English Teaching In Japan

(After teaching English for a few years in Japan, I decided to try my hand at working as a translator. I started phoning international electronics companies on the off-chance. This conversation was with Aiwa, and was in Japanese.)

Guy: Hello, Aiwa Electronics. **** speaking.

Me: Hello, I'd like to ask if you have any vacancies for an English-Japanese translator at your company.

Guy: Oh, well, we are always recruiting translators. Do you have any experience as a translator?

Me: Not exactly, but I am willing to learn.

Guy: Oh, right. Well, do you know anything about electronics?

Me: Actually, no, but again I am sure I can learn.

Guy: Ok, what is your TOEIC level?
(TOEIC is a test of English that companies use to establish the level of their employees.)

Me: Er, I've never taken TOEIC.

Guy: (laughing) Then what makes you think your English level is good enough to work for us???

Me: Er, I'm British.

Guy: Oh?!?! Then why didn't you say so? I thought you were Japanese. OK, send your CV to us, and we'll look over it!

(The guy thought I was Japanese and also that I had no clue! I was laughing at that. I never did send my CV to them, though, as I started work for a company dealing in machine parts a short while later....)