Editor’s note: We first ‘met’ Emily through a book club discussion on ‘The Making of A Manager’ by Julie Zhuo. She took ownership of facilitating discussions and jotting down notes based on each member’s sharing. Knowing that she’s lived in the UK and Japan for long periods of time, we’re intrigued by her open-mindedness and adaptability. So we chatted with her on all things travel and experiences!
Emily Rabone
Associate Manager, Marketing
Born and raised in Japan, Emily moved to the UK—her father’s homeland—when she was 12 years old. She attended school in Nottingham and went on to complete her degrees at Leeds University. Fast forward to today, she’s based in our Klook Japan office as an Associate Marketing Manager who oversees our Klook blog content for the Japan market.
Hi Emily! It’s so great to catch up with you again since our last book discussion. Participants were based in different regions and thanks to your facilitation, we enjoyed our conversations together. What are some learnings you’ve taken away from that exposure to diverse perspectives?
It was interesting to hear the reactions from our group members (interviewer Yen Lyn was also in the group!) because even though we had quite similar views, we all had different points that resonated with each of us.
It was inspiring to hear some members disagree with the author. I was so easily convinced by what the author had to say because of her authority and expertise but I was reminded that I needed to keep an open mind that while we can all equally be right, we can equally and easily be wrong too.
Could you share with us how you navigated between both Japanese and British cultures growing up?
Growing up, both cultures were very accessible to me, so I didn’t feel like I was ‘smartly’ navigating myself between the two cultures. Living in Japan, I grew up with Japanese culture so that just came naturally, while British culture was ‘provided’ by my dad through British music, TV, books, and lots of English tea.
I feel blessed, at that time, with a great group of friends who accepted me as me: a slightly quirky girl who liked Japanese TV and anime in the same way as an average 10-year-old, but who could also happily talk about her favorite things about each Beatle. I believed that I could always feel a sense of attachment to both cultures, whenever there was something shaking my confidence in my identity. In doing so I always felt very much part of both cultures as opposed to being neither.
When I first started school in the mid-90s in Japan, I do remember feeling quite overwhelmed by the amount of attention I got for having a non-Japanese (relatively unusual) surname. The attention and comments were never anything malicious, just a neutral comment about how long it was, or a positive one about how it sounded like “rainbow.” That was one of the few times I felt different and out of place in Japan. But looking back now, I understand that people were just kind enough to be interested in me and that was merely a form of communication.
After moving to the UK came the biggest challenge. I was juggling this desire to fit into a new environment with the need to not lose my identity at the same time. So there was a conscious effort on my part not to forget the Japanese language and to be relatively updated with the happenings there. My solution was to read a lot of manga. It also helped that social media was becoming a thing. I would use Myspace and MSN Messenger to connect with my UK friends and Mixi with my Japanese friends.
Emily during her time in the UK. She visited Nottingham, Leeds, Peak District, Ely, and Bakewell — a market town known for its pudding in Derbyshire.
So back to the question about navigating between cultures. I feel like we’re all such different human beings even if we’re from the same culture, and the fact that we are all different unites us. We should all take great comfort in that if we’re ever doubtful of our identities.
Having said that, on a more practical level and slightly contrary to what I just mentioned, I feel like there are also many similarities between each of us, and seeking that out could bring us close together whenever we feel a distance.
Language plays an important role in helping us find common ground with other people. As a fluent bilingual speaker who has done some translation in the past, and even served as an interpreter for our cofounder Ethan and the Japanese media, do you find yourself adapting your personality according to people you speak with?
I think we all trust people who are genuine and want someone to be “themselves” when they’re in our company. So I try to present a constant self despite the language. But I do acknowledge that there are certain behavioral and linguistic expectations that differ between cultures.
I don’t want to overgeneralize but I feel that, in a professional setting, politeness is highly valued in Japan, whereas in England you are allowed to be much more friendly, and it’s seen as a good thing to converse with someone on a more personal level immediately.
