Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wow,
Seems I haven't been as consistent as i though I would've been! Anyways, it's been real fun recently, we've some stars check in.. but they're really old-school so not much people recognise them anymore...
Working at AYS (At-your-service) can sometimes be sooooo tongue-tangling! I have to greet the entire sentence before the guest says anything and sometimes they hang up on me!!! :( However, I do love working at the back coz i won't have to greet some real grumpy guests face to face early in the morning. Nonetheless, I'm so grateful that work has been pleasant and I'm getting along with my colleagues real good!
Working in the US has really made me realise the working cultural differences. Over here they empower you to do whatever you feel is appropriate to appease the guest but back in our Asian society, whatever "freebies" you give you have to sought your manager's approval, and sometimes this take several managers to approve before finally it can be done. It totally reminds me of the Fann Wong and Gurmit Singh movie - "Just follow law". OMG, I laughed my ass off when I watched that movie! Just to borrow a fan, she had to write in, CC here, CC there, just like how you need all the approvals to get something down. Over here it feels kinda awkward right now to use my authority but slowly I think I'm getting the hang of it. I wonder if I can adapt to the different working style back home in SG when I return!
Oh, on a side note, great news for anyone who's reading my blog. I've got another internship offer in Seattle. It's also in the Marriott. It's at the downtown Waterfront Marriott. It's real great and it's also 18 months - but the title is not for a FO position. It's the Housekeeping Supervisor Trainee title. Housekeeping sounds unattractive but I assure you, Marriott's benefits are real good! Also, I think this is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who's looking to build some solid ground in the hospitality industry. With Marriott as your referral, your future opportunities are definitely expanded. Any interested takers please email me asap for more info.
There's been plenty of politics that go on in the office. Well I guess politics occur everywhere you go. It's just how you handle them and how to avoid people that'll get you into trouble. Moreover, besides my roomie and myself, there isn't anyone else for us to depend on! We've got to hang in there and look out for one another's backs! Not that people here are back-stabbing one another..but you'd never know. I do appreciate my manager having regular rap sessions with me (not the rap kinda rap..more like small discussions) on anything interesting going on...any issues I have with anyone... it makes me feel really appreciated and well taken care of here. Thank you guys!
Awww it's only my 2nd month and I have a line of visitors coming to visit me! I'm so blessed. Let me just announce who they are:
1. Gene - my travel friend whom i met in japan and who's based in US coming down today! (27-jan) to visit Seattle and have a little catch up with me :)
2. Li Hui - My childhood friend's gf whom I'm getting to know better :) She's a darling and she's bringing 4 other friends to Seattle for a little getaway! Hopefully I can be a good guide! =P
3. Jasmine - My bestest friend in the entire world. She's already applied for leave in July to go somewhere with me. Hopefully I can get my offs!!
4. WHO WANTS TO BE IN THIS SLOT? :) haha. Waiting for more people to sign up and meet me here!
oh yes, can i just totally brag about how great my hotel's gym is? I love it! it's 24 hours and there's a LCD attached to most of the machines (like treadmill, cycles..) and I totally love doing long inclining walks on the treadmill watching basketball matches. It's awesome!!!!
Sigh, I wana go to a theme park. I wana sit on a rollercoaster. Sky-dive! yes! I'm gona do that some day but i haven't found someone brave enough to attempt it with me. Any takers? :)
My HR manager heard about my sky-dive ambition and was so motivated to print me a quote she saw online and I think it's so perfect for me! Let me just list it down here:
Awesome? I think it's so correct. I want to lead that kinda life. With no regrets! and of course, with lots of thrills, bumps and experiences along the way.
Gotta go, have belated orientation tomorrow at the downtown property :)
Cheers,
Amanda
Seems I haven't been as consistent as i though I would've been! Anyways, it's been real fun recently, we've some stars check in.. but they're really old-school so not much people recognise them anymore...
Working at AYS (At-your-service) can sometimes be sooooo tongue-tangling! I have to greet the entire sentence before the guest says anything and sometimes they hang up on me!!! :( However, I do love working at the back coz i won't have to greet some real grumpy guests face to face early in the morning. Nonetheless, I'm so grateful that work has been pleasant and I'm getting along with my colleagues real good!
Working in the US has really made me realise the working cultural differences. Over here they empower you to do whatever you feel is appropriate to appease the guest but back in our Asian society, whatever "freebies" you give you have to sought your manager's approval, and sometimes this take several managers to approve before finally it can be done. It totally reminds me of the Fann Wong and Gurmit Singh movie - "Just follow law". OMG, I laughed my ass off when I watched that movie! Just to borrow a fan, she had to write in, CC here, CC there, just like how you need all the approvals to get something down. Over here it feels kinda awkward right now to use my authority but slowly I think I'm getting the hang of it. I wonder if I can adapt to the different working style back home in SG when I return!
