#profellows

It was 2am, the wee hours of Sunday morning when I heard a siren. I got up from my desk and looked out the window. There were people out on the ground looking up at something.

Feeling alarmed, I locked my valuables into my suitcase and made my way out of the room. The siren was loud and rung in my ears as I dashed down the stairs and saw a crowd gathered in the hallway. I heard people say there was a fire. We all hurried down 6 flights of emergency stairs. Others on the higher building levels would have to go down more stairs as it’s unsafe to take the elevator.

Once outside, I was hit with the smell of smoke. Sure enough, a kitchen on our level was on fire. I looked around and saw people still in their PJs and others clutching their laptops. Soon the sound of the fire brigade pierced the cool night sky.

Fire fighters and police gave the all clear and we made our way back into the building. Not long after, the siren sounded again! Once more, we bundled down the emergency stairs only to discover it was a false alarm. Back on our level, a crowd were peering into the kitchen to catch a glimpse of the fire source. The cause was actually a short circuit of the tube light.

Thank God it wasn’t serious and I dread to think what might have happened. One of my colleagues was fast asleep throughout the whole ordeal. I honestly think I too would have been the same if I weren’t still awake. What a way to mark my first week in Hawaii!

The next day, we started our internship. I didn’t expect to get placed at a resort, let alone a luxurious one! My colleague and I were the only pair to have such a placement! Part of my actual job is to market resorts when I write about their accommodation, dining, activities, etc. I was an outsider trying to understand how a hotel/resort functioned. This opportunity now allowed me to see the inner workings beyond its walls. It was truly an awesome learning experience.  

To get to The Kahala, we had to take bus 13 to Waikiki and then switch to bus 22. Very soon, we learnt that bus 22 would become an annoyance as it took long periods to arrive… even buses heading out into the country were more frequent! Thus was our battle every morning and afternoon.

Before the start of our internship, we received a staff guidebook on grooming. Skimming through, something much to my horror caught my eye. We were required to wear covered shoes… with HEELS. Hair also had to be tied back.

I have never worn heels in my entire 27-year-old life. I’m so glad makeup wasn’t a requisite too! Back home in the office, I’m usually dressed quite casually in my famous t-shirt, 3/4s and flip-flops. I guess you could call it the Pacific way of dressing ahaha. My colleague even had the same dilemma as myself. Nonetheless, we had to adhere to American workplace dress codes. The shoes I brought from home wasn’t going to cut it.

Kahala is known as the ‘rich’ neighbourhood. As we travelled into the suburb, we can only lift our jaws off the floor as the bus whizzed past large and beautiful houses. Celebrities also have homes there too. I had the crazy idea of wanting to take a walk to see the exquisite houses (I guess I would get reported for suspicious behaviour!)

We arrived and asked to see our contact person at the resort. As we were led downstairs to his office, the nerves were building up. After the introductions and what we hoped to gain from the internship, we went for a uniform fitting and then had to join in on a uniform inspection where we went to different departments. This was when we had to put on our proper shoes and be seen in front of hotel guests and other staff.

This was probably one of my most embarrassing moments as I awkwardly walked in those shoes. The shoes weren’t too bad. I just wasn’t used to wearing them. There are even more outrageous killer heels and I honestly don’t understand why women put themselves through physical suffering just for fashion sake.

The best part about The Kahala was the cafeteria ahaha. It reminded me of a school setting. You take a tray, plate and utensils and line up to scoop whatever you wanted. Then finished off with a juice dispenser and ice. The food was pretty good. Sometimes there were leftovers from the breakfast buffet.    

After lunch, we spent the rest of our time learning about HR and the way the resort generally operated. The next two weeks, we were to visit various departments and learn how they function. Finishing off day one, we visited Ala Moana, one of the world’s largest open-air shopping centers.

The mall was really beautiful with many expensive branded outlets. Guess what the best part was? Yep, the food court! As it is when one travels overseas, there are many different food options to choose from. Sometimes I can’t decide what to get because I want to try them all! Welcome to the foodie’s world!

The next day at work, we were given lockers and uniforms. Here comes another dilemma. I had trouble getting the locker combination right to open it. It also doesn’t help when you’re in a hurry and the darn locker still doesn’t budge after repeated attempts. I only got to finally master it almost towards the end of our time at the resort… oh well, better than nothing!