However, I believe over-friendliness in Japan may be seen as a lack of respect, especially in a work setting when dealing with your seniors. So in that way, I would show less or more of a side of my personality depending on who I’m interacting with.
Emily sat in as an interpreter for a roundtable between our CEO & cofounder Ethan Lin and Japanese journalists back in February 2023
I did adapt my personality A LOT when I first moved back to Japan to work after graduating from university. When I first started working, I was talking to my manager as if she was my university tutor; I used polite language, showed my respect and fondness…and suggested new ideas. This was completely misunderstood as me “disrespecting” the manager. I was hurt that someone would think I would have any negativity towards the manager or workplace. But I later understood (after almost a year had passed in Japan) that my behavior was unexpected in Japanese companies. It was assumed that I was intentionally cheeky. (The self-deprecating, cynical UK humor was often misunderstood too.)
Since that incident, I have assumed the burden is on me, the speaker, to consider carefully the implications that words and actions may have in that cultural context and strive for clarity.
At the same time, I feel like the listener could equally show patience and compassion by assuming the best intentions behind the other person’s actions. My experiences in the past have taught me to do so.
That said, it’s super exciting working at a global-minded company like Klook with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and different working styles. I think it’s great that we have a work culture that encourages and values feedback among all levels, and that we have a system in place so we can deliver feedback effectively like Klook Salutes (our internal recognition program) and Klook Voice (our employee engagement survey). Receiving feedback and having active discussions with Klookers from different levels has really helped me develop my soft and hard skills, like stakeholder management and SEO.
Prior to joining Klook, you’d personally gone on a working holiday in Australia. It’s one of the popular bucket list destinations for many. How did you find your experience? Would you recommend it to adults in their 20s?
Yes! I actually went on a working holiday just after turning 30. According to the rules at the time, that was my last chance to go.*
I would definitely recommend trying to live in a different country if that option is available to you. It doesn’t have to be a working holiday and you can go at any age. It was a great catalyst for me in that the age restriction for the working holiday visa was essentially what pushed me to leave a job I really enjoyed after 6 years. I was terrified of regretting my choice but someone I used to work with gave me a leaving present; it was a blank travel journal with “Don’t Look Back” written on the cover and that made me feel like I made the right choice.
The actual experience of the working holiday had its ups and downs, and it’s pulling yourself out of the downs that tends to be the best memories. Looking for a job and a place to live whilst living on a budget (i.e., your savings only) is pretty intense but you can surprise yourself by just how much you are able to push your boundaries.
It gives you confidence in your ability to solve problems in life. You can also use it as a time to reflect on what exactly you want to do next and what sort of person you want to be.
It did leave me with a great sense of optimism about life that things have a way of working themselves out (otherwise I wouldn’t be here)!
*There is actually a term for this in Japanese called giri-holi, giri from girigiri translated as “just in time/barely making it” and holi from holiday. I guess quite a few people do this!
As someone who’s lived in Japan for a total of 23 years, which destination would you say is a hidden gem for you?
I love being in nature, so Yakushima, a subtropical island off the southern coast of Kyushu, is a place I would return to time and time again. If you’re a Studio Ghibli fan, you’d know that the mossy forests in Princess Mononoke are inspired by this place.
You can find ancient Japanese cedar trees, yakuzaru monkeys, and yakushika deer in the dense forests. Its mountainous landscapes are also perfect for hiking. The main hiking route is about 10 hours to the mountain top and back. It’s quite exhausting and even painful, so by the time you’re done, you might never want to consider ever doing it again. But the experience was so rewarding and I felt relaxed there that I’m already excited about planning my next visit!
Another place I visited for the first time this year is Hiraizumi in the North East. If you’re visiting Japan, I’d recommend using the JR East Tohoku Area pass. The entire town is a World Heritage Site with temples and beautiful Japanese gardens. The town itself “represents the pure land of Buddha that people aspire to after death, as well as peace of mind in this life” and symbolizes the aspiration of harmony in this world.
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Posted by Klook Careers
- Global Citizen
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- Life at Klook
