to grasp each other’s world views and background. How is a Chinese-looking person not identifying as Chinese and not knowing all the Chinese poems and songs? How do the Chinese not see and realize I am not a Chinese person and am quite different from them, more so inside than outside though?
  3. In China, I am seen as a Chinese which I am not. In the Netherlands, I am seen as a foreigner which I am not.

Enough everyday wonder and amazement for me while living in China. You should try it too, honestly I can only recommend it.

Guidelines for working in a Chinese Japanese restaurant

~ Li-Anne Krol ~ 1 Comment

Welcome, glad to have you with us!

Please view below steps for proper conduct at our Chinese Japanese restaurant.

Terms: Chinese Japanese restaurant, a.k.a. a Japanese restaurant in China, not a Chinese-Japanese restaurant. You know right?

Positions these guidelines apply to: Waiter/waitress

Please follow the rules mentioned below. It is of utmost importance to follow these guidelines exactly as they are written!

  1. When a customer (but honestly anyone) enters, be sure to say ‘WELCOME’ in Japanese (Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ) ). However, to not let customers be confused that they are in Japan, two important rules must be followed.
    a. Be sure to pronounce Welcome unclearly and incorrect. ‘WECO’, ‘WLCM’, ‘WLECMOE’ are all acceptable. In (Chinese) Japanese it should sound something like ‘Ilashaima’, ‘Irashamse’, ‘Irashase’.
    b. Volume is more important than looks. So be sure to say it in a loud voice (scream if necessary), then you can have any expression on your face that you would like.
  2. Once a customer has entered, be sure that at least two of you talk to her/him.
  3. Guide the customer to a seat first. If the customer is hesitant to sit down on the spot, mention that any of the available seats can actually be taken. If necessary, walk around for a few minutes.
  4. When the customer is seated, be sure to look at her/him for a period of time until it gets awkward. Wait with going away anyway until the customer says you can do so.
  5. If the customer wants to order, be sure to avoid her/his gaze for a while. You might want to chat with your colleagues (of whom at least two should be free at the same time), look at your phone, clean a specific spot with a dirty cloth etc. to make sure you are not looking at her/him immediately. When you are ready, go to the customer for her/his order.
  6. While food is being prepared for the customer, feel free to loiter around, chat with colleagues, look at your phone or pick your nose. For the last activity, try to make sure as much as possible that nobody sees you. If they do, wipe it on your clothes.
  7. Once food is there, be sure to help the customer eat it (mix food, turn food, cut food, put on a stove etc.) so that you do not have nothing to do all the time.
  8. When the customer wants to pay, make sure there is another colleague at the cash desk, so she/he has something to do as well.
  9. As the customer is leaving, scream/shout something like ‘TNAK YO’ or ‘ALIAGTO GOSAIMA’.

If you follow all of these rules, you should be able to deliver service perfectly compliant with our standards. And remember the most important rule of all:

We are a Japanese restaurant in China. We do not solely copy, but add our own Chinese flavor to the service. That is what makes us special.