The foreign labor adventure of Nadezhda began with one season of work as a transfer guide at one of the major travel companies. She managed to work on transfers, as well as a “horizontal bar” guide, and even as a hotel guide. And since the next summer season in Turkey, Nadezhda has “retrained” as an employee of the guest relations department of a large resort hotel in Okurcalar. In this area, she subsequently worked not only in Turkey, but also in Thailand.
- Nadia, before you became a guide in Turkey, have you been in this country as a tourist?
- Of course. “Falling in love” with the country directly influenced my decision to start working there. I think, in any case, it’s better to go first to look, and then think about a “serious relationship”.
- How do your expectations from working as a guide with reality coincide?
- It is difficult to answer unambiguously. The profession of a guide is quite a multi-valued thing. The transferman who drives you from the airport to the hotel, and the hotel guide, who then takes you on excursions, are two completely different positions. The first is interrupted from bread to water, the second, if he is lucky with a commercial vein, can warm his hands well in season. I will not even talk about earnings in this area. Tourism, like hotel business, is the will of chance, good luck. If you can talk about something, then only about the desire to lead a similar, free, lifestyle. Far from settled, close to "piracy" and certainly intended for those who are not timid. Since I was expecting just this, I was completely satisfied. I can say the same about work in the hospitality industry. Here, of course, there is more order, but this work is more likely for fans to tickle nerves.
- Tell us about the most significant advantages of working in the tourist industry at the resort and the biggest disadvantages of this work.
- For different people, the same things may seem like pros and cons. For example, tourism: one will say that a free schedule, working with guests, the need to speak foreign languages, free earnings, constantly traveling is cool, the other will not come close to this. I can say this about work in the hotel business: if you like the atmosphere of a hotel, a mishmash of different nationalities, constant movement, team spirit, and you are undemanding to your income level - go ahead, this is yours. However, be prepared to train stress resistance and facial muscles for a permanent smile for each guest. Believe me, it’s not so simple.
- Nadia, you worked in the hospitality industry in Turkey and Thailand. Is there a fundamental difference between these countries in terms of attitudes towards tourists? And to the workers of the tourism industry?
- High-class hospitality, in fact, is the same in any country. This is the law. There are certain standards that you must adhere to. There are differences in the mentality and culture of the peoples of different countries, but this should not apply to work. Guest is guest everywhere. He needs to smile, he needs to be met with joy and helpfulness, be polite, be loyal and well-trained. Both Turkey and Thailand have everything that is necessary for the warm spiritual welcome of tourists.As part of the host-guest relationship, hospitality workers in both countries do not violate service standards. Outside of these relationships, there are a million options, and all of them are relative, subjective and due to a bunch of circumstances.
Although, if you are in a fit of tempering hoppy euphoria and take a walk and your hand “wakes up,” both these and those will firmly stand up for their homeland. Laws must be respected in any country, then the attitude of local people everywhere will be stably kept at the mark of friendliness.
Being an employee of the travel industry abroad is a completely different matter. No “honeymoons”, only harsh weekdays! They expect a high labor commitment from you there, while your rights may not be respected equally everywhere. Subjectively, in Thailand it was harder for me than in Turkey. Briefly about the reasons: the hotel-employer did not apply for a work visa, and I had to constantly “make a visit” in Cambodia or Laos at my own expense, the psychology and worldview of the Thais were not close to me, and their vaunted smiles felt false. Although this, again, is not a dogma! I met guys so absorbed in Siam that they could not imagine work elsewhere. Here, as in love: chemistry should work!
- Tourists have a certain number of stereotypes regarding travel agency employees and hotel staff. For example, that all Turkish animators only dream of marrying a European and leaving Turkey. That guides on excursions take half of the information, as they say, from their heads. Have you encountered such stereotypes and how do they correspond to reality?
- As for the dreams of animators - for the first time I hear this. However, people generally tend to clog their heads with stereotypes, vacationers are also famous for this. For example, they are sure that tour workers are only busy doing sunbathing and swimming, while earning millions. Of course, this is not true.
The guide needs to be able to keep the entire bus in attention for several hours. Dry facts can not do here. People did not come to the lecture, in the end, but to relax, have fun, and cheer themselves up. The whole travel industry should, in fact, provide an upbeat guest.
