First weeks at Les Roches

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These first few weeks of Les Roches have been quite stressful for me personally. It’s been a bit difficult to get back into the swing of things and get my brain into gear! Hence the late blog post!

So after many months of waiting impatiently, I have finally arrived on campus at Les Roches! It was a beautiful blue-sky, sunny day making it a perfect day to drive down to the Valais.

The campus is just as amazing as I remembered from my visit, albeit complete with a bit more snow than when I last came!

Upon entering the main building, I was greeted by a very friendly third-year student who assisted me through the check-in procedure. First there was a visit to student accounting to check that everything was in order with payments, etc, then a quick stop to the academic office to sign some forms and to choose the foreign language that we wish to study for the following semesters. I chose to study Spanish as I have never taken Spanish in my life, which should be interesting!
Next stop was to the student services department where I was issued with the all important student card and the keys to my room which was very exciting.

My building is PF3 or ‘Peters Farm 3’, it is a nice building with excellent views of the mountains. Unfortunately for me, it is a building situated several minutes away from the main building – which usually wouldn’t bother me at all! However, due to my ankle/knee injuries it has proved quite difficult sometimes to move around campus with all this snow and ice!

The first week at the school was induction week, where we were introduced to our teachers and given some very interesting presentations about the academic and practical schedules.
We were also given all of the books that we will need for this semester, it was very exciting (although quite nerve-wracking at the same time) to get a first look into what we will be studying!

One of my main worries before arriving on campus was how it would be to initially meet new people and make new friends. But that was something I shouldn’t have worried about because I really like my class and all the people in it!
It is true what they say – Les Roches is not just a school, it’s a way of life.
Anyway, I better get back to studying! Talk to you soon.

Sam

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First few weeks in the white alps

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Bonjour tout le monde!

What an intensive start (hence the late update)… The past couple of weeks have been amazing, and I’m so happy I decided to finish HOIII here in Switzerland.

The school impressed me from the very moment I arrived at the airport. They were waiting with a large Les Roches sign for me and other new students, gave us water and snacks, and took care of all luggage. A big bus was waiting outside and the ride to the campus took roughly two hours. After a steep climb up the mountains we reached our final destination – a tiny place called Bluche. After I did my check-in, I was assigned a room, and later on I met up with a bunch of friends for dinner and drinks. Since it was a Saturday, we all were curious about the nightlife so we took a taxi to the nearby village Crans and danced until our feet became sore. Since there are only a few places to go out, people here tend to stick together and that makes it so much more fun.

Monday morning it was time for classes straight away. My year is divided into five groups, and compared to Marbella, that is a lot since we only had three over there. First week was basically an introduction to all teachers, subjects and classmates, and on the second week projects, quizzes, assignments, presentations and exams kept on coming in. I have also joined the Student Committee marketing team where we promote events and activities such as crazy mufti days and parties, so that (along with this blog) keeps me busy, to say the least…

I am very happy that the school offers us to move between the different campuses, and although the contrasts between the schools are quiet big, it’s still the Les Roches spirit all over…

Next weekend awaits a welcome party thrown by the Student Social Committee plus a spontaneously planned trip to Milan… Promise to update you all on that.

Ciao for now!

X Filippa

 

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First Impressions

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Hey to everyone from the beautiful Les Roches!

I am not able to express my feelings in just one blog. If you are not here in Bluche, it is difficult to understand exactly the feeling you get when you are walking around the campus, and the amazing scenery that I am able to see from my balcony every time I wake up, but I will try to give you an idea about Les Roches and the area.

First of all, when you will come to Les Roches you will take part in the induction week. The purpose of the induction week is to learn about the regulations, to familiarize us with the campus and to share important information about the program. I have to say that it was an overload of information the first week but it was worth it in order to understand some important details that I didn’t know.

After the first week, some of us started with academics and some of us with practical, working in the restaurant outlets of the school. If you do not have any work experience don’t panic because the supervisors and the teachers have a lot of work experience in the hospitality industry and they act like workmates and not as a teachers. They try to help us a lot and to give solutions to possible problems.

