Champagne Salary

Have you ever felt trapped in life? Stuck in a dead-end job and going nowhere? Have you ever wanted to just ditch it all for a chance at new experiences in an exotic and exciting new world? Champagne Salary: Diary of a Tokyo Hostess is the story of a young Canadian woman who does just that. Raised on a small farm in the rural northwest, Rose Beach grows frustrated with waitressing and struggling to earn money for college and a music career. When a friend tells her about the hostessing industry in Tokyo, where pretty western girls can earn huge salaries for lighting cigarettes, pouring drinks and singing karaoke in clubs, Rose decides to take a chance. Champagne Salary is Rose Beach's personal account of her introduction to the Japanese hostess industry, including the myth and the reality. Sharing a tiny apartment with five other women in Roppongi, she is immersed in the world of Tokyo nightclubs where she, along with her new friends, deal with dress codes, curfews and strict expectations from club managers. Within the clubs, she meets many colorful characters, develops friendships, risks danger and discovers love. Along the way, Rose is transformed by Tokyo and returns to Canada with a new strength and perspective about her own life. Champagne Salary is written in a casual, warm style, like a friend sharing selected scenes from her diary. At times it is informative, funny, shocking and sad, but always entertaining. It is a book you will want to read over and share with friends