"Nothing could have prepared me for this thing everyone talks about; culture shock!"
"Nothing could have prepared me for this thing everyone talks about; culture shock!"
We had the opportunity to chat with Antonio Frances, Hotel Institute Montreux student, who is currently the International Industry Trainee at the ITC hotel in Mumbai. We asked him to share with us his experience of living in this fascinating country.
Why did you choose to do your internship in India?
Every day someone asks me this exact question. I had to answer it so many times, I lost track of how many. Nevertheless, I remember one thing; every answer is different. There are so many reasons that led me to Mumbai that picking only one seems unfair. From wanting to be challenged, to looking for something no other student from Hotel Institute Montreux had experienced before or to just go off on my own for 5 months and be in a place no one could have prepared me for; these are the sort of answers I would come up with. I think all I wanted was an adventure. However, I would have not been able to go ahead with it without the support and encouragement from my friends and family; especially my girlfriend.
Did you experience cultural shock? Can you give us an example?
I have lived in 4 different countries, been in 12 different schools and throughout my life exposed to so many different cultures, but nothing could have prepared me for this thing everyone talks about; culture shock. I remember coming back home in this fairly traditional Indian method of transport, the famous 3-wheeler or Auto, during my first weeks in the city when I experienced panic attacks. India is a world of its own and I think that most people do not realize it. I mean, it was a British colony and every day I find myself in the streets not being able to communicate because some people do not speak English. Having to explain to your work colleagues the function and practicality of toilet paper or discussing about arranged marriages and realizing that most of the population actually supports it can be pretty exhausting. Every day something shocks me, scares me and above all challenges me.
What do you enjoy the most about working in India?
I believe the best thing about working in this property is the level of attention to detail the training manager, Mr. Nitin Bahl, demands from the interns. I have told this story many times, but it left me speechless when it happened. Mr. Bahl was not at the property when I arrived, only returning two weeks after me. The first thing he asked me was “How many grams of Ferrero Rochers were found in our rooms?”. It is not every day that someone asks you something like this, at least for me it wasn’t, until I came here. Every day another random question comes up, about shampoo or a certain fork. It has forced me to truly pay attention to every detail, thus allowing me to understand the property I am working at. Ultimately what I am being taught is to learn how to learn in a professional world. An opportunity HIM helped create.
India is investing a lot into hospitality, do you agree?
Indian chains are growing and have a very high standard, comparable to other international chains, with one difference. I was taught, just like every other hospitality student, that the guests are all that matters, but here the guests are described as Gods.
“The sense of hospitality is within the Indian culture itself.”
Both Oberoi Group and Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces are known for their excellence and they are Indian chains that have expanded abroad, only proving the level of their quality even outside of India. Another factor is the large availability of the most precious resource for this industry, people. India supplies a remarkably well-trained labor force at a very good rate and as India is an extremely attractive tourism destination, international chains are found all over the country. It is definitely a country to watch, as its development will only increase.
What tips would you give to students that would like to work in India?
My first piece of advice would be to take good care of your stomach over the first few weeks, a mistake I made. The food will actually turn the toughest of stomachs upside down. Secondly, do not convert prices. Imagine that 1 Indian Rupee is 1 Euro or whatever your countries currency is, otherwise you will be broke by the end of the second day as everything seems incredibly cheap; I experienced this first-hand. Lastly, if a different experience is what you desire, India is definitely the place to come.
“Be ready to be shocked, be ready to suffer, be ready to struggle, but be ready to be amazed by this incredible country and culture.”