I was in the first group and I started with academics for the first week. Believe me, if you have a passion for hospitality this is the place that you are going to learn the extra tips for a successful hospitality career. Every class is really interesting, it is not like a typical class, the faculty has a passion for what they are doing. The teachers share their experience from the industry and you can see in their faces that they love what they are doing. We had a lot of discussions, sharing opinions and generally a really friendly environment in the class. One of the classes that I found really interesting among the others is the Bar and Beverage class where we start learning about the history of wine. In the future, we are going to have wine tasting and many more activities like culinary visits.

Now I really want to focus on the social life of Les Roches. A lot of us were afraid it would not be the best. Believe me, the social life here is amazing! Greece, where I came from, has a world renowned nightlife but here you can have a lot of fun, trust me. Here in Bluche we have two bars where everyone goes. The first one is the Sports Bar, a bar operated by Les Roches students and faculty where you can meet most of the students having fun from 9 -11.30 pm. The second is the Atlas bar, very nice atmosphere and Dj Baldo Durazzo from Napoli, my best friend here in Les Roches, rocking on the decks every Friday night. Ten minutes by taxi is the renowned resort of Crans Montana. A place full of restaurants, bars and clubs; every Friday night after Atlas and Sportsbar everyone “goes up” as we say here. In Crans, you can find clubs and bars full of people, excellent cuisine, and traditional restaurants.

This week, I am in stewarding and service. Because of my work experience it is much easier for me but I am not able to say it is not challenging. Don’t worry, because in Les Roches you will meet some of the kindest and friendliest people. Everyone smiles and try to help each other. Team work is an integral part of hospitality and every day the faculty focuses on that.

Thank you very much for your time, I need to leave now or I will lose my duty. Believe me I can understand now the “Les Roches way of life” and if you want to be successful you will love it too.

Work hard during the day, play hard during the night.

Leandros Pembos

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Back to Bluche

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So after 6 intense months of being in South East Asia I am now back in Jamaica preparing to return to Bluche for my next semester.

When you go off on your internship you don’t really realize how involved you get with the place until you leave it. Cambodia was such an awesome experience and I have made many good friends who I will hopefully get to work with in the future.

I could not have asked for a better or fuller experience at La Residence d’Angkor.
As a Management Trainee I was able to move through more than one department, gaining a more complete picture of the operational areas of the hotel. I spent the bulk of my time in Food and Beverage, 1 month in Front Office, 3 weeks in Housekeeping and rounded out my time in the executive offices working with the Executive Assistant Manager. As the hotel is small and intimate, I have had the opportunity to work very closely with the managers of each department and to join the heads of department morning briefing, which has been so valuable in gaining insight into the workings of the hotel.

As one of the few foreigners at the hotel, I was able to really get to know the Khmer people. I answered a lot of questions, most about “my country” (not many people knew where Jamaica is) and I asked a lot of questions about how they live. It’s funny how little parts of their culture travel with you when you leave. I have found myself trying to thank people first in Khmer, then in French and finally, the right language for this country, English.
My last weekend there, my dear friend who worked in Malaysia came to visit and I was able to play a real tourist for a bit and then amidst tearful goodbyes I got on the plane back to Jamaica.

The holiday here at home has been too short, but so good to recharge and get ready for the fun we are all bound to have in the Kitchen next semester.

Bon voyage! to all who are returning and Bien venue! to those we will meet for the first time back in Bluche.

Whitney

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Waiting is killing me

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I chose that title to express my exact feelings and also those of my fellow future students. First of all, Happy New Year everyone, hope 2012 to achieve your goals and be happy!!! Christmas time is finished, and as I mentioned in my previous article, I spent a lot of time with my family and also with some of my close friends! Shopping took a huge part of my Christmas, but I really enjoy it! My dad and I spent a lot of time in tailoring shops, trying to find me suits, shirts and shoes. Upon acceptance, the upcoming students receive the details about the dress code including the number of suits, shirts and shoes needed for Les Roches.

Also I had the ability to hang out with two current Greek students of Les Roches. Christianna and Nano will start Ho3 this January and I am very happy that I already know them. They are both very passionate and motivated for the hospitality industry!! They shared with me their experiences about previous internships and also about the life on campus. I want to thank them for the support and all the advice that they gave me and can’t wait to be all together in Les Roches!!!

