Friday, August 14, 2009

Week 4- Goat head soup and kiva rooms

Sorry its been SO long since I've written. I've been working a LOT. We are starting our most busy time of the season. I guess August is the month in France when most people have time off, so we have been getting a LOT of French tours. It has been SO much fun learning about all the different people and cultures!! There are a couple things I've been learning and noticing about people. Some people are actually Really excited to be here and to be able to go and see all the dwellings. Other people really.. aren't. And it shows. I love it when people come in and are excited and smiling and happy.

I checked in a mom and her kids a couple nights ago. They were all Really Excited and happy to be there, asking questions about the dwellings and what is the best way to get to see as many of them as possible, if I liked working there, commenting on how much they enjoyed the scenery of the drive up into the park, stuff like that. I gave them the best room I could find, talked to them about the park and sent them on their merry way. The next day as we were going through all the check-ins and check-outs, we found a problem with over booking in a specific kind of room and decided that we would simply just upgrade someone. I remember the mom and kids that checked in the night before and asked if we could just upgrade them instead and give the overbooked people their old room, because it was the correct type of room. The mom was Ecstatic! I love doing that kind of thing for people who are actually happy and friendly and really appreciate it. The nicer you are, and the happier you are, the more we remember you, and try to make your trip as enjoyable as possible. Some people come in, are in a bad mood, complain about the drive up, complain about their room, and just really seem like they don't want to be there. We help those people as much as possible, but honestly, we try a little bit harder to help the people who are happy. So just a mental note.. The nicer and happier you are, the more people will remember you, and try to help you as much as possible :)

I finally got to go on a couple tours and see more of the park! It was AMAZING! It is SO interesting to see where these people lived and how they fixed problems they would run into. They built rooms underground called kivas. These rooms were warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Their were ventilation holes in the rooms to let smoke from fires rise out the top and let fresh air be sucked in through the sides. I was surprised at how smart these people were to find all these little solutions to there problems!!

A couple days ago we had Jamaican day! I got to try all kinds of interesting food they made! One of which was Goat head soup. They boiled parts of the goat head, strained it, and then mixed in veggies and stuff like that. it tasted like vegetable soup! but with a little more of a kick to it.

I'm also learning to speak Portuguese! A couple of the girls I work with are from Brazil and they are having SO much fun teaching me, and I am having SO much fun learning! I can't write very much yet, but I'm learning! I am Very excited about it!!

*saidinabritishaccent*

6 comments:

beckers said...

So fun, Hannah! I agree...the nicer and happier you are, the more you will get back in return. Good lesson there! :)

Dave said...

1) It is so totally awesome that you helped hook up that lady and her kids. when people show kindness like that to my wife and kids, it endears me to them forever.

2) People that have worked in the service industry have an entirely different perspective when they are patrons of the service industry. Servers and wait staff you run into will notice and appreciate it whenever you go out.

3) Goat's head soup? you are definitely braver than me.

4) after this summer, you might have to change your tagline to *saidinabrazilianaccent*

Randi said...

What a great thing to learn! And I agree, it makes all the difference when you are nice to people, and excited to be there - -pretyy much wherever you are.

Goat's head soup. I'm not sure I want to know what comes after Jamaican day. Srsly.

I'm glad you're feeling better!!

We're trying to find a time to come visit you and bring the girls. Will the crowds die down again in september? When do you think is the best time?

Randi said...

*saidinacoloradoaccent*

Jennifer said...

I am so glad to hear you are having fun and doing fun unusual things!!

The best way to learn a new language is with a native speaker. That is so cool you can do that in a little town in CO.

Keep the stories coming!!!

Jennifer said...

We need updates!! You have to write at least once a week!!