We had to wear a flower pin which was the resort’s symbolic icon and a nametag. It was so cool to wear a nametag and we were allowed to keep it as a souvenir and memory of our internship there.

The first department we visited was Guest Services where we spoke to a lady who handles all the high-end guests such as celebrities and dignitaries. We enjoyed her stories of having to do so much and sometimes go above and beyond her call of duty to satisfy a guest.

Then we spent time with Front Office where they inspect rooms after Housekeeping has done its job and also handle guest issues. One thing we found amazing was how this team would help Housekeeping prepare rooms for check-in. Armed with a small bag containing a cloth and spray bottle, they were like James Bond in suits cleaning elevator mirrors and checking beneath beds, making sure the room was spotless and without flaw for the arriving guest.

Every role at the hotel is important. Whether you’re in Housekeeping or a Front Office Manager, everyone has a crucial role in delivering the best in service delivery to ensure guest satisfaction. This is the reason The Kahala has generations of returning guests. The warmth and welcome they receive from staff is something they cherish. This aptly aligns with their mantra of guests “taking home treasured memories and a longing to return.” The hotel even has a long wall of fame of all the celebrities and dignitaries who have stayed or visited the famed property.

Our third day was May Day or Lei Day. Every first day of May, Hawaiians have a tradition of making floral garlands and gifting them as a sign of the aloha spirit. We made leis while visiting Concierge as they had a set-up in the lobby in honour of the special day. Front Services was the next department to visit and they were responsible to help guests check-in and out, and park their cars.

The next day, we joined Housekeeping. This department was the largest team and regarded as the heart and soul of any hotel and resort. Rooms are important as they are the reason why guests stay in the first place. We admired how they were very detailed in the way the rooms were cleaned. No stone was left unturned. We also visited the Laundry department as part of Housekeeping.

In the afternoon, Retail was on the agenda. An interesting fact was that The Kahala earns much in revenue from its popular chocolates, a big hit with Japanese guests. This marked the completion of our first week as interns. Fridays were days we met with the cohort and our program leader for activities. Yay!

It was weird to officially begin our program on a Monday, which was supposedly a public holiday, Easter Monday… well, where I come from anyway.

We were to meet 9am and the day before, I had already searched for the location. It’s good to know where you have to be (also where to run when you’re running late!)

It was the day where I got to meet the other members of the cohort. The 15 of us travelled from 9 different countries, and now here we were… ready to embark on a 6-week journey together.

I sat at the table in the middle of the room, also known as our classroom. We had speeches by the important people of the organisation and we then introduced ourselves to everyone (This was something we had to do so many times with the various people we met. Usually it’s our name, country and job)

After having our photos taken for ID and signing documents, we broke for lunch before heading out on our first field trip. We took the bus to famous Waikiki for a historic trail walking tour with our guide.

It was quite a walk as we made our way down the path, past the crowds, past the nice and expensive shops, and the hotels. When we finished for the day, we had the chance to explore the area.

An interesting fact I noted was that food is not served on glass plates. Rather, it’s served in styrofoam containers. I guess this makes it easier to take your food away if need be. The only place you’d get proper plates is in an actual restaurant.     

A colleague and I walked on that world-renown beach and through the hotels looking for an exit (we even went in a circle and came back to the same spot!) As we were going about, something caught my eye. There were many people holding out their phones in one direction. I looked to see what they were trying to capture. When I realized what it was, I too joined in on the ‘madness’. It was a beautiful sunset! However, a mere picture cannot truly compare to seeing it with your very own eyes.

Standing on the beach and taking in everything around me, it was surreal. Who would have thought that one day I was able to be in Hawaii, with my feet sinking into the sand on Waikiki?

On our second day, we had a speaker from the Hawaii Tourism Authority share with us about tourism in Hawaii. I fell asleep during parts of her presentation as she mostly talked about numbers (which is so not my thing!), and because I slept late… unfortunately sleeping past 1am was something I did almost every night, and throughout my entire trip. It’s a really bad habit, which I struggle to overcome, even back home. A few years ago, I made a resolution to sleep at 9pm, that obviously didn’t go as planned!