Furthermore, I had the ability to network with some of my future classmates through Les Roches for New Students page on Facebook. It is page designed by Les Roches in order to interact with future students, post questions and generally sharing our experiences. The Enrolment Management Department of Les Roches is very helpful and answers all of our possible questions. I had the opportunity to chat with future students from Ecuador, Brazil, Italy and many more countries. The diversity of students is amazing!!!

Now about the final packing and some advice before arrival! A good advice if you finished your shopping and everything is to “test drive” your luggage! You need to be able to hold your bag without the help of someone else. Also, for the students coming to Les Roches this January make sure before you leave that you have all the arrival documents listed on the site of Les Roches and also in the pre arrival guide. Thirdly, electricity in Switzerland is 230 Volts so if you are coming from a country with different type make sure to bring a voltage converter (adaptor). This is a very helpful site to find and compare the voltage of your country.

I know that most of you have diverse feelings about this big change in our life. I spoke with many other future students and shared with me the excitement, the nervousness and some others that will miss home and friends. But in order to have a successful career life in the hospitality field we need to adapt easily to the changes, we need to be able to collaborate with new people from all around the world and finally we are all a big family.

Les Roches, due to the diversity of culture, helps us to achieve that. Everyone seems so exciting and passionate about coming to Bluche! For me to be surrounded by a friendly and happy environment is the best thing in my life. A big Smile everyone, forget all the worries in your mind and in a few days we will have fun all together.

Thank you so much for your support!!! Can’t wait it is a small word to describe my feelings…

Feel free to ask me any question or add me on Facebook – Leandros Pembos

Leandros

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Happy New 2012 & less than a week to go…

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I have a feeling that this year is going to be awesome with lots of fun to look forward to! It started off really well with New Year celebrations in London with good friends, and in just a few days I will be on a plane to Switzerland for my third year at Les Roches, and in June it’s already time for graduation…

 

And who knows what’s gonna happen after that?! My goals are set high and I’m going to work for what I want really hard. As long as I put my mid to it I think everything is possible. Friends are also a very big part of my life and I can’t wait to meet new and old classmates. During my time at the Marbella campus I had the privilege of meeting people who soon became very good friends. A hand-full of them are actually transferring to Bluche at the same time as me, and knowing that makes me really happy because they are some of the kindest and funniest people in the world. I know that together with them and all the new friends I will make, we will have a fabulous year.

I know that many of you new students are probably a bit nervous (I know I was) and I’m sure that a lot of thoughts are going through your mind right now, so I thought I’d try to answer some questions I got from a soon to be HOI student.

Are you happy with your choice of Les Roches? Was it tough in the beginning with a lot of work, feeling homesick etc?

I am very happy with choosing to study at Les Roches, and although I haven’t finished my studies yet I know that I have gained a lot of experience and developed important contacts for my future career that I would never have done without the help from the school. Just remember, especially when it comes to looking for internships, that the school will push you along the way but in the end it’s what you do of it that counts. Hard work and dedication are what will bring you forward in this industry! I don’t want to lie; first week of HOI was a shock to me and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it. As you probably know, first year is “service” and for a whole week I was in stewarding polishing glasses and cutlery. I said to my self “This can’t be what I paid all this money for, to make glassware shine?!”, but it quickly became clear that this was only a small part of my education and good things only could come from it. Today, for example, I know how hard the stewards work in restaurants and that their job is very important to the business, and not only putting dirty dishes into a dishwasher. When striving to be a Hotel Manager, you need to learn the hard way and you must know how every department of your hotel works. There will be times when you feel homesick, and the best ways to cheer up is to surround yourself with friends, Skype with family, read a good book or why not STUDY HARD… Managing time is what you will come to learn at Les Roches because otherwise you will be swamped with exams and projects in the end… I say this from experience.

You did your first internship in Sweden. Does the school find it OK that you do an internship in your homeland?

