It's over a month now since I have left my home to come to Sharm El Sheikh.
Almost everything is fine except that I would give anything for 10°C less. The heat is really a problem for me. I do have headache very often. Ok, probably I do not drink enough but I do try really hard.
As I arrived about 38 days ago I didn't like the place straight away but it's getting better and better. Probably the separation from family, friends and Switzerland was just too much. I start liking the place and I am enjoying life here. But I have to admit that only 5 weeks after my departure I do miss food from Switzerland soo much. About one week ago I was dreaming about the "Krustenkranzbrot" and the "Himbeer Roulade" from Migros. I would also love a salad from Betty Bossi, you know the one you can buy @ Coop Pronto. Or a real Sandwich from DeliFrance would also be great.......
And now some thanks:
Laschkolnigs, many thanks for the keyholder, I am using it everyday. Astrid, the towel you had offered me is really great, specially with the 40°C we are having right now. Katja, unfortunately I couldn't hang up the picture wall yet, as it doesn't stick to the wall here and I have to go and buy some nails and different things for the apt. But I am looking forward to hang it up soon and to have pictures printed, so that I can look at them every day. Tamara and Remo, your Longchamp "bag" is just great. I am using it since day 1 and I have it always with me. It's just the perfect size to carry around what a woman really needs. Christoph I also took your book and I am looking forward when I can use it for the 1st time. And Josy, your bracelet is beautiful. I am not wearing it every day as I am a little afraid to loose it but I just love it. Many thanks to all of you.
I hope you enjoy reading my posts.
Take care and enjoy the 30°C.
Mittwoch, 30. Juli 2008
Samstag, 26. Juli 2008
it's not always easy
Almost one week over again and a lot of things have happened. From time to time I ask myself if I have taken the right decision to come here and to work for a company I actually didn't even know. Now I am here and even if I wouldn't like it, I would be to proud to come home. But the good thing is that I do like it. I do really like the work with the guests even though sometimes they think I am superwoman.... normal, with this name ;-)
Working with the locals is not always easy. Their attitude is so different and sometimes even appears arrogant. But it's ok, I will get used to it. The only thing is that I really do not want to become like them. Sometimes they seem so aggressive. You ask something, just because you aren't sure if you understood correct and they think you have a problem. Their ton sometimes is so hard and it seems like they do not enjoy their work. Well they are not the only ones, there are loads and loads of persons in this world which do have the same problem. I know, me too I can be pretty hard but mostly I do have a reason but here, it's just like part of their character.
So, I will go and look for some guests which did not know that the international check out time is 12:00 and want to keep their room longer without having to pay. And this is where they think I am superwoman.....
Working with the locals is not always easy. Their attitude is so different and sometimes even appears arrogant. But it's ok, I will get used to it. The only thing is that I really do not want to become like them. Sometimes they seem so aggressive. You ask something, just because you aren't sure if you understood correct and they think you have a problem. Their ton sometimes is so hard and it seems like they do not enjoy their work. Well they are not the only ones, there are loads and loads of persons in this world which do have the same problem. I know, me too I can be pretty hard but mostly I do have a reason but here, it's just like part of their character.
So, I will go and look for some guests which did not know that the international check out time is 12:00 and want to keep their room longer without having to pay. And this is where they think I am superwoman.....
Sonntag, 20. Juli 2008
Welcome Meeting
Yes I made it!!!!
Last Sunday I already made my 1st welcome meeting, but a tourguide from Marhaba was with me. Today that was not the case. I did two welcome meetings on my own and I am happy that it's behind me. I have been nervous for the last two days because of this.
But at the second meeting today, as I have finished everything and I was just about to sell the trips, a tourguide came because apparently in the office they do not yet trust me. These guys are really funny. The tourguides ask me why I don't do the welcome meetings on my own, as I am working for them since 3 weeks and the managers don't want me to do them by myself. Whatever, I sold about 10 trips today. It won't make me rich but it's at least a little money.
The transfers to and form the airport are no problem anymore and I am sure that with time I will also be good in doing welcome meetings. I do have a lot of information and already know a few things about Egypt, but still, it should be natural when I am telling the guests and not like I would have just learned a text by heart. But it's not what I did, I know the things and I do actually enjoy giving information to my guests.
Well, I have to do some work yet and in 4 hours I have to get up again to pick new guests from the airport. This weekend and the coming week are and will be really hard.
Last Sunday I already made my 1st welcome meeting, but a tourguide from Marhaba was with me. Today that was not the case. I did two welcome meetings on my own and I am happy that it's behind me. I have been nervous for the last two days because of this.
