11 things I learned In 11 weeks

After spending a life-changing 11 weeks on exchange at HIM, Antonijia shares 11 lessons she will take back with her to Croatia.

1. Family Matters - At Hotel Institute Montreux we are one big family and every member is equally important.

2. Becoming the best version of ourselves is a work in progress - HIM strives to develop young students to be the best version of themselves, both in business and as individuals.

3. Learning still takes place beyond the classroom - HIM cares about our development. They provide Masterclasses on a variety of topics that help us learn from experts in their field.

4. Direct access to the industry gives us a leg up on job search - One of the greatest experiences for me here was the International Recruitment Forum. Having the chance to meet and talk to the best industry leaders from the most famous brands is one of the biggest advantages that HIM offers to the students.

5. I have learned how to live and work with different cultures and backgrounds - Even if I come from a famous touristic town and am used to interacting with different cultures, I have never experienced living with almost 50 nationalities. It was a positive challenge, especially when it comes to working on shared projects.

6. I’ve been challenged to think outside of the box - So many different projects in so many areas helped me to learn to think outside the box and to express my creativity in many fields, even if I don’t consider myself as a very creative person.

7. Time management - Thanks to the very busy schedule that had, I learned how to manage my time in an efficient way. This was something I definitely needed help with before coming to HIM.

8. Professionalism in the classroom – I was surprised to learn that I enjoyed wearing a uniform. It was a great way to teach us professionalism starting in the classroom.

9. There is an art to balancing private and professional life – The team at HIM gave great advice on how to achieve this and the environment supported this.

10. Hard work pays off in the long run – Aspira and HIM confirmed for me that hard work and sincere dedication will be rewarded and appreciated. I received a stipend to join HIM for one semester thanks to my top grades and involvement in the school.

11. When in doubt – Jump! – I was the first student accepted on this type of exchange between the two schools so I didn’t know what to expect. But what I have learned is that the unexpected can turn out great!

To my dear colleagues from Aspira, I would definitely recommend to come here and experience this because no matter what I say, the real feeling comes from all the responsibilities and deadlines that a student must be committed to and the study environment in Switzerland.

To the team at HIM, I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything that you’ve done for me to feel appreciated, for accepting me and providing me with such a life-changing experience that I am never going to forget.

Hopefully, our paths will cross again in the future!