Oh, on a side note, great news for anyone who's reading my blog. I've got another internship offer in Seattle. It's also in the Marriott. It's at the downtown Waterfront Marriott. It's real great and it's also 18 months - but the title is not for a FO position. It's the Housekeeping Supervisor Trainee title. Housekeeping sounds unattractive but I assure you, Marriott's benefits are real good! Also, I think this is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who's looking to build some solid ground in the hospitality industry. With Marriott as your referral, your future opportunities are definitely expanded. Any interested takers please email me asap for more info.
There's been plenty of politics that go on in the office. Well I guess politics occur everywhere you go. It's just how you handle them and how to avoid people that'll get you into trouble. Moreover, besides my roomie and myself, there isn't anyone else for us to depend on! We've got to hang in there and look out for one another's backs! Not that people here are back-stabbing one another..but you'd never know. I do appreciate my manager having regular rap sessions with me (not the rap kinda rap..more like small discussions) on anything interesting going on...any issues I have with anyone... it makes me feel really appreciated and well taken care of here. Thank you guys!
Awww it's only my 2nd month and I have a line of visitors coming to visit me! I'm so blessed. Let me just announce who they are:
1. Gene - my travel friend whom i met in japan and who's based in US coming down today! (27-jan) to visit Seattle and have a little catch up with me :)
2. Li Hui - My childhood friend's gf whom I'm getting to know better :) She's a darling and she's bringing 4 other friends to Seattle for a little getaway! Hopefully I can be a good guide! =P
3. Jasmine - My bestest friend in the entire world. She's already applied for leave in July to go somewhere with me. Hopefully I can get my offs!!
4. WHO WANTS TO BE IN THIS SLOT? :) haha. Waiting for more people to sign up and meet me here!
oh yes, can i just totally brag about how great my hotel's gym is? I love it! it's 24 hours and there's a LCD attached to most of the machines (like treadmill, cycles..) and I totally love doing long inclining walks on the treadmill watching basketball matches. It's awesome!!!!
Sigh, I wana go to a theme park. I wana sit on a rollercoaster. Sky-dive! yes! I'm gona do that some day but i haven't found someone brave enough to attempt it with me. Any takers? :)
My HR manager heard about my sky-dive ambition and was so motivated to print me a quote she saw online and I think it's so perfect for me! Let me just list it down here:
"Life's not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming: WOW, what a ride!"
Awesome? I think it's so correct. I want to lead that kinda life. With no regrets! and of course, with lots of thrills, bumps and experiences along the way.
Gotta go, have belated orientation tomorrow at the downtown property :)
Cheers,
Amanda
Vuitton pen, 1/28/2010 02:39:00 PM.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Today is the 18th. The sun's out and I'm currently typing this entry from the balcony, out in the cold, and yes, bathing in the sun.
Nothing feels better than to bathe in the sun once in a while! I really need the Vitamin D :)
So, today is Joelhey's birthday (yes my roomie!) yea~~ we're celebrating by cooking a feast! Supposedly for our colleagues coming over but somehow I can predict than less than 5 will be here :(
Wanted to watch Avatar today with my colleagues too but one of them last minute can't make it so i'm a little disappointed. Don't know whether the other one will be able to make or not. If not I'll just watch it by myself :(
Work has been... interesting. A group of cosplayers came in and they were dressed in goth and some very revealing clothes - till the extent where i had a guest ask me whether they're having an AV (Adult video) convention. i was like O_O"
So, besides this, there's really nothing much to update now. Oh, hopefully gene will be able come and visit me and teach me how to drive!!! Come gene! I'll bring you to nice places! I promise!
Ok dokes, I'm gona go prepare for lunch now! Tschüss!
Amanda Panda
Nothing feels better than to bathe in the sun once in a while! I really need the Vitamin D :)
So, today is Joelhey's birthday (yes my roomie!) yea~~ we're celebrating by cooking a feast! Supposedly for our colleagues coming over but somehow I can predict than less than 5 will be here :(
Wanted to watch Avatar today with my colleagues too but one of them last minute can't make it so i'm a little disappointed. Don't know whether the other one will be able to make or not. If not I'll just watch it by myself :(
Work has been... interesting. A group of cosplayers came in and they were dressed in goth and some very revealing clothes - till the extent where i had a guest ask me whether they're having an AV (Adult video) convention. i was like O_O"
So, besides this, there's really nothing much to update now. Oh, hopefully gene will be able come and visit me and teach me how to drive!!! Come gene! I'll bring you to nice places! I promise!