But at the second meeting today, as I have finished everything and I was just about to sell the trips, a tourguide came because apparently in the office they do not yet trust me. These guys are really funny. The tourguides ask me why I don't do the welcome meetings on my own, as I am working for them since 3 weeks and the managers don't want me to do them by myself. Whatever, I sold about 10 trips today. It won't make me rich but it's at least a little money.
The transfers to and form the airport are no problem anymore and I am sure that with time I will also be good in doing welcome meetings. I do have a lot of information and already know a few things about Egypt, but still, it should be natural when I am telling the guests and not like I would have just learned a text by heart. But it's not what I did, I know the things and I do actually enjoy giving information to my guests.
Well, I have to do some work yet and in 4 hours I have to get up again to pick new guests from the airport. This weekend and the coming week are and will be really hard.
Donnerstag, 17. Juli 2008
New Home
Hi everybody. Yes it has been a while since my last post.
I am doing fine. Work is hard but I know that you will not believe me. But going from one hotel to the other when it's 40°C is not always very pleasant.
When you press the link you will find some pictures of my new home.
The coming weekend I have about 40 guests arriving, this is the most since I am here. I am a little nervous but also looking forward to it to see if I learned enough within the last 2.5 weeks and to verify if I will be up to it.
The hotel where I do have my room is very nice. Don't even think that I am living in a room next to the beach with seaview, no, it's a room in the building at the end of the hotel area and it's a staff room, but it's okay.
I am now here since 25 days and today I have been swimming in the sea for the first time since I am here. The water is beautiful and so clear. The fishes are coming right up to the beach. The thing here is that there is almost no possibility to get into the sea right of the beach. Along the coast are coral riffs (probably that is not how it should be written) and therefor you have to use a jetty.
Well the battery of my laptop is low, therefore I say goodbye.
I hope you are all doing fine and I am sure the weather will soon get better.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lilou.clark/MyNewHome
I am doing fine. Work is hard but I know that you will not believe me. But going from one hotel to the other when it's 40°C is not always very pleasant.
When you press the link you will find some pictures of my new home.
The coming weekend I have about 40 guests arriving, this is the most since I am here. I am a little nervous but also looking forward to it to see if I learned enough within the last 2.5 weeks and to verify if I will be up to it.
The hotel where I do have my room is very nice. Don't even think that I am living in a room next to the beach with seaview, no, it's a room in the building at the end of the hotel area and it's a staff room, but it's okay.
I am now here since 25 days and today I have been swimming in the sea for the first time since I am here. The water is beautiful and so clear. The fishes are coming right up to the beach. The thing here is that there is almost no possibility to get into the sea right of the beach. Along the coast are coral riffs (probably that is not how it should be written) and therefor you have to use a jetty.
Well the battery of my laptop is low, therefore I say goodbye.
I hope you are all doing fine and I am sure the weather will soon get better.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lilou.clark/MyNewHome
Montag, 7. Juli 2008
1st weekend
So I survived the 1st weekend. I can tell you this is not a "Schoggi-Job".
Just an overview of the hours I worked on Sunday:
00h20 - 04h00:
pick up guests from the hotel to bring them to the airport, pick up new guests from the airport to bring them to their hotel
11h00 - 14h30:
again, pick up guests from the hotel to bring them to the airport, pick up new guests from the airport to bring them to their hotel
18h00 - 21h30:
welcome meetings
It may always just be a few hours but I can tell you that this is the hard part of the job. You stand up, take a shower, get ready, work for 3 or 4 hours, get back, try to sleep, wake up, take again a shower, get ready, work for a few hours and then the same thing again.
But I won't complain because it's fun. I am one of the few persons who can say that I do enjoy my job. Well until now, things can always change and perhaps in a few weeks I am fed up of always telling the guests the same things, sitting in the lobbys waiting for a guest to come and ask something and drive from hotel to hotel and sometimes to the airport.
I will take things how they come and the cool part is that you have always other guests. Young couples, not so young couples, friends, families, just everything. And it's a lot of fun telling them things about Egypt and Sinaï which I just have learned. But you all know that I am a good student (not talking about grades but about work) and that I am writing everything down that any tourguide would tell me. I know already a lot of things and I am working on my arabic ;-)
The only thing which is a little difficult for me is the weather. During the day it's about 38°C and in the night, at 3pm it's still 27° to 29°C. And as I am really trying to respect the tradition and the cultur I am only wearing trousers covering my knees and T-Shirts which cover my shoulders.
