PGDip Event: Memories on Broadway

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Whitney

Each semester, the Post Graduate Diploma II class puts on an event. This event is an integrated project and counts as 40% of each of their 5 subjects: Planning and Development, Marketing, Events Management, Yield and Revenue and Performance Management.

This year, the 60 students were divided into teams and each team came up with an event proposal along the theme of “Memorable Moments”. The teachers then came together and decided which event was the most feasible and the winning group became the management team overseeing every detail of the function with the help of their classmates. “Memorable Moments from Broadway” was the winning team. The event included a four course dinner with an aperitif and wine and excellent decorations, service and entertainment. Of course the PGDip students took care of all the elements from the cooking, to the serving, to the dancing, to the cleaning up.

To include the rest of the student body, they asked for participants in their entertainment group and I was able to dance to some of the classic tunes from Broadway. We were also joined by Ayeshah , an HOIII student, who sang and performed the most beautiful version of “One Night Only” from Dreamgirls and the funny duet of Nina and Ayush, who were the announcers. It was a wonderful event with about 125 guests which ended on a high with everyone dancing up a storm on our makeshift dance floor in Market Place.

Watch the video to get the feel of the event!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj1FxxEa3jg&feature=channel_video_title

Pictures: from Pothen Cherian and various students

PGDip Event: Memories on Broadway

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Whitney

Watch the video to get the feel of the event!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj1FxxEa3jg&feature=channel_video_title

Pictures: from Pothen Cherian and various students

Cambodia: The Kingdom of Wonder

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Whitney

As I am about to set off on my internship in Cambodia I have decided to do a little profile on Cambodia. Only a few weeks left until the end of the semester…

Nestled in South-east Asia, Cambodia is bordered by Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. It has been blessed with unequaled natural beauty, including its landscapes and wildlife. The geography is dominated by the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap Lake which support the wildlife and provide the environment for the principle agricultural activity, rice cultivation. Furthermore, it has a strong historical background since it has had inhabitants since around 2000 BC and today some of the ancient temples still stand. Although the country has been shrouded in political unrest, and has had somewhat of a question mark beside it in relation to tourism, attitudes are changing along with the reasons people travel and the country has opened up to development and investment.

Along the Tonle Sap

Cambodia has the infrastructure necessary to facilitate tourism and has made the first steps towards creating a more tourist friendly environment. In terms of travel routes the country has four major airports, two seaports and two train lines which run at least once a week. In relation to roads, an article from the New York Times stated that some 21 road projects were being completed allowing better access to historical sites for visitors and importantly, better transportation opportunities for locals (Fuller, January 18, 2010). Following that, although the official language of the country is Khmer, English and French are widely spoken and are being taught by schools and the monks in more rural areas. This sets the country up well to invite travellers in.

View of the main Angkor Wat temple complex reflected in a pool. The central towered portion appears on the Cambodian flag.

The “Land of Khmer” is rich in history, culture and architecture largely influenced by the French colonization and the people’s Buddhist beliefs. Khmer people practice Theravada Buddhism and as such the land is dotted with beautiful historic temples. To quote Lee, Y., & Chen, C. (2010) “the strength of Cambodian tourism lies in unspoiled nature and historical and cultural resources such as historical sites and architectural buildings”. In addition to this, dance plays a very important role in storytelling and can be either very formal or basic. Here the dancers are accompanied by special orchestras including bamboo flutes and Khmer cymbals. Another attraction to visitors is the unique cuisine based, of course, on rice and a unique blend of sweet, sour and salty flavours coming together in harmony in one dish or as part of the meal. Usual menus include a soup, two other dishes and one of the many rice varieties steamed. The attractions to the country are endless and anyone visiting will learn, be fascinated and entertained by Cambodia.

Entranceway at the Bayon, a richly decorated temple at Angkor built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII.

