My 1st working day

Saletti

Yes, today I had my 1st working day. Actually it wasn't an official one but as the guide (Karin) who is here now will leave on Tuesday, I just wanted to take advantage of her and see what the job actually is about.

I can tell you that the day today was a lot more exhausting then a day in the office. I left the house at 11am and came back at 9pm and between I actually just had a 30 min break.

But if you are interested you can continue to read and you will know what exactly my work will be:
So I went to the Renaissance Golden View (yes Tamara and Remo, this is the hotel where you will be staying) to meet the guide from Marhaba, that is the local agency we work with. There we picked up a few guests to bring them to the airport. I do recognize them as they came in one week ago with the same flight as myself. At the airport we met the MediaShop guide Karin who had picked up the guests from the hotels in Nabq. As you arrive at the airport you first have to go through a security check before you even go and do your check-in. This is also where we already have to say goodbye to our guests as we are not allowed to enter this area. One Marhaba guide will be inside and will help the guests to do their check-in. Afterwards they will go through the passport control and then through another security check.
The guides just move over to the arrival terminal as the next guests will be landing within the next 50 minutes. When they then actually arrive we welcome them and wait until the group is complete. As soon as everybody is in the bus we hand them out a brochure with some information about when the welcome meeting will take place, the visiting hours, the excursions they can book and a form for the check-in of the hotel. On the way to the hotel we give some little information but not too much as the guests are tired. But we do ask them to complete the form so ones we arrive at the hotel the check-in will be a lot faster.

Everything here is really organised, that doesn’t always mean it’s well organised, but it’s organised.

The further things I have to take care off are the welcome meetings, the visiting hours, sell excursions and some office work. I will be working each day except perhaps one day if I can plan it this way. Even though it’s just two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon, except when it’s what I will call „transfer day“ you still have to get from one hotel to the other, wait, stand around, listen carefully and all that when it’s about 40°C outside.

I went with Karin to do 3 welcome meetings, two in German and one in French. I took a lot of notes and I am sure that I will be able to do this. The only thing that makes me a little nervous is planing the pick ups, the transfers and remembering the guests by their name. But I will be going with a Marhaba guide to learn everything and after one week I should be fine. If this is not the case I can ask him to train me another week.

It was a very good 1st working day. All the guides are very friendly and one driver already started to teach me some Arabic. I can already read all arabic numbers, I can say: ok, straight on, left and right and all this after just one week ;-)

At the airport I was a little sad when I recognised the people and knew that they are going home but not me. But I was happy to work and excited to learn something about my new job.

I got home at 9pm, completely exhausted and I am happy that tomorrow I am off as my official 1st working day is on July 1st.

Yesterday, Miki, Victoria and myself went to „Old Sharm“. When you decide to come and visit Sharm and me I will take you there as it’s really a very nice place.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lilou.clark/Egypt20081stWeek

PS: Germany I am sorry!!!

My new home

Hello Everybody!!!

Today I finally got to know, which hotel I will be able to call "home". It is the Inter Plaza Beach Hotel: http://www.interplazasharm.com/. I will be moving in on July 1st and I am really looking forward to that.

Yesterday I was on my first excursion. We went camel riding and then had dinner with Beduins out in the desert. It was a nice experience. It is so hot that even at 9pm in the evening you wish you would have an AC with you. I met a few persons (Agency Marhaba) with whom I will be working and I also got an idea of the "problems" I could experience with my guests, but I am looking forward to be able to get started...

http://picasaweb.google.com/lilou.clark/Egypt20081stWeek

Close to my brothers house there is a huge Aquaparc where Victoria and myself have gone today. The entry fee is 165 Egyptian Pounds which is about a 33 Swiss Francs. That is almost the same price as Alpamare, only the big difference is that people do earn a lot less here. I wonder how they manage!!!!

Future Posts

That everybody can understand my posts, I will in the future write in English. It may not have improved since my mails from Tibet, but who cares, as long as you can all understand me...

So today Miki had to work, so Victoria and I went again to the Pool from Rock Hotel. We just took some sun and got back again. The taxi drivers are really crazy, I have the impression they think to be on a Formula1 circuit. Perhaps I should get a life insurance....

Tomorrow I will go on my first excursion. Camel riding and Beduin Evening, that sounds awsome and I am really looking forward to it.

I will definitely keep you posted.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lilou.clark/Egypt20081stWeek

Welcome in Egypt

Gestern hat also mein neues Leben wirklich angefangen. Noch in der "alten Heimat" aufgewacht und jetzt schon seit mehr als 24 Stunden in der "neuen Heimat". Kann mich zwar noch nicht so ganz mit dem Gedanken anfreunden, aber ich denke der Stress der letzten 3 Wochen sowie der Abschied von meiner Familie und Freunden ist einfach noch zu aktuell.

Es ist hier zwischen 35 und 37 Grad, ein bisschen zu heiss für mich aber Miki hat gesagt, ich werde mich schon noch daran gewöhnen. Er und Victoria kümmern sich ganz rührend um mich. Gestern waren wir am Pool vom Rock Hotel. Es gibt dort auch eine Art Pub und Miki schaut sich dort gerne die Formel 1 Rennen an. Danach waren wir am Meer essen, wo man bis spät in den Abend gemütlich sitzen bleiben kann. Heute haben wir in Nabq die Hotels angeschaut, wo die Gäste von meinem neuen Arbeitgeber logieren.

Ich denke wenn ich dann mein eigenes Zimmer habe und mich einrichten konnte, sollte es mit dem Heimweh besser werden.

Jetzt bin ich aber müde, es ist hier 19 Uhr, eine Stunde später als in der Schweiz und wir werden wohl nicht mehr viel machen.

Tja, jetzt ist es also geschehen. Nur Mut, es kommt alles so, wie es kommen muss.

Farewell: Sugar Lounge

Was für ein schöner Abend. Ich durfte also nochmals viele meiner Freunde sehen, bevor mein neues Leben beginnt.

Entschuldigung an alle die da waren aber von denen es kein Photo gibt.

Vielen herzlichen Dank an alle fürs Kommen.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lilou.clark/June201FarewellSugarLounge