Backstory:
I work for a private English tutoring and language specialist Eikaiwa for adults. It caters to very serious clients who need to catch up fast or figure out what they are missing. It’s basically paid conversation with an assessment at the end. Because of this, I have learned to talk about almost any topic and have the clients teach me what they know about what they like so I can teach them how to do so better in English. I’m leaving out some big things, but I want to stay anonymous.
New client. Goal is to move to America for a time and attend the Disney parks in Florida and California. They are that serious. (These are the level of clients I usually get) Their English isn’t bad but they go off my format and find out quickly that I know pretty much nothing about Disney. I have zero interest in Disney. I have never been to a Disney park and have only seen a handful of Disney movies. This would be fine if they stuck to my lesson format and told me what they liked about Disney and what they want to do and I could learn that way. But they got stuck on why I had no interest in Disney, even though I phrased it in a way that I know nothing, please teach me.
This kinda spiraled out of control as she insisted she take me to Tokyo Disney. I let her know that I could never do that with a client unless the owner approves AND attends with us and other clients, as a field trip. That would take time to plan and the boss would have to approve it. It was my way to politely back out. Well, apparently her and let’s say, staff close to the boss, are good friends.
This turned weird after that. I basically told her that it may be best to set her up with another teacher. There is a reason I was chosen for this client, though. And at the end of it all, I was taken into the owners office and they were just absolutely shocked that I had no interest in Disney. Like, it bothered them. It has never been a problem before and I have had many clients who liked Disney, and me having no interest was funny to them, but this was turning dark really quickly.
This was like the client I lost years ago because they refused to work with somebody who doesn’t drink. But the owner/boss basically almost said “How can I trust somebody who doesn’t like Disney?” And told me if we lose this client, it would look really bad for me. Over Disney. I am still so dumbstruck over this, which is why I am writing this here.
I have never had an issue with this company. My record is stellar. I was very polite, never raised my voice. I was mostly in shock over the whole thing. I have always found Japan’s obsession with Disney weird. Other than being told years ago that I would never get a girlfriend in Japan if I refused to go to a Disney park, I never had this kind of issue before.
Anybody else have any “Disney is very serious business” stories like this here in Japan? Or is this just a one-off fluke? I just get the feeling there are more people like this here than I think.
–
**Edit** because I am getting way too much “advice” I never asked for in messages and comments. This was not me having no experience with clients. This is not me having no idea how to “read the room” or handle a Japanese workplace situation. I am a professional who has been doing this for more than 10 years and have lived in Japan all of my adult life. This situation was akin to somebody assuming I’m wearing a bullet proof vest and then shooting me. I never would have had a chance to convince this person to do a lesson because they took charge of the conversation instantly and was rude themselves. I handled it professionally and to company standards. I never had a chance to do ANY of the “advice” given and how I act on reddit is obviously different from how I act or speak in a professional environment. I’m aghast with the amount of people reading (or ignoring) certain aspects and projecting their own issues, insecurities, and gripes onto my weird and eventually overblown situation. And you do it with such confidence that I am the one who thinks you must be a nightmare to work with or even be friends with. Let’s hope you’re not like this off reddit, the same way I am a professional in the workplace. I shouldn’t have to tell every detail of my life story and history to satisfy you and your advice was completely unnecessary and off topic.
This was to talk about Disney and Japan. Nothing more. If anything, my negative wording was more me letting off steam from the situation. Even then, I am still baffled by the responses to this post. I was hoping to continue to use this place as an outlet for some of my more amusing encounters, but I’m not interested in being told how to do my job by people who twist what they want from my story into a rant that seems more like them projecting their own gripes and assuming that everyone is, or has to be, just like everyone else they hate. Good luck in life.
Remember, it’s OK to have no interest in Disney, even if people on reddit try to make it seem rude and unprofessional. Seriously, find a hobby. I hear a lot people in Japan like Disney. It’s a happy place, so maybe try that.
by studentloantsunami