Ok dokes, I'm gona go prepare for lunch now! Tschüss!
Amanda Panda
Vuitton pen, 1/19/2010 03:27:00 AM.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
So,
Today marks the official 1 month since i've been here. Things are going well, the hotel occupancy is picking up and the weather is still as sucky as ever. Still, I love Seattle. It may not be the MOST happening city in the whole of US, but it has a special charm to it. AND, not to mention I think i can seriously live here for 1.5 years. I could even live forever. Ok, maybe not, coz i'd miss my family and friends too much but seriously, there's so much things to see and do here! The rainforest is awesome and i love exploring olympic national park!
Recent activites i did include:
1. Trip to the famous Twilight town of FORKS, to LA PUSH (where to native wolves are from), to Port Angeles, to the almighty HOR rainforest... and to the pier, where I took the ferry to Bainbridge Island. The ride was awesome, and I could just stare at the sky and sea the whole day. Yes i'd die of hypothermia but hey, the view's awesome. You don't get such views in SG!
I was so glad that Kelvin came by to visit me! Finally I've got friends in town that can accompany me to field trips, to go shopping... but 5 days was over in just a blink of an eye. The farewell was sad and the man who took the last pic at the departure gate said to me: "You're not going?" and when i heard that, i was so upset :( I wana go LA! Kel says the weather is 21 degrees and it's all sunny. WOW. I need sun!!!
Finally, Comcast installed internet and cable tv in my room. Fantastic, now i spend my off days at home resting, eating, sleeping, watching headline news, and surfing the internet. Days pass so fast that i think maybe this 1.5 years will also be over in a blink of an eye!
Besides work, there's nothing else really interesting in my life at this time... I hope there would be. Well i'm sure there are alot more interesting things happening around the world now. I'm still planning how i can make my stay here alot more eventful and filled with itineraries so that by the time i leave i won't have any regrets, unlike the time i spent in swiss. I regret not paragliding nor skiing nor sky diving there. I should've been more daring and taken more initiative!!
Alrighty, time to go for a bathe. After that, it's time to sleep! Work next day at 6.45am. Seriously, who in the hospitality doesn't have dark eye rings? I've got pimples popping out like wild flowers in spring and it's irritating the hell outta me. 5 layers of moisturizers ain't helping! Argh! Maybe someone should send me OXY :)
Have a great you all!
Amanda Panda
Today marks the official 1 month since i've been here. Things are going well, the hotel occupancy is picking up and the weather is still as sucky as ever. Still, I love Seattle. It may not be the MOST happening city in the whole of US, but it has a special charm to it. AND, not to mention I think i can seriously live here for 1.5 years. I could even live forever. Ok, maybe not, coz i'd miss my family and friends too much but seriously, there's so much things to see and do here! The rainforest is awesome and i love exploring olympic national park!
Recent activites i did include:
1. Trip to the famous Twilight town of FORKS, to LA PUSH (where to native wolves are from), to Port Angeles, to the almighty HOR rainforest... and to the pier, where I took the ferry to Bainbridge Island. The ride was awesome, and I could just stare at the sky and sea the whole day. Yes i'd die of hypothermia but hey, the view's awesome. You don't get such views in SG!
I was so glad that Kelvin came by to visit me! Finally I've got friends in town that can accompany me to field trips, to go shopping... but 5 days was over in just a blink of an eye. The farewell was sad and the man who took the last pic at the departure gate said to me: "You're not going?" and when i heard that, i was so upset :( I wana go LA! Kel says the weather is 21 degrees and it's all sunny. WOW. I need sun!!!
Finally, Comcast installed internet and cable tv in my room. Fantastic, now i spend my off days at home resting, eating, sleeping, watching headline news, and surfing the internet. Days pass so fast that i think maybe this 1.5 years will also be over in a blink of an eye!
Besides work, there's nothing else really interesting in my life at this time... I hope there would be. Well i'm sure there are alot more interesting things happening around the world now. I'm still planning how i can make my stay here alot more eventful and filled with itineraries so that by the time i leave i won't have any regrets, unlike the time i spent in swiss. I regret not paragliding nor skiing nor sky diving there. I should've been more daring and taken more initiative!!
Alrighty, time to go for a bathe. After that, it's time to sleep! Work next day at 6.45am. Seriously, who in the hospitality doesn't have dark eye rings? I've got pimples popping out like wild flowers in spring and it's irritating the hell outta me. 5 layers of moisturizers ain't helping! Argh! Maybe someone should send me OXY :)
Have a great you all!
Amanda Panda
Vuitton pen, 1/12/2010 01:43:00 PM.