We were then introduced to the Leading Change Course, although we were already told about this before arrival into Hawaii. We had to finish the necessary materials before leaving for Washington DC to attend congress. So me being the night owl, stayed up to complete it and passed the final assessment on the first try (Even though I hardly went through the readings! But I did watch the lecture videos by the course instructor) Don’t judge!

After lunch, we had a video conference with a representative of SPTO (South Pacific Tourism Organisation) about tourism in the South Pacific. This reminded me of home as the speaker was in Fiji. The room where we had the session was pretty cool. A long table with several microphones around it with huge monitors on all sides of the wall.

Then in the afternoon, we had a group discussion outdoors on mats. We were given a predicament and had to decide from a group of characters, the best one to be saved from an incoming disaster. It was interesting as we all had differing opinions on the matter… and lots of laughs along the way.

Wednesday was a pretty great day in the classroom. It was because we had great speakers who kept us from falling off to sleep ahaha. The first speaker was an academic of the university who spoke on conservation and eco tourism.

It’s sad that these natural environments are being damaged by overly excessive access to these areas. So much so that they are either closed off for a day to recover or even closed for years to fully regain what was lost due to human ignorance and selfishness.

Speaker two was from the Hawaii Film Office who shared how film/TV is a tourism promotion strategy and stories of film crews and stars who shot in Hawaii. The third speaker was from The Outrigger talking about Hawaiian culture and mass tourism. He shared that parts of the Hawaiian culture was losing its meaning and value.   

They say ‘the best is saved for last’ and this was certainly the case as our final speaker brought with her so much intensity and passion. She was from the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, who also shared on the same topic as the one before her.

Speaking of how the Hawaiian culture was being degraded for commercialism, she reminded and encouraged us that we should protect our cultures from being lost to a world that doesn’t appreciate its uniqueness. Her presentation really fired us all up!   

We were provided lunch in the classroom and then we set off to visit The Battleship Missouri Memorial. We were part of a tour group as our guide explained the history of the ship and WW2. We then had time to freely explore on our own. I can’t imagine what it’s like to live out on the open sea for months and even years on end.

On Thursday, we had someone from the organization speak about turning project ideas into reality. In the afternoon, we visited the Manoa Heritage Center where we toured gardens and the surroundings of a large house.

We got back to the classroom for our homestay orientation from someone of the International Hospitality Center.

Friday was our final day of orientation and classroom activities. We started with a trip to the King Kamehameha Judiciary History Center. Here, we took part in a mock trial of a real case that occurred many years ago.

Then we walked to Iolani Palace, the only palace on US soil. We had to wear a protective cover over our shoes before entering. It was heartbreaking to learn of the stories that had taken place inside. The Hawaiian monarchy was sadly overthrown in 1893 by a group of Americans. The Queen was then imprisoned in a room with no contact beyond palace walls.

Later, we had a group photo outside and a reception to mark the end of our first week.

On Saturday, I did my first washing. Why am I writing about something mundane as this? Well, I found it pretty cool to pop coins into a machine to buy a small packet of washing powder (which lasted me the 5-weeks in Hawaii!) I also found it cool to start up a washing machine with quarters and the same goes for the clothes dryer. Yeah, I’m weird, right? Hahaha! The best feeling was collecting your laundry and it feels nice and warm. Yes, I don’t have a dryer back home. 

In the evening, I attended the spam jam with colleagues. We eventually split up due to the huge crowds. It was much easier to walk around without having to keep track of others. I found it pretty cool how there’s an event dedicated to a beloved food product. All around, there was spam infused food, merchandise and even a costumed spam can. It was a great atmosphere although at times it felt suffocating.

Back home, I don’t usually go out at night, and there I was… eating a burger on the grass by Waikiki beach.

On Sunday, my colleague and I went to look for our placement location, The Kahala Hotel & Resort… and it was a bit far. Waited for a bus which seemed like forever. We had to get off at a bus stop and walk 10-minutes into the property. Once we confirmed where it was and how to get there, we made our way back as it started to rain.     