There are some growth factors that position Cambodia as a country that is worth visiting. Their economy has shown growth in recent years and continues to show good potential for coming years as proved by the statistic “Cambodia’s real GDP should expand by 6.5% (Cambodia economy: ADB forecasts growth recovery, 2011). Another good news indicator is the discovery of oil in Cambodian waters and a plan to begin extraction in 2012, which would of course show further increases in GDP. Most importantly, the last ten years have seen major investment in the country through the development of hotels for example, the Orient Express Group’s La Residence d’Angkor. These should act as a comfort for doubting tourists.
There are numerous reasons to include Cambodia on the “go there” list. The country has beauty, beaches, rainforest, wonderful hotels and a culture to dive into. What more can you ask for in a destination? I am very excited to begin working there!
www.tourismcambodia.com

Reference List
• Fuller, T. (2010, January 18) Cambodia Takes to the Roads in Building Spree. The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2011 from www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/world/asia/19camboroad.html
• Lee, Y., & Chen, C. (2010). Examining and comparing the competitiveness of tourism industry in Cambodia and Taiwan: An assessment from professionals Journal of American Academy of Business. Retrieved May 1, 2011 from http://search.proquest.com/docview/324724724?accountid=45049
• South East Asia Map, Phuket Guide – Retrieved May 1, 2011 from www.phuket-guide.netphuket_mapsoutheast2.htm.gif
• The Economist Intelligence Unit (2011) Cambodia economy: ADB forecasts growth recovery Retrieved May1,2011 from http://search.proquest.com/docview/863216375?accountid=45049

Internships

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Whitney

This week I signed my internship contract to work with The Orient Express Hotel La Residence d’Angkor, a 5 star hotel in Cambodia! So I thought it would be a good time to talk a little bit more about the Career Development and Internship Placement Office.

My internship process was not a complicated one and I benefitted from the presentations and interviews with different hotels organized at school.

Three members of staff and one Intern work in the CDIP office and assist everyone with gaining that vital experience or with planning their path after leaving Les Roches. I sat with Matthieu Mioche, Career and Placement Manager to ask him a few questions about the CDIP office. His team includes Joanne Norris-Smith and Raymonde Tapparel.

What would you say is the main purpose of the CDIP Office?
The main aim of CDIP is to be the link between students and the hospitality industry, supporting students with job or internship opportunities. We give advice on how to access these opportunities and about international recruitment and work eligibility.

What does or should an internship entail?
An internship is really practice in relation to what you have learnt in theory for that semester. But it is also about identifying with a company’s values and aims and wanting to work towards upholding those. It is also about the personal experiences and relationships that a student can build with their manager who is a leader, sets an example and can become a mentor for life.

Where in the world can a student go for internship?
This is unpredictable. Each day visa regulations are changing and a student’s eligibility to work will differ from country to country (e.g. the US J1 visa). The main things to think about when trying to decide where to go are visa regulations, language (some countries require a specific language and it can therefore become a barrier to working there), practice and ability (some enjoy luxury hotels or others may be more suited to working in a Brasserie or small boutique hotel).

Please tell us about the relationship that Les Roches has with a number of Hotels and Chains.
We try to invite a range of hotels to visit Les Roches each semester, catering to many types of markets. For example luxury to middle range, boutique to large resorts and also luxury retail brands. It is important to us that we try to gain exclusivity with some of the hotels that come here and if not that, a special guest (e.g. the C.O.O. of Orient Express), Les Roches Alumni also come into play. This semester we have had visits from Orient Express, Ritz Carlton International, The Landmark London, Louis Vitton (exclusive to Les Roches), Disneyland Paris, Rezidor Group, Hyatt, Four Seasons and Cultural Homestay International. These companies provide a variety of positions from first internships to permanent contracts.

How easy or difficult do you think it is for a student to gain an internship?
In this respect, you will find success in relation to how much effort you put in. You must be aware of the opportunities available and act swiftly and professionally in response to them. It is important to go to the presentations from the companies and have knowledge of them to see if they match you and your values or personality. Ideally, you should confirm an internship by the end of April as May can be very busy with exams and final grading. Some people are very quick in securing an internship and go all around the world while some find their first taste of the working world in a strange place very daunting and decide to go home for their internship. The most important thing is that you are happy in your choice and gain the best experience possible.

