Traveling and working

It all started two years ago in Lyon in France, where we met. Today we are a couple, Tjasa is Slovenian and Hugo is French. Both of us had already lived in foreign countries long enough to truly experience local life abroad. Once you are truly living abroad, it’s easy to lose (or find) yourself in the world of unknown: people, values, lifestyle, etc. Sometimes you have to relearn even the simplest things, from where and how to eat to how to talk to people. Since we had both known this feeling before, we wanted to relive it again, this time together. Hostelling International Slovenia made this possible. It is a non-profit youth organization and part of a big network of hostels called Hostelling International (HI) whose aim is to promote a more peaceful and tolerant world through youth mobility. As volunteers for HI Slovenia we are promoting its noble mission through social networking, journalism, workshops, and other fun activities. The organization is open to all travelers who are willing to commit to its core values both at home and abroad. Anyone is welcome to join!

We decided to take the HI mission abroad and so we applied to participate in the international HI Connect Program, a program that is designed for HI staff and volunteers, who want to experience life and work at another hostel in more than 15 different countries. We applied for USA, and got accepted in one of the most visited cities in the world, New York City and one of the biggest, friendliest hostels, HI NYC. Our stay lasted for two weeks, during which we were required to help at the hostel and learn about its operations, while at the same time embrace the environment and culture, practice the language and newly acquired skills and share the professional practices of our home countries. In exchange, we got a free stay at the hostel as well as a stipend for food and transport within the city. Sounds like a perfect deal!

Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by our mentor, Erik, office manager at HI NYC and a former participant of the HI Connect Program. We also met with the general manager of the hostel, George Finn, who was happy to welcome us into his team. Our schedule was organized by Erik, who did a great job. On average we worked 5 hours a day and 5 days a week with free weekends. Each day was different with activities carefully planned to provide enough time for a break and no gaps between different shifts. The schedule consisted of three types of activities: theoretical work, where we were meeting with the staff and learning about hostel’s operations, practical work, where we could test the theory we’d learned, and last but not least, accompanying guests on tours, which was a perfect opportunity for sightseeing.

We really enjoyed shadowing hostel employees, since it gave us a chance to learn about the hostel as well as about American work culture – we found the atmosphere there very friendly. It was also a great opportunity to talk about their daily life in New York. Basically we would sit for one hour with the manager of one of the departments to discuss their tasks and responsibilities within the hostel. We went through all the departments big hostels are most likely to have (Reservations, Accounting, Maintenance, etc.) which helped us understand the world of hostelling from an internal perspective. In addition to regular departments, HI NYC also has some special ones, such as Environmental Department, Educational Department, and Community and Events Department, which is responsible for connecting guests to local community.

In addition to shadowing employees, we were also involved in more hands-on activities, such as manual tasks and organizing events for guests and the community. For example, we were required to help at the front desk. Since the reception at HI NYC is open 24/7, our shift there was a night shift, during which we had to accomplish one of the most difficult duties in the hostel; remove unauthorized guests from the hostel. Besides this we were also answering the phone, dealing with guests’ requests and learning to use the booking software. We also had a 2-hour shift of folding laundry, which sounds easier than it actually was. Personally, it was quite a struggle to learn how to properly fold sheets and linen. One of our favorite activities in the hostel was gardening. The hostel has a wonderful patio and green area, so we were lucky enough to be there for the bi-annual flower replanting. Our lovely gardening mentor Rosy is also the hostel’s accountant. It was fun seeing her in a different role, and it also showed the variety of opportunities and flexibility the hostel can offer to its employees, which is something Slovenian companies should consider as well.

As HI volunteers, we were also organizing some activities that are part of the aforementioned Community and Education Departments. The Welcome Party, for example, is a great way to get to know other guests while enjoying two complementary drinks offered by the hostel. From time to time, you can also listen to a live band! We were in charge of checking IDs (remember, you have to 21 to drink in the US), pouring drinks for guests and making them feel comfortable. Thanks to this party, which happens twice a week, we could discuss very interesting topics with people from all over the world. Due to the different origins of other hostellers, these conversations can open up some brand new perspectives, which is definitely a wonderful experience that a hostel can give you.

