A Small Global Village, Essay Example

Our world finally looks like a small global village, thanks to globalization and the internet. Geographical boundaries are less relevant now and cross-cultural interactions have been increasing at every level whether in commercial form, through social media, or through international tourism. Fortunately, I come from family that anticipated these changes early, thus, cross-cultural exposure has been a major aspect of my upbringing. My international travels started when I was only seven and I attended my first international summer school in Ukraine at the age of nine. From then onwards, international summer schools became a regular annual event in my life and the transformational experiences were instrumental in my decision to attend an international school in Switzerland for four years. All these experiences have convinced me that not only I would greatly enjoy a career in the hospitality sector but my skills and strengths will also ensure I have a great future in the field. Thus, it is only natural for me to desire an academic career at EHL which has a long history of producing graduates who meet the highest performance standards in the hospitality profession.

I have learned from my life experiences that one of the most important skills to quickly establish a working relationship with people from different cultures is communication. In this regard, communication includes nonverbal communication as well as language skills. In fact, I see language as the window into a new culture. In addition to English, I can also communicate in other major international languages such as French and Spanish. In addition, I plan to learn more languages as well. Thus, my language and cross-cultural communication skills will go a long way towards my ability to provide memorable service to visitors from all over the world.

Change is a fact of life and it is even truer today. The hospitality sector itself continues to change at a rapid pace because the competition is tougher and customers have higher expectations than ever. I see change as an opportunity to distinguish myself from others just as an organization gains edge over the competition by rapidly responding to emerging trends. My ability to respond well to changes is also due to the fact that I engage in continuous learning whether in formal or informal capacity. In fact, I believe one can learn from anyone and anywhere if he/she has the right attitude and to me, my clients will serve as one of the most valuable sources