Just Another Work Party

It seems like I get invited to work parties every week, and I really hate to say no to these shindigs for several reasons:

1. Free food

(strange and scary at times, but still free)

2. Great company

(these people really do tell the best stories once you get the beer and sake flowin')

3. Umm... because the whole reason I'm in Japan is due of work

(which means I should try to cram in as much quality time with my work colleagues as possible)

This was a Farewell Party for Katsuyama, who belongs to the department next to me at work, but we all have the same General Manager.  (So it's like one big happy family!)

Katsuyama and Kerri. 

He got reassigned to Malaysia, where the Mitsui office only has 2 people!  We keep telling Katsuyama that he's going to be the "big boss" since he's at the top of the food chain in the Malaysia office, but he denies it and says he's "only a normal boss"!

Yes, this is really what restaurants look like in Japan.  Our party took up the whole downstairs.  I have no idea what's going on upstairs.   

Yuri pours Katsuyama more sake. 

(The purpose of these farewell parties is to get the honoree spectacularly drunk.)

 

 Someone's not drinking their beer right now if they are also taking this photo... oh, the horror!!

Katsuyama is telling me a ridiculous story about his road trip from Miami to Los Angeles one summer. 

Let's just say it involves 1 Japanese guy, 1 Brazilian guy, 3 weeks, 2 totaled rental cars, no hotel rooms (but plenty of truck stop showers), 3 run-in's with the police, and lots of pretending as though they don't speak English! 

I was kind of ashamed of my boring road trip stories after I heard his. 

(And seriously I've been on some pretty memorable road trips.)

 The obligatory farewell gift. 

(The gifts are always presented by a woman.  I have no idea why.  Maybe we photograph better than men?!  Just one of the many gender roles in Mitsui.)

It's a Burberry golf cap. 

I did some checking online, and this thing goes for about $140.  There are no sales or discounts in Japan.  Really, is a hat really worth than much?!  And it's white.  It will surely get stained and dirty in no time...

The misfits from the Motor Vehicle Department at Mitsui. 

I should also mention that this farewell dinner took place the night before my flight back to America, and we didn't get done eating until after midnight!!  Then I had to walk home and finish packing my 2 suitcases.  It's no problem because I had plenty of time to sleep on my 13-hour flight the next day.  But, really, do dinners need to last that long?!