I absolutely accidentally stumbled upon an excerpt from the reference book "Seasonal Work Abroad-99" (which "Zagranitsa" had written about repeatedly). Without much thought, I ordered this book by mail and was pleasantly surprised to find thousands of diverse vacancies worldwide. In terms of informativeness, this publication deserves the highest praise. It took me a long time to read, analyze, and process all the information before I finally grasped most of the nuances of the difficult process and made my choice. The next steps were: compiling a resume and cover letter in English, French, and Spanish, making copies, printing photos, and sending applications to about fifty addresses in Europe and America.
While I was doing all this, I repeatedly had the impression that I had taken on something unreal and impossible. However, after about two weeks, the first replies began to arrive with polite refusals or assurances that there were no vacancies, but the company (hotel) would keep my resume until next year. After twenty such letters, doubts crept into my soul. But the efforts were not in vain, and while checking my mailbox again, I found a job offer from a four-star hotel on the Costa Brava with a salary of 7,500 Spanish pesetas (about $500) per month with room and board.
To say I was happy would be an understatement. I simply couldn't believe my eyes. Over the course of a month, we exchanged messages, negotiating the terms of work and my arrival. I constantly felt it was some kind of farce and that they would refuse me at the very last moment. I called my acquaintances working in travel companies, consulted with them, and soon concluded that it was better to get a tourist visa, as I had little chance of obtaining a work visa. After all, it's no secret that the Spanish consulate is not very willing to issue work visas; there is a high percentage of refusals, and it takes more time. Then, after receiving an invitation from the hotel, I gathered all the necessary documents and obtained a tourist visa. The entire process, from reading the first page of the book to realizing that the coveted green Schengen document was finally pasted in my passport, took about four months. During this time, I learned a lot: from how to write about myself correctly to how to overcome the pitfalls of preparing for departure (especially at the Spanish consulate). And so, on June 12, I flew to Spain.
Frankly speaking, the work of a waiter is hard and requires great willpower. Of course, if you work to your full capacity, and not slack off, as some of my coworkers sometimes liked to do. The same routine work with a very inconvenient schedule, where errors of 10-15 minutes are allowed, depending on the hotel's occupancy. You're at work practically all day. Free hours are spent resting, recovering, doing laundry, swimming, taking a short walk, or going to the gym (in my case). Moreover, a waiter's duties are not limited to just serving tables. We (waiters) did all sorts of things: took out the trash, cleared tables, polished glasses and silverware, cleaned chairs and ice bucket stands (yes, those too), ran to the laundry to change dirty tablecloths, etc. (the list could go on). I also compiled menus in five languages, served as their in-house translator, and even managed to work for a week as a receptionist (temporarily replacing a sick signora).
It's important to show yourself in the best light in a new place. Be a good psychologist, have high communication skills, be able to establish contact in any situation, and grasp things on the fly (very important, because no one is going to explain ten times how to properly fold a napkin on the table!). You need to have a developed sense of humor and be able to turn any unpleasant situation into a joke (for example, when you accidentally break seven cups at once, or the cork from a not-so-successfully opened bottle of champagne flies up to the ceiling with a joyful pop an inch from the surprised face of some important gentleman sitting sedately at a table), always strive to be neat (I had to wash and iron daily) and in a good mood (a gloomy waiter doesn't look good). You must radiate warmth and satisfaction, which is the primary key to establishing mutual contact with any client! It's important, at least occasionally, to strive to improve something, to bring something new and useful into the everyday work environment, something that comes from you and endears you to people from the most advantageous side.
In total, I worked almost three months. In this relatively short period, I experienced so much new, unusual, and interesting that it would be enough for two years. Until mid-July, I was learning all the intricacies of the waiter's job (and there are countless nuances). I had to memorize an immense number of words at a very fast pace: names of dishes, wines, drinks, plates, glasses, all kitchen and restaurant utensils (well, who knows what stain remover is called in Spanish, or what "rape" is?). And since I acted as a translator, I had to know all this in different languages! The work of a waiter also requires extraordinary coordination, speed, and at the same time grace of movement. Otherwise, you'll stumble, drop trays, and spill wine on the table. And that could lead to dismissal. Special attention should be paid to the "hottest" time – August, the peak of the tourist season.
It is during this time that the hotel is full, and what we did reminded me of accelerated physical training for speed, agility, and endurance. Moreover, August is the hottest time. Three times a day I literally sweated profusely, and by the end of the month I felt like a squeezed lemon. The primary task, no matter how dreary you feel or how tired you are, is to always carry yourself as if you've just won a Nobel Prize. Tourists should be treated with full attention, showing care, willingness to help, simply being polite, correct, and able to make a pleasant impression. All this is difficult because tourists are very different, each with their own quirks and whims. Leading by a huge margin are, of course, our compatriots. How many problems there were with them, how many funny, curious episodes! They lose suitcases, their air conditioners don't work well, money is stolen on excursions, they find cockroaches in coffee cups, celebrate birthdays in the restaurant twice a week. And they are genuinely surprised when they learn that Spain, it turns out, is a country with a completely different culture and way of life, and there is no kefir in stores, and the afternoon break (siesta) lasts from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
With foreigners, on the contrary, there were practically no problems. Whether everything seems familiar to them and they know Spain like the back of their hand, or they are simply non-confrontational and easygoing people – I don't know. In any case, they behave as if everything in this world is wonderful. But not a day went by without one of our compatriots complaining about something or getting into some awkward or even comical situation...
By the end of my work, I felt at home. Full adaptation had set in. I learned all the subtleties of my job, became thoroughly familiar with the area, and had no language problems. I even got bored: in the town of Lloret de Mar, cultural life is quite poor – just hotels, discos, and tourists. No theaters, museums, or cinemas, but plenty of sun, greenery, and fresh sea air. For a vacation, it's wonderful. Three months, however, as the cat Matroskin said, is too much. Soon September began, the hotel was half empty, and I started getting ready to go home – especially since my visa was about to expire.
What's the result? A wealth of impressions, huge experience in a new job, many friends, excellent professional language training, plus a little earned money. I met different people, learned about the "other" side of life, and most importantly, learned to depend only on myself. It's extraordinarily interesting to be alone in a foreign country where no one will do anything for you. You are responsible for everything yourself. Not only your abilities but also your willpower are tested. I think the value of such experience for my future life will be undeniable.
I developed excellent relations with the employer; everyone was satisfied. I was invited to come next year and they even paid for my return ticket. But now I will try to get a work visa...