Another Congress successfully completed....

Can you believe this year was my 9th JCI World Congress!  My how time flies. 

Every year when registration slows down I become the complaint and information booth. I don’t know the answers to most of the questions people ask and some of the questions are just plain stupid. One man from Nepal came and waited in line and when it was his turn he said, “I lost my friends.” I just looked at him, not knowing what to say and finally told him that they weren’t with me. Another guy from Syria came to ask me for a program because he lost his. When I told him that I didn’t have any extras he asked if I could just copy the next two days for him. I told him I didn’t have a copier with me.


Communication can also be a problem. There were over 6,000 Japanese registered for Congress and the Japanese Organizing Committee who we have been working with took care of their registrations but there are several Japanese registering on-site, too. There were these three that came up to me and started speaking in Japanese and when I asked them if they wanted to register they gave me a blank look. I said, “do you want to pay with cash or credit card?” They all started bowing and saying, “thank you very much” and walked away. I couldn’t help but laugh. Needless to say, they came back. I have some sign language I’ve developed. I hold up a business card in order to get a name. If they don’t have a business card I point to the paper & hand them a pen to write their name. When they write it in Japanese I say, “English”. It’s even difficult to get them to write first AND last names. Most of the time the words “cash or credit card” are understood--I guess they’re pretty much universal. When the communication gets to the point where there’s a standoff, I have to summon a young girl who comes out to interpret for me.

I’m happy to report that I didn’t need to use my sign so I’ll be saving it for next year. We’ll be in Brussels, Belgium and I’m sure it will come in very handy!