My native language is small talk. While some people dread casual social interactions, human connection is what motivates me. I often find that having exchanges with clients and coworkers is more rewarding than whatever I’m actually doing or selling. This realization is what drew me to the customer service industry right out of high school.
For almost two years, I had been working at a car dealership. And though I had learned a lot about marketing and sales, I felt ready to expand my career prospects. Looking to apply my people skills in a new setting, I began researching professional internships across the globe. The tourism and hospitality industry stood out to me as a good fit for my personality and resume.
I had previously considered hotel management as a career trajectory, and I wanted to see what working in hospitality would really be like. Part of the reason that the tourism offshoot of customer service industries appealed to me was that it would provide me with opportunities to engage with people from all over the world. My hunt led me to Máximo Nivel’s wide variety of internship programs in Latin America.
I was particularly impressed by the flexibility and personalization of Máximo’s program options. They were able to find an internship placement for me that was not only catered to my previous experience but also crafted for my future career goals. I ended up working with local professionals in a boutique hotel for two months. Located in Costa Rica’s vibrant capital, San José, the hotel had a very international clientele.
Even though I was interning for a small, privately owned business, I quickly realized that the reach of Costa Rican tourism is greater than I had expected. There is substantial adventure and nature tourism in the country, which the hotel industry is at the heart of. Because of its amazing scenery, Costa Rica is becoming a hub for international travel, and it is more economically developed than many of its neighbors. In fact, I helped quite a few English-speaking guests.
However, I was also able to practice my Spanish with domestic travelers and other staff members. My daily Spanish classes at Máximo frequently came in handy at work. When I couldn’t think of exactly the right words on the spot, I would make a note on my phone to ask my teacher later that day. This was an effective way to learn the professional vocabulary and expressions that I actually needed.
Spending my days amidst beautifully preserved colonial architecture was also a pleasant way to explore the international tourism industry. And though the hotel itself was quaint and peaceful, it wasn’t far from the bustle of downtown San José. After a few study sessions on my maps app, I regularly directed guests to popular attractions, such as the jade museum and La Sabana Metropolitan Park.
Aside from the glitz of being in a new city abroad, many of my day-to-day tasks were pretty mundane. But this wasn’t disappointing in the least bit. Because I interned at a local hotel with a tight-knit staff, my weeks there were very personalized. I was able to play multiple roles and get a real taste for the business side of the hospitality world. I practiced serving Spanish-speaking clients, assisted with general operations, and helped revamp the hotel’s online marketing platforms.
At large, working in guest services meant keeping customers happy. This was motivation to take my Spanish studies seriously because it can be challenging to sound polite and personable when you speak like a high school McDougal textbook. Assisting with hotel operations also helped me to consider the tourism industry from a business, rather than a traveler’s, perspective.
The hotel offered a variety of amenities including room service, laundry, transportation, and complimentary breakfast, and I helped wherever I was needed. I greeted guests at the front desk, took reservations and managed some of the employee schedules. And while shuffling shifts around in Excel is not very glamorous, I truly believe that my time in Costa Rica gave me realistic work experience in a global context. I got to see what goes on behind the scenes.
In addition to everything I learned about the inner workings of boutique hotels, I was also able to collaborate with my supervisors on how the hotel’s marketing could be improved. I helped polish translations and improve the international appeal of their online content. This was excellent experience for me in social media management and website content development. However, I hope that the project was not only beneficial for my own professional growth.
I expect that updating their online marketing will help the hotel to not only survive but become more competitive in Costa Rica’s increasingly globalized tourism industry. I learned so much during my short time in San José both from the direct training I received and from the initiative I took touching up the company’s online advertising. Now I want to apply these skills at the next job, at the next hotel, in the next city, in the next country.