We also contributed to the educational mission as we organized a cooking workshop. Indigo, a bubbly young manager of Educational Department organizes these classes once a month to promote tolerance of different food cultures. A volunteer would present one typical dish and eating habits of their country, followed by a discussion. Then everyone would help to cook the meal! We offered to organize a Slavic dessert class and decided to make “gratinirane palacinke s skuto” or baked crepes with typical Slovenian cheese, close to cottage cheese. Tjasa was the main chef, while Hugo supervised the crepes (crepes being French). All in all, it was a great moment of sharing, laughing and creating some very sweet memories.

Lastly, one of our responsibilities was also accompanying guests on sightseeing tours. Even though this was part of our schedule, we could hardly call it work. A lot of guests at HI NYC travel alone so they are always open to other travelers and easy to make friends with. Local volunteers took us and other hostellers on tours of Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, and some of the lesser-known corners of Manhattan, as well as on some night tours, such as pub crawls. The latter are a great way to meet the locals. For instance, Americans love to combine comfy bars with entertainment through a lot of different games, and we had a chance to play beer pong with local New Yorkers on one of the Upper West Side pub crawls.

At the end of our stay we were required to give a presentation about our HI Connect experience at the hostel in front of the management board, including the general manager of the hostel who thanked us for the enthusiasm and diversity we brought to the NYC team. In order to say goodbye properly, our mentor Erik invited us on a trip to one of the city’s quirkiest neighborhoods, East Village, and offered us a delicious meal in Chinatown. Once again, locals like Erik proved to be the best guides for exploring the city.

Our responsibilities as HI Connect volunteers end here. We rarely saw them as work, since everything was so interesting, instructive and fun at the same time. On the other hand, what we got in exchange was even more generous. We were offered two beds in a 6-bed room with an amazing view on the hostel’s patio. And because you can only be fully committed to discovering new people once your appetite is satisfied, we have been generously provided with food. The hostel has a little café on the ground floor, where we would have one of the biggest and tastiest American breakfasts every morning: eggs and bacon, pancakes with maple syrup, bagels with cheese, the works! Also, the hostel gave us free subway passes so we were able to enjoy our free time to the maximum and explore numerous sights the city has to offer.

Probably the biggest reward that we got through HI Connect though, is the gratification we felt at the end. We met some of the kindest and brightest people who taught us so much about the world of hostelling. We enhanced our knowledge and skills, and most importantly, we were able to share our own ideas with the hostel’s employees who were more than open to an exchange. Now we know what it takes to run a hostel as big as HI NYC, how the hostel promotes its values, and also, how it satisfies the expectations of its guests. Guests were another pleasant aspect of this fulfilling experience. We met so many friendly people from all parts of the world, who were enjoying the events we helped to organize. The latter was especially rewarding. Guests were also interested in our roles at the hostel and we bet many of them have contacted their native HI branch to see how they too can contribute to the Program.

Not only did we learn a lot about tourism and hostelling, we also gained a lot of perspective on how New Yorkers work, live, and communicate. Through everyday conversations with our co-workers we managed to bit come a bit closer to the core of the American culture. Conversely, we were also ambassadors of our own respective cultures. We presented our home HI organization, our food, language, and let everyone know they are more than welcome to come stay in one of HI hostels in Slovenia. In this way, a dialogue between the two beautiful countries has been established and we are looking forward to all future international cooperation that this exchange will yield. We believe that through our stay at HI NYC the vision of the Program was more than accomplished. The proof of that is in the knowledge, friendships and memories that have been created thanks HI Connect. They ensure a continuation of such projects and provide an incentive for all other travelers who are committed to the HI mission – create a peaceful, smarter, and more tolerant world.

Tjaša and Hugo