I am Nepalese and came to Japan in 2016. After graduating from a Japanese language school and a vocational school, I joined Sakaeya in April 2019.

In Nepal, family is highly valued, and working for one's family is considered very important. It is common for migrant workers to go to other countries to work, and since Japan offers higher wages than Nepal, I chose Japan hoping to send money back to my family and provide them with a better life.

Living in a country different from where you were born and raised, not just in Japan, brings many worries and anxieties. There were cases where things that were commonplace in my home country were taboo in Japan. The biggest difficulty I faced as a foreigner was my inability to speak Japanese fluently. I hit the language barrier many times, and there were times when I thought I couldn't do it and gave up.

However, at times like these, I think of my family back home. I realize that if I give up now, I won't be able to support my family who are struggling, so I feel I have to do my best somehow. I struggled with various things, such as visas, alien registration, banking, real estate agent procedures, transportation, getting used to the food, and not knowing the rules at work, but looking back now, I think it was all a valuable experience.

Even after joining the company, I had trouble communicating with my colleagues, and my attitude sometimes caused problems. I also missed opportunities by trying to avoid certain tasks because I thought I didn't have to do them since I was a foreigner. I lost trust because I couldn't complete tasks I was asked to do until the last minute. When I exchanged information with foreign acquaintances working at other inns, the grass always seemed greener on the other side, and there were times when I wanted to quit the company. However, the president and my colleagues taught me that these tendencies to run away were leading to my failures, and I learned that at Sakaeya, what's valued more is how much effort you put in than whether you succeed or fail. Since then, whether things go well or not, I've made it a point to face challenges head-on instead of running away. I think that was the right decision.

With the guidance and support of kind senior colleagues and my fellow new hires, I now work in the hospitality service department, a crucial role at the inn. There, being a foreigner is no excuse. Therefore, I studied Japanese intensely to improve my language skills. I also diligently memorized kanji characters so that I could read and write.

In order to find a job in Japan, we need a Japanese language proficiency qualification, but usually, once you've found a job, you don't think about taking the Japanese language proficiency test again. This is because you get the qualification for the purpose of getting a job, so once you're employed, there's no particular need to take it again. However, even after joining the company, I challenged myself to take a higher-level Japanese language proficiency test and was able to obtain a higher-level qualification.

Even if you're not Japanese, you can still do customer service. However, as a professional, you have to be able to provide customer service that satisfies customers regardless of their nationality. Thinking of my family back home and the support of my colleagues at Sakaeya has allowed me to keep going. Now, more and more customers praise me by name in their reviews, and I write postcards in Japanese almost every day. I've decided that being a foreigner was actually just an excuse, and I won't use it as a way to run away from my problems anymore.

I still think my Japanese is unique, but I feel joy in working at the inn and being able to help make someone's special day. The guests who visit and the events that occur change every day, but amidst these changes, I will continue to work hard to acquire a wide range of skills, including conversational skills, knowledge, and hospitality skills.

People can grow if they stop using their innate abilities as an excuse.

Gurung Surya

• 【profile】
  • From Nepal
  • Joined the company in 2019
  • Personal motto: When colleagues encourage each other, they will improve.
  • Special skills: Languages (Japanese, English, Hindi, Nepali, Gurung), being able to quickly make friends.