I have been traveling and living abroad for a large part of my teenage years/early twenties and because of that developed a good knowledge of English. When I was offered to do an internship at a luxury hotel in Sweden for my first year, I didn’t hesitate to take it because I knew I would gain a lot of experience from it and still not drop my level of English. I think it’s a very good opportunity for students to move to places they’ve never lived before and learn a different culture and improve the language skills. I think the school also would agree on this.

I also noticed that your internship started in June, does that mean we won’t get a summer holiday?

You have to do a minimum of five months internship although many hotel’s prefer to hire you for six. Some want the interns to start in June and other’s in mid-July. It is up to you to find out how many days off the hotel can give you if you have signed for a six months internship. The shorter summer holiday you get the longer winter holiday, and vice versa.

And one last question… How can I improve my English in order to pass the language test in first year?

Some last minute advice is that you read an English novel and perhaps write down the words you have a hard time understanding and look them up as you’ve finished the book and make sure to keep yourself updated with the latest online news.

That’s all for now folks, see you end of this week.

Stay cool and keep warm!

X Filippa

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The final countdown has begun!

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Just one week left now until my arrival at Les Roches and I couldn’t be more excited! I really can’t wait to meet everyone, to start studying again and to be in such an amazing place!

My Christmas/New Year holidays were a perfect way to relax and prepare myself for this final week and for the start of school. I made immense progress with the recovery of my ankle during my time away – going from having to use crutches and a huge ankle brace when I left home – to returning home without needing the crutches at all and even wearing two shoes! This being a big deal for me as I have not had a normal shoe on my left foot for about 3 months! This progress I was able to make with my ankle has seriously boosted my confidence, meaning I am feeling much better about arriving on campus knowing that I have an ankle that works!

Seeing as I went to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for my holidays, I thought I would just quickly share with you my hotel experiences during my stay. In Abu Dhabi we stayed in the ‘Yas Island Viceroy Hotel’ – a stunningly interesting hotel to look at from the outside, as it is covered with an LED dome which changes colour constantly, making it very visible from a distance, and it even displayed the words ‘Happy New Year’ on new years eve.

Then in Dubai we stayed in the ‘Raffles Hotel’ – again another amazing looking building from the outside as it is shaped like a pyramid! The grand entrance is very inviting and the facilities are great. But for me what really makes this hotel, is the amazing level of customer service. From the second that we stepped through the Egyptian themed sliding doors the staff were incredible in making us feel welcome and giving us any assistance and information we needed. The concierge desk was particularly impressive. At this point I was still using my crutches and was wearing my giant ski boot of an ankle brace, and the concierge (even though I had not asked him anything, I was simply walking past his desk) came out of his way to say hello and ask me how my leg was. Then whenever I saw him he would wave and smile a big smile even if he was busy, and he would always come over and joke that I should go and play football with him, he gave me tips on how to relax my ankle, and he even helped me get comfortable on a sofa in the lounge so that I could eat whilst keeping my ankle up!

I have seen good customer service before, but this to me was the “going the extra mile” bit that makes all the difference with the level of satisfaction of the customer. I couldn’t help but think, if every hotel had staff like this, then everyone would be able to enjoy a great hotel experience, and it made me even more excited about learning about this industry!

Returning home was quite a climate shock, leaving behind the sun, shorts and 26 degree weather – coming home to a typical Swiss winter of snow covered Jura and 3 degree weather! Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way complaining – I love winter in Switzerland, I’m just saying it was quite a big change in one day.

Now that I am back home the serious preparations have begun. Sorting out clothes, planning where and when to go shopping to get the last bits and pieces and of course, my favourite – making lists! There are only a few things that I am missing now, one of them being shoes. I am having a bit of a dilemma finding shoes due to my ankle, but I know I will find a solution, even if I do end up wearing black trainers to go with my suits!

I’m finding it a bit hard to believe that there is only one week left until we will all be arriving on campus. I’ve been waiting for this for months and months and it is so exciting to have it so close to actually happening!! Of course there are a few nerves and worries, the usual what if’s and so on, but these are easily forgotten by the thought that I will soon be studying in such an amazing place. I absolutely adore being in the mountains and I seriously can’t wait to be surrounded by incredible views and people!!