I swear, here in Sharm there are mostly russians and they, well perhaps not all of them but the biggest part does really not care about being in another country. When you walk through Naama Bay you can recognise them just of how they are dressed.
But now I have to get some rest. Tomorrow I go on the excursion which is called "City Trip". It's only my second excursion and I am looking forward to it.
Hope you are all doing fine.
Just an overview of the hours I worked on Sunday:
00h20 - 04h00:
pick up guests from the hotel to bring them to the airport, pick up new guests from the airport to bring them to their hotel
11h00 - 14h30:
again, pick up guests from the hotel to bring them to the airport, pick up new guests from the airport to bring them to their hotel
18h00 - 21h30:
welcome meetings
It may always just be a few hours but I can tell you that this is the hard part of the job. You stand up, take a shower, get ready, work for 3 or 4 hours, get back, try to sleep, wake up, take again a shower, get ready, work for a few hours and then the same thing again.
But I won't complain because it's fun. I am one of the few persons who can say that I do enjoy my job. Well until now, things can always change and perhaps in a few weeks I am fed up of always telling the guests the same things, sitting in the lobbys waiting for a guest to come and ask something and drive from hotel to hotel and sometimes to the airport.
I will take things how they come and the cool part is that you have always other guests. Young couples, not so young couples, friends, families, just everything. And it's a lot of fun telling them things about Egypt and Sinaï which I just have learned. But you all know that I am a good student (not talking about grades but about work) and that I am writing everything down that any tourguide would tell me. I know already a lot of things and I am working on my arabic ;-)
The only thing which is a little difficult for me is the weather. During the day it's about 38°C and in the night, at 3pm it's still 27° to 29°C. And as I am really trying to respect the tradition and the cultur I am only wearing trousers covering my knees and T-Shirts which cover my shoulders.
I swear, here in Sharm there are mostly russians and they, well perhaps not all of them but the biggest part does really not care about being in another country. When you walk through Naama Bay you can recognise them just of how they are dressed.
But now I have to get some rest. Tomorrow I go on the excursion which is called "City Trip". It's only my second excursion and I am looking forward to it.
Hope you are all doing fine.
Freitag, 4. Juli 2008
Update
Actually I don't even know where to start. It has been 5 days since I wrote the last time.
I have started work and until now I really enjoy it. Everybody from the local agency (Marhaba, that means welcome) is really very nice. It's a good atmosphere and working with them is a good thing. You now may think that I work like 2 hours per day and that the rest of the time I'm lying at the pool or at the beach. But no, that is absolutely not the case. For example: Today or actually yesterday I got picked up at 9.45, we had our first visiting hour at 10.30, then another one at 11.30, afterwards we went to the office, wrote departure letters and made the planning for next week. Then I went home and worked until 17.00. At 18.40 I got picked up for two other visiting hours, one at 19.00 and the other one at 20.00. I got home by 21.30, so you see, my days are pretty busy.
About the room there would be a lot to write but this story would take too much time and I just would get upset again. Short version: Back in Switzerland I was told that I would get a regular guest room, like our guests book in the hotel. I can tell you that when I finally got the room I was surprised and upset then the room has absolutely nothing in common with a regular guest room. So for this reason I am still staying at my brothers neighbours flat and I am waiting that the situation gets fixed, but there is not a lot of hope.
I will definitely keep you posted and I hope that I will be able to write about a Happy End.
I have started work and until now I really enjoy it. Everybody from the local agency (Marhaba, that means welcome) is really very nice. It's a good atmosphere and working with them is a good thing. You now may think that I work like 2 hours per day and that the rest of the time I'm lying at the pool or at the beach. But no, that is absolutely not the case. For example: Today or actually yesterday I got picked up at 9.45, we had our first visiting hour at 10.30, then another one at 11.30, afterwards we went to the office, wrote departure letters and made the planning for next week. Then I went home and worked until 17.00. At 18.40 I got picked up for two other visiting hours, one at 19.00 and the other one at 20.00. I got home by 21.30, so you see, my days are pretty busy.
About the room there would be a lot to write but this story would take too much time and I just would get upset again. Short version: Back in Switzerland I was told that I would get a regular guest room, like our guests book in the hotel. I can tell you that when I finally got the room I was surprised and upset then the room has absolutely nothing in common with a regular guest room. So for this reason I am still staying at my brothers neighbours flat and I am waiting that the situation gets fixed, but there is not a lot of hope.
I will definitely keep you posted and I hope that I will be able to write about a Happy End.
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