I first heard about hostessing in Tokyo while living in Canada, my home-country. A friend of mine knew an agent in Vancouver who recruited girls for various clubs. She deals with the clubs directly and arranges all the contracts and flights, so all I had to do was gather my wits for my first adventure abroad. It was difficult to save up for anything back home, even with my two jobs: teaching sailing and waiting tables. Here was a chance to experience something new and earn enough for a down payment on a condo or a car.

I work at a hostess club in Roppongi along with a few other girls who came with me from Vancouver. On the job, we?re either inside the club or outside handing out flyers. The club provides the dress and the coat, and our job is to keep the customers at the club and spending money. They pay by the hour, and get all-you-can-drink whiskey. We talk to them, sing karaoke, pour their drinks, light their cigarettes and pamper their egos.

There are several ways to earn money in addition to our hourly wage. If we bring a customer in from the street, called a "catch", that?s a bonus. Inside the club, we sit with the customers and if they buy us ?1000 drinks we get paid a "drink-back" for each one. If a customer requests a certain girl, she gets a bonus. Girls are also encouraged to arrange dinner dates with the customers of their choice, called a "dohan". When we bring them to the club after dinner, we get another bonus.

I was a little nervous about getting into this kind of work, but once you experience it, it' really not as bad as some people think it is. I feel very safe doing what I do, and most of the customers are very kind. I have set my own limits, and have never felt pressured to cross them. The owners take good care of the girls, and if ever there is a customer who makes a girl feel uncomfortable in any way, all she needs to do is raise her hand and tell the waiter to get her away from the table.

I have a nocturnal lifestyle. I start work after 7pm and finish anytime between 2 and 4:30am. We are guaranteed at least four hours and up to eight a night, Monday through Friday. We also have the option of working Saturdays at a different club. I usually see the sunrise, then go to bed and wake up for work the next evening. Sometimes I force myself to go to the gym and visit parts of Tokyo during the day. Other times, I go out after work to dance clubs open until morning.

When the rainy season is over, I want to visit other places outside of Tokyo. The more I discover about Japan, the more I find things that I like. The people here are very nice, and I am amazed at how safe Tokyo is for such a big city. I do plan to return to Canada some day, but so far I am enjoying myself.