Another thing that I am looking forward to is meeting everyone! I have to say that the Les Roches Facebook page for new students has been an excellent source of information for any questions and queries, as well as being a great place to get to know a little bit about new classmates!

I hope that everyone’s last week of preparations go well and that your journeys to Les Roches go smoothly! I guess I better get on with my packing now.. So see you all next week!!

Samantha

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Time for a Change

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For most of my time here I was in the Food and Beverage Department. I learned a lot about operations, staffing, service and guest interaction and a little bit about the administration of running the department. But after three months, in what is described as a luxury boutique hotel with only a few F&B outlets, it was time for a change.

At the same time, a bigger change was taking place, a new General Manager became a part of the team here. It is has been very interesting to see two very different styles of management.

So for one month, I trained in Front Office and for the remainder of my time I will be training in Housekeeping and very briefly in the Executive Offices.

In Front Office I spent time learning about reservations, guest relations, transportation, concierge, room allocations and some basic reporting. It was both a joy and a pain to interact with guests on an hourly basis, but I was reminded of why I love this industry. You deal with so many guests that smiling and making small talk becomes a chore and your cheeks build some extra muscle.

Then, there will be a guest who really makes your day, like two guests I had from America. Because of the flooding in Thailand, they decided not to visit Bangkok but to fly straight home, I offered my services to help them reroute their plane ticket. This was easier said than done and I spent the greater part of a day on the telephone to people in various countries trying to get the right flights. The guests were of course anxious (they were both in their 70’s) but I did my best at putting them at ease. Had they been different people, I would maybe not have tried so hard to get their arrangements in order but they were just the sweetest people and I wanted to help as much as possible. As a thank you, they gave me a little present and really flattered me with their compliments. It’s situations like these that reconfirm why I want to work in hospitality.

I have now started in Housekeeping and as I move from department to department my understanding is growing. Having a bit of knowledge from each area and seeing the context of its operations helps when you get to the next. I find that the big picture is becoming clearer and it makes me excited to get back to school and continue studying.

One more week to go!

Cambodia Travels
There are a number of villages on the great Tonle Sap Lake that spend a large part of the year completely flooded. They are mostly fishing villages and they carry out their entire lives on the water, transported by boats and canoes around the villages and to land for supplies. It is such a completely different way of life. The houses are all built on stilts that are 5 meters or more. In the dry season there will be no water and in the wet season the water will be lapping at the floor boards. There are schools, police stations, temples and pagodas for worship, shops, guest houses and government offices all “floating”. There was even a pig pen and chicken coops. However, while it was very interesting to visit Kompong Pluk for the day, I don’t think that it would be my chosen place of abode.

Baby Dara (Star) and his sister in the background enjoying a lollipop.

Kompong Pluk

 

 

 

Mobile Shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to charge your ever important mobile phone

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Final Countdown

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The final countdown to arrive in Les Roches started!! One month more and all of us will be in beautiful Bluche!! The snow arrived in Les Roches and I am too excited about that. I am huge fan of winter sports and Crans – Montana is a perfect location for skiing and other winter activities.

Melomakarona and Kourampiedes traditional homemade desserts

Also one more week and it is Christmas time!!! Christmas is my favorite part of winter. The whole city of Athens is decorated with Christmas lights and the scenery in the city center of Athens is magnificent. The shops also are in the mood of Christmas, decorated in an artistic way each one. Believe me, besides summer, Christmas in Greece is also a memorable experience for every visitor. You can see carousels around the main squares of the town with kids having fun, decorated trees all around the city and don’t get surprised if you see somewhere decorated small boats.

Traditional decorated Christmas boat

From the ancient years Greece’s economy was based on the sea, as a matter of fact a big part of the total population used to decorate small boats the last decades… unfortunately, today it is a very rare phenomenon due to globalization and modern trends. Also worth a mention is the local cuisine with special desserts made and traditional foods in order to welcome the New Year!!