There is one more. Sick - I can’t be silent. For some reason, many hotel guests are convinced that the workers at the reception, “the girls at the counter,” are enough to give Alenka chocolate for their efforts. Well, you understand: hello from the homeland and all that. Tourists take Alenka to the resorts with kilograms! The phenomenon is gaining alarming proportions! Among the Alenka epidemic, units with stockfish, smoked sausage, and duty-free strong drinks are perceived as a true miracle. And therefore I turn to potential vacationers: “People, do not skimp on the above! Believe me, in a foreign land without sausage, without condensed milk and buckwheat, it’s hard for us! ”By the way, as without a tip. Imagine a stereotype about tips: they are accepted in Turkey, they are waiting for them, mean guests do not want to help. I'm serious.
- You have a blog about your everyday life of the time when you worked in Turkey. Why do you need it?
- Not only in Turkey, I write about Thailand, India, Georgia and other countries. I myself call all this writing "a blog about life, tourism and work abroad." Why am I writing? Then, I want to inform people about the backstage of tourism and the hotel business. I want the tourists, “packers” who prefer ready-made tourist products, to go to the resorts more knowledgeable, to cleverly bypass all the pitfalls of the hospitality sector of those countries that I write about.
Many colleagues read me.For them, this is entertainment, the ability to discharge after a busy day, recognizing yourself or your bosses in the situations described. You understand, when at work a blockage, you need to look for reasons for laughter. Sometimes malevolent. If you like this approach, and there is a desire to learn more different secrets, welcome to me on a twinkle in the paper "Paper Maraca".
- How, in your opinion, do those who studied at universities in specialties related to tourism have advantages in working over those who do not have a diploma?
- Recently, I have increasingly noticed a condition on special education in job advertisements, but, as a rule, there is a note “desirable” or “will be your advantage”. Often the outcome of a case is decided by the number of foreign languages that the applicant speaks, work experience and the ability to present oneself to a future employer.
- Imagine that in front of you are tourists who are going to go on vacation to Turkey. Would you find for them some advice on choosing a hotel, behavior on the hotel grounds? Are there any life hacks in all inclusive hotels, using which you can improve, facilitate, diversify your vacation?
- Well, subjectively, I will say this: choose those hotels that have recently opened, new ones, with good repair and the desire of the owners to win the loyalty of guests. Remember that in Alanya, service is cheaper, but easier, in Kemer - pebble beaches and more insects due to the proximity of the Taurus Mountains, it is cooler on the Aegean coast, but the colors of the sea and the scenery around are simply magnificent!
Often they write about the location of the hotel briefly: Kemer, Antalya, Alanya. I advise you to clarify, because often the hotel is located in tourist villages such as Goynuk, Beldibi, Okurcalar, Turkler, Konakli, etc. If you prefer to go to a noisy, cheerful city in the evening, then you are unlikely to like the remoteness of the hotel from entertainment centers, when you have to take a taxi to the nearest disco. In general, it is worthwhile to independently study the description of the hotel and its environs on the Internet. Look at the types of rooms so that during the sale of the tour you do not get any remote building at the lowest price.
I already spoke about behavior, everything is simple: respect the country and its laws. This is not difficult, you just need to stay within the framework of elementary decency. It is worth learning languages at least at the level of everyday interactions. Everywhere, wherever I am, people are equally happy to hear native speech from the lips of foreigners. This helps establish a trusting relationship. And there are many benefits from them: local tips, tips, where to exchange money, where to eat better, how to get there, what to see, etc.
There is one more universal tip. Enjoy your holiday! Yes exactly. Learn to relax, have time for this week — two to squeeze out everything that is possible from rest. Do not waste time looking for flaws, quarrels with the administration and your guide. You escaped from all this - so rejoice at your every day near the sea under the southern sun.
- And now imagine that in front of you are girls and boys who dream of going to the sea to work as guides. Got something to tell them? To warn? Give valuable advice?
- I can say this: go. Do not be afraid, do not doubt. In any case, even one season there will give you much more than a few years at home. Change your comfort zone, study, practice in foreign languages, grind like pebbles in the surf, get your bumps and rewards. Take a chance! Otherwise, then you will regret the missed opportunity, and this is an extremely bitter feeling. I will not even warn of any dangers and other things. Need to live to the fullest!
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