Friday, January 01, 2010
It has been some time since I last blogged about my happenings. Mainly because I haven't gotten my internet installed and they're only coming on 5th jan. OMG. So I have to live with sucky internet connection that I've been piggy-backing on others for the next few days!
So....
My apartment so far is great!
Got my bills all set up for electricity and gas...next up if for the cable tv and internet! Whee! With the first bill i receive that is under my name, i can apply for the washington ID! Of course, the washington ID is like that of a driving license, it's valid like a passport so when you travel interstate you won't have to bring your passport! :) So convenient!
Work has been real exciting. Oh well, to a certain extent! We've got some serious cases that involved the police as well. Well it's America?! What do you expect? But like I mentioned before, everyone's is real nice and friendly, and i admit i've made quite a number of mistakes...so it's quite embarrassing too :( especially when i'm working at the back as a "at your service agent" and i talk too fast or too incoherently that i can't even understand myself sometimes. ARGH! Need to practise more!
"Good (time of the day), thank you for calling the Seattle Airport Marriott. How may I direct your call?"
Just this sentence is enough to tangle my tongue! O_O
Oh, I've discovered a new hobby of mine - grocery shopping! WHEE!!!! food food and more food!
Seriously, with the money i get, i'm gona spend it most on grocery shopping. Besides, the stuff here are so bloody expensive! I just went to this local japanese supermart called Uwajimaya, and may i say i had to refrain myself from getting a whole bunch of stuff for the following reasons:
1. I have no car
2. The prices are real expensive! (E.g: 1 packet of SHIN Ramen costs USD 1.10) (oh yea, i know it's about the same in Swiss but it's still ex!!!!)
I think I'll wait for kel to come then ask him to rent a car for a day then we can go grocery shopping! muaahahahaah :)
Anyway it's the new years in 30 min and i'm gona wait for my roomie to come home so we can count down together! yea!!!
and I've got work on 1st jan at 6.45AM OMG.
Sigh, this year has been by far the most eventful so far! I've been to... 5 countries in 1 year! and stayed in 2 countries for an extended period of time!
1. Swiss (1st jan - mid jun)
2. Italy (during my stay in swiss)
3. Malaysia (with parents for hols)
4. Taiwan (transit for 4 days before heading to the US)
5. Seattle - Home for the next year and half!
Phew! What a year! Hopefully this year (yes! it's 12.19am now!) will be better!
Take care all,
I wish you all the best and success in this very exciting year!
Amanda Panda
So....
My apartment so far is great!
Got my bills all set up for electricity and gas...next up if for the cable tv and internet! Whee! With the first bill i receive that is under my name, i can apply for the washington ID! Of course, the washington ID is like that of a driving license, it's valid like a passport so when you travel interstate you won't have to bring your passport! :) So convenient!
Work has been real exciting. Oh well, to a certain extent! We've got some serious cases that involved the police as well. Well it's America?! What do you expect? But like I mentioned before, everyone's is real nice and friendly, and i admit i've made quite a number of mistakes...so it's quite embarrassing too :( especially when i'm working at the back as a "at your service agent" and i talk too fast or too incoherently that i can't even understand myself sometimes. ARGH! Need to practise more!
"Good (time of the day), thank you for calling the Seattle Airport Marriott. How may I direct your call?"
Just this sentence is enough to tangle my tongue! O_O
Oh, I've discovered a new hobby of mine - grocery shopping! WHEE!!!! food food and more food!
Seriously, with the money i get, i'm gona spend it most on grocery shopping. Besides, the stuff here are so bloody expensive! I just went to this local japanese supermart called Uwajimaya, and may i say i had to refrain myself from getting a whole bunch of stuff for the following reasons:
1. I have no car
2. The prices are real expensive! (E.g: 1 packet of SHIN Ramen costs USD 1.10) (oh yea, i know it's about the same in Swiss but it's still ex!!!!)
I think I'll wait for kel to come then ask him to rent a car for a day then we can go grocery shopping! muaahahahaah :)
Anyway it's the new years in 30 min and i'm gona wait for my roomie to come home so we can count down together! yea!!!
and I've got work on 1st jan at 6.45AM OMG.
Sigh, this year has been by far the most eventful so far! I've been to... 5 countries in 1 year! and stayed in 2 countries for an extended period of time!
1. Swiss (1st jan - mid jun)
2. Italy (during my stay in swiss)
3. Malaysia (with parents for hols)
4. Taiwan (transit for 4 days before heading to the US)
5. Seattle - Home for the next year and half!
Phew! What a year! Hopefully this year (yes! it's 12.19am now!) will be better!
Take care all,
I wish you all the best and success in this very exciting year!
Amanda Panda
Vuitton pen, 1/01/2010 03:14:00 PM.