The CDIP is always trying new ways of reaching students and being more accessible, they are now on Facebook and subscribe to other forms of social media, working towards being more electronic and using less paper work, allowing for better interfacing between hotels and students. There is a section on the Les Roches website dedicated to CDIP Les Roches Website- Career & Placement.

Mr. Mioche’s responses have been paraphrased.

Working in Market Place

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Whitney

Here at Les Roches, the Market Place is the major Food and Beverage outlet, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to a large percentage of the students and staff each day. It is a very important part of our training in HOI as service students and HOII as kitchen students. Because it is the largest and busiest of the outlets, there is an element of pressure and working quickly and efficiently is very important.

We spent two weeks working in Market Place, one week on breakfast/ lunch shift and the other on lunch/ dinner shift including a class on Service Concepts. Each day we were allocated a section and a number of tables in each section. Each morning we set the tables for lunch with special napkin folds, after lunch we set for diner and after diner for breakfast. There we had to give a menu explanation, take orders, serve water and clear the plates when the guests were finished.

The goals of our practical training were learning about 6 major points:

Teamwork- this is important in any group activity and more so when there are a number of tables to be served and the work load is shared.
Guest interaction- you have to make small conversation with the guest that you are serving and begin to get to know them so that the next point becomes easier.
Anticipation- this is where you pre-empt the guests wishes and act before they have to ask.
Observation- you have to be aware of all you tables and their needs and also see where you teammates need help.
Communication- is developed and is a necessity with you team mates, teachers and of course the guests.
Organization- in a pressurized situation it is necessary to be well organised. A trick we learned was never make a trip to a table or back to the side board empty handed, always pick up a plate here or there and bring a water jug to top glasses up.

In service concepts we learn a range of things from using kitchen equipment, cutlery and plates to flower arranging. Each day we had a different topic to cover and we managed to fit a whole lot into two weeks.

The Foehn and Spring

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Whitney

It is absolutely amazing to me that two weeks ago there was endless snow in the mountains and we were still in the throes of winter. Now the snow is melting and the evenings have become lighter and all of a sudden spring is here. The birds are waking up and the temperatures are slowly rising. For someone who is used to having pretty much one season for the whole year this has been quite an experience. The other thing is that the cows are all out in their pastures again.

“Some people imagine that Switzerland is as cold as Alaska, but this is far from the truth. In the plain, temperatures can rise to 30ºC (86ºF) in the summer, and even in the mountains the sun is hot. In the winter, temperatures rarely drop below minus 5ºC (41ºF) in the entire country, save the mountaintops.

The mountainous character of Switzerland is responsible for spectacular differences in the weather among different regions. It is very common to move from a cold, cloudy and rainy landscape to a beautiful clear blue sky with hot sun in just a few minutes.

The warmest parts of the country are Montreux (where palm trees line the lake-side), Ticino and Valais. In Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton South of the Alps, there are over 298 sunny days a year and daily mean temperature in July are over 26ºC (79ºF). In Valais, kiwis, peaches, figs and tomatoes are grown in orchards and tiny scorpions can be found.” From – Climate in Switzerland

I also learned why we were having such warm, windy weather. It is due to a weather pattern called the Foehn winds. It is defined as warm dry wind coming off the lee slopes of a mountain range, especially off the northern slopes of the Alps. The past few days have been very sunny but very windy, feeling almost like tropical winds from home but slightly drier.

The winds are created by the rain shadow of the Alps. Strangely enough they are even cited as the cause of some mental illnesses that show up at this time of the year.

81st International Geneva Motor Show and Accessories 3-13 of March 2011

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Whitney

“The 81st Geneva International Motor Show ended on Sunday after welcoming more than 735,000 visitors. All of the exhibitors have expressed a high level of satisfaction with this year’s edition which seems to have definitively marked the end of the automobile crisis.

Never before have so many new models been presented. The public showed a particular interest in the many vehicles containing alternative technologies and means of propulsion. The next edition has been scheduled for March 8-18, 2012.” www.salon-auto.ch

This week the Sports and Activities department arranged a trip to the world renowned Geneva Motor show at the Palexpo near to the Geneva Airport.

