Recently / finally met the Jamaican Ambassador for Japan! (Say 🙌🏾 Yes More )

It’s interesting that I’ve done a bit of business with the Jamaican Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, but I’ve never met the ambassador or the first secretary. Covid has something to do with that and also I’m not much of a fan for the big city these days. Well let me rephrase that, I don’t like taking the train into Tokyo, if I were to drive, the parking cost would be ridiculous and I have so much to do in my own neck of the woods. All excuses, but good ones. ( Tokyo by train is about an hour and a half from where I live ).

It just so happened that the ambassador: Her Excellency ( feels so strange to type much less say that) Shorna-Kay M. Richards was in my prefecture giving a presentation at a university. Her second in command who I usually do business with informed me that she would be in town and also, that she likes to meet up with fellow Jamaicans when she travels across Japan.

There was no way I’d miss this opportunity. You see, over the last few months I’ve turned down some really BIG opportunities because of excuses, legitimate excuses I may say. One of the biggest missed opportunities recently was saying no to a Sean Paul concert I could have gotten into free and more than likely met Sean Paul as I’m in contact with his manager who actually invited me. Long story short is I knew about the concert before hand but forgot all about it until Urchin ( Sean’s manager) contacted me and asked “U plus one on the list?”. The concert was in the week on a Thursday, so my excuse was WORK and my part-time job and all that good jazz. But of course I didn’t say that.

WTF was I thinking saying no to that?

As you can see below, I could have already met the ambassador if I went to the concert. It would also be in a more exciting and memorable setting.

Anyways, with this post, I wanna remind you dear reader to say YES more. Especially to once in a life time opportunities, or even just the casual outing or volunteering. But of course, know your boundaries.

Back to the ambassador, it was a pleasure meeting her and the first secretary. We met in Starbucks for a short chat and she updated me on all the things the embassy was up to like getting Blue-mountain coffee in all Seven Elevens across Japan for the winter season and also aiding Jamaica’s oldest rum maker, Worthy Park Estate, find distribution in Japan. I told her about my woes of doing business in Japan and getting goods in from Jamaica and I also tried to pitch her Reggaejahm and the Jahm token to which I got a raised eyebrow 🤨. Yeah, that was not the time or place. After our short chat the Ambassador and the first secretary jumped in a chauffeur driven BMW 7 series into the cold towards Tokyo. Felt like I met the queen and prince of Wakanda 😂.

Until next time! Stay blessed!