Back in the dorm, I was nervous about starting our 4-week placement. I didn’t mind if the whole program was just like our orientation week: classroom sessions and then field trips hahaha!

It was a March morning as I sat in the washroom half asleep, looking at my emails when something caught my eye.

I was going to Hawaii!

However, prior to that moment, I was on a waitlist. Now two weeks later, I was officially selected to be a part of the Spring Cohort of the Pacific Islands Tourism Professional Fellows Program!

My boss received word of this program through a friend and he was adamant that I apply, and in November I sent in my application.

The days passed and the thought of the trip became even more real as I filled in the necessary forms, introduced myself to the rest of the cohort and wrote a letter to my future homestay family.    

A week before I was to depart for Hawaii, there was a pre-departure orientation via Facebook. This was where we got to see the faces behind the emails!

On my final week at work, I had my visa interview at the US Embassy. On arrival, my name was not listed and had to wait for clearance. When I finally could go in, security didn’t allow bags and I had to leave it at the car park booth outside of the premises. Carrying my laptop, I ran back as I was getting late for my appointment, only to realize that I had left an important document in my bag! Arghhhh!

There I was, jogging back out and telling security I forgot something. Retrieved the document and made my way back, ignoring the stares of people as they commuted. Puffed out from the early morning drama, I made my way through the security check and got the interview done. I expected it to take place in a room but it was just at the counter.

My last day of work was on my birthday, before Good Friday. My colleagues celebrated my cake day and also farewelled me. This trip was like the Lord’s birthday gift to me as I would be leaving in three days time. Truly, He makes all things work together. It was a rainy night as I left the office around 8pm after wrapping up.

Saturday night, I stayed up until early morning packing and going through work papers. Got a few hours of sleep and then I was heading to Nausori Airport.

I’ve been travelling the last four years during the holidays and this trip would be the longest I’d be away from home. I’ll admit that I did shed a few tears in the cab as I started my journey (I almost felt as if I were in a music video!)

It was my first time to travel to Nadi by domestic plane. Soon we touched down at the international airport and the 6-hour wait until I leave the country begun.

Waiting in the departure lounge, I could see that it was drizzling outside. There was an announcement that one of the flights to Australia was cancelled due to weather conditions. It was close to flight time and I wondered why we weren’t boarded yet... or heard anything. Looked over at the screen and saw that word- DELAYED.

Before I knew it, I was now seated on the plane all buckled up and looking forward to the adventure ahead. As we began our descent into Honolulu, I noticed lights from homes that lined the hills. We landed at 2am Sunday morning.

As I followed the crowd, someone from my cohort recognised me. It was there I met another two and we walked together. It was so cold as we stood in line to get through customs, and it was here that we met another member of our group.

We finally made it out of the airport and the first person I saw was our program leader. He welcomed us and soon our suitcases were bundled onto the shuttle bus and off we went. He didn’t come with us as he was still waiting for another to arrive.

It was drizzling as we drove through the dark early hours of the morning. I joked that we brought the rain from Fiji with us! When we turned direction, I saw the East West Center sign and knew we’ve reached our destination. We got our luggage and entered the building that was to be our home for the coming month.

We checked in and went to our rooms. Before I could get in, I struggled with the key card. Tired and frustrated, I stood there trying to figure out how to open the darn door. Finally, I got it and made my way in… annoyed at my tubelight self.

It was a nice little room and on the table was an EWC bag with my nametag attached. I then went back down to the lobby and waited with the others for our program leader to arrive.

When he got there, we got our first per diem, bus pass and a snack pack. How thoughtful! Back in my room I began unpacking, ate a bit and ended up in bed at 7am!

Got up at 2pm and went out exploring soon after, armed with a bottle of water from the vending machine. It’s funny that I left Fiji on a Sunday evening and now I’m reliving Sunday all over again because of the time difference! It’s like going back in time (I’ve always wanted to time travel!)

The campus was huge with cool buildings and a Japanese garden with koi fish. I didn’t wander outside of the university as I didn’t want to get lost.

I went out with some colleagues and rode on the number 13 bus which was to become our main bus to travel on. My first meal in Hawaii was from an eatery at Walmart. The serving was large and I couldn’t finish!

Let the 6 week program begin!