But for me, this Christmas will have a special meaning. To begin with, packing and shopping will take a serious amount of time from my everyday life, I want to be well prepared for my journey to Switzerland. All accepted students receive a big pre arrival book which includes information about things to have upon arrival on campus, general information for Switzerland, the campus, and finally a list of clothes that are mandatory for our studies, like suits, polished shoes etc. During classes and until 5.30pm we need to wear business attire so suits will become part of our life. I have to say that I really like the idea and I can’t wait to see a whole campus wearing suits. I am sure that the companies coming for interviews every year are impressed from that approach. Furthermore, I have to buy warm clothes because the temperature during winter in Switzerland is really cold.

On the other hand, a few days ago I was researching about Bluche and Crans – Montana and I read that Les Roches is located in the sunniest area in Switzerland. It is really amazing that we can have access during the winter in Crans Montana for skiing and during the spring to have fun outside enjoying the sun. So I have to pack also several t shirts, swimsuits etc.

I have to say that my biggest doubt is where I will find some area in my bag to pack all that stuff!! Les Roches advise us not to bring too many clothes but I am not sure that I will follow that!

Also I booked my tickets; it is a 2.30 hour flight from Athens to Zurich and then another 45 minutes roughly to Geneva airport. I booked them 1 month before the flight and the price of the tickets was much better; this is a good action for the upcoming students to follow.
My feelings so far are really controversial, this Christmas I want to focus more on my family and my friends because maybe this is the last Christmas that we are going to be all together. On the other hand, I am really excited and I was waiting for the final month to come a long time ago. Everything happens in our life for a reason and I am sure that Les Roches is going to be for the best.

In my next article I am going to write you about the final packing and some useful stuff before arrival to Les Roches!I am open to any possible question that you have!!!

Looking forward to seeing you all guys

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year

Leandros

 

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One month to go! …

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January is fast approaching and with each day that passes I am getting more and more excited about the arrival on campus – as I’m sure everyone who’s starting in January is!

Along with my emotions as well as the normal excitement, anticipation and a few nerves, have also been mixed with panic. Wondering and stressing about whether I would actually be ready to start school, as I am still recovering from a broken ankle.

This means that my planning and preparations for my arrival on campus at Les Roches have been slightly different to what I originally had in mind. Instead of getting things ready and organized as I would have liked, I have had to focus on learning how to walk again after my accident. But there you go, that’s life, and luckily for me I have been relieved of some of the stress and panic, as my recovery is going well, and I can now start preparing as I would have liked!

There is a little Christmas tradition that myself and my fellow horse crazy friends do every year at the beginning of December. This is to attend the “Concours Hippique International de Geneve” (International Horse Jumping Competition) which is held every year in Geneva’s huge exposition centre – Palexpo.

The event is held over four days, and spectators are able to see some of the World’s top show jumping stars (riders and horses) compete in numerous competitions, all of which get the crowds on their feet cheering for their nation – mainly the home nation of Switzerland. As well as providing entertainment and incredible demonstrations of riding – the event always proves to be a good place to indulge in a spot of horsey retail therapy!
My Christmas holiday plans this year involve a family trip to Dubai! It will be my first time in Dubai, another thing that I am excited about. Although there is still a tiny bit of stress wondering if I will have to be on crutches to go through the airport.. Doesn’t sound like much fun!

This year, my family and I will be “ringing in the New Year” at a concert of a rather well known band – ‘Coldplay’. This should prove to be a big celebration and an excellent way to start off the New Year, a year already filled with exciting prospects and new adventures, a year that couldn’t come sooner really!

So hopefully I will return from holiday nice and relaxed in order to start my final hectic week of shopping and organizing prior to arrival at Les Roches!

I have been keeping a close eye on the amount of snow that has been falling in Crans Montana, it looks great up there for skiing! Which I have to admit, is slightly frustrating for me, as I personally won’t be able to ski this season. However, I am really looking forward to being back up in a ‘mountain village environment’ during the winter season and I am super excited about the men’s alpine world cup skiing that is being held in Crans Montana in February! I’m really hoping (and I know I’m not alone in saying this) that I can volunteer to help out with the event!

I am thoroughly looking forward to arriving on campus and starting this new chapter in my life. I have a feeling that this last month is going to fly by, which is a good thing! I can’t wait to meet you all, but until then, season’s greetings and happy holidays!

See you in the New Year!!

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