Attitude

While I was writing an old friend about my life here, I told her about the job I had last summer:

Waitressing in a 4 star hotel.

I hated it. I was nervous going to work and felt sick almost everytime. But I went. It was difficult, I didn't understand the language perfect and I had to understand a lot of new phrases and words having to do with tourism and hospitality.

The first two month I worked nightshift, starting at 8 or 9 pm -officially untill 1am- but always ended up around 2, 3 or even 4 am. I had to wear an outfit containing blue pants, white shirt and ochre vest. Yes, wonderful. It was vinyl of polyester, so very sweaty for the summers. Yuk.

I could never be fast enough and the maître d' would always seem to pick on me (that wasn't true at all, we got on great after work) which made me more nervous. I know he was just being hard on me for my potential. HA!
The last month they asked if I wanted to substitude a colleague who worked mornings. That suited me fine as I would have to do overtime and close everything up. Again, I had to try and fit into this new group of people, but they seemed a lot nicer than the previous. I started to enjoy it a little more and felt more comfortable with my language and could make jokes with them.

The relationship between co-workers is very different than what I'm used to. Eventhough there are bosses and subbosses and vicebosses and second waiter and first waiter, it all seemed like one family. Ofcourse, when clients are there, you are not allowed to talk too much with colleagues, but the atmosfere always seemed airy and not to serious (unless the Hotel Director entered....) The relationship with clients was always professional yet personal.
The Spanish temperament clearly showed in correlation with the clients. There was a slight kind of indiference when it came to complaints. They simply shrugged it off after providing the client with what they wanted, usually combined with a joke. It did make me understand the Spanish mentality a little better.

Nevertheless I was counting the days untill the end of my contract. They wanted to renew it, but I kindly declined. I couldn't do it anymore. I wanted to persue my translating career. Through this job I also learned that I enjoyed helping tourists finding their way around the area. I was mostly send to the foreigners tables, since I can speak English, Dutch and some German apart from Spanish. It did give me an edge, I guess.

What I really would like to do is have a little of both. I want to use my knowledge of languages and interact with people at the same time. Who knows what lies ahead of me?