“First held in 1905, the Salon has hosted almost all major internal combustion engine models in the history of the automobile, along with benzene- and steam-powered cars from the beginning of the century. Exotic supercars often steal the spotlight during their debuts at the show. Prototypes, new equipment, technical breakthroughs, international partnerships, as well as political and social debates, have been announced at the exhibition.

The show is regarded as a level playing field for the world’s automakers.” wikipedia
It was amazing experience rounded off by an afternoon of shopping in Geneva City.

Football !!

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Whitney

This past weekend a few of us went to a football match and for a few hours immersed ourselves fully in Swiss football culture.

The match was between the Zurich Grasshopper Club and the FC Sion team at the Sion Stadium on Saturday the 26th of February.

There was singing and shouting and cheering for a solid 2 hours. But of course it went on after the match as well. Even though we could not understand a word of what the fans were singing we went along with it and sang as well.

My friends and I were on the Zurich side supporting GCZ and after the match we found out that we had some other Les Roches students supporting Sion so now there is some friendly rivalry in the halls at school. Needless to say Sion won 2 to 0, but this is not the end as there is another match in Zurich coming up.

www.gcz.ch www.fc-sion.ch

Week 5- Traffic Lights Party

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Whitney

The Student Social Committee is run by a group of students each semester and organises various events throughout the semester to get students involved and having fun.

So far this year we have had Mufti Day – National pride and Valentine’s Cupid Service with chocolates and sweet notes. But by far the biggest event has been the Traffic Light party on Friday the 18th at CDV.

The concept of a traffic light party is green if you are single, yellow is maybe and red if you are definitely taken.

When speaking to a representative from the Social Committee, I asked why they chose this them. Her reply was that they wanted a fun, colourful way to have everyone meet and mingle at the beginning of the semester.

Griffin- “ DJ Martin is going to play it Hard….hope people passout from his awesomeness!!”

The party had two different dance floors playing different genres of music. It had two bars, one on each dance floor and free coloured shots on entry, matching your status of course. Each person wore a ribbon showing their colours.

In all it was a very fun evening and we have to all give kudos to the Social Committee for putting on the first of what I am sure will be many successful events.

Photos by: Alexander Luboshnikoff

Week 4- My First Trip in Switzerland

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Whitney

This past weekend while some of the students took a trip to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne a few friends and I took a trip to Zurich. The drive took about 3 hours and 15 minutes and then we took the train to a small town outside of the city called Zumikon where we stayed.

View of the old town from Lindenhof

‘As a lifestyle capital on the water, Zürich offers the unique mix of discovery, pleasure, nature and culture. The finest culinary highlights, unlimited shopping pleasure, over 50 museums and more than 100 galleries, Switzerland’s liveliest nightlife, numerous events and countless green oases in the center of the city tempt guests to linger and enjoy.‘ www.zuerich.com

Grossmuenster (Protestant Church with a history including Huldrych Zwingli a leader in the Reformation)

The most famous street in Zurich is Bahnhofstrasse where we spent our Saturday. Here there are many name brand shops and places to eat. It also holds the financial centre of Zurich the square is called the Paradeplatz. Legend has it the gold of Switzerland is buried beneath what has become an area famous for its banks. We also spent some time taking in the view of the lake and the city.

Lake Zurich

Zurich also has a happening night life. We had a great time with some new friends and managed to do some salsa dancing as well.

On Sunday we made our way back to Bluche.

Had we not driven the transport system in Switzerland is amazing. From Bluche you take the funi down to Sierre where you can get trains to most of Switzerland and of course connections to Italy, Germany and France. In most Swiss cities there are either trams or the bus (which run late as well).
Photos by Travis Odegard

Olympic Museum – Lausanne
The Sports and Activities department organizes a trip to the Olympic museum each year. The students travel as a group in a big bus and spend the day in Lausanne taking in the Museum, the lake, some shopping and in general the beautiful city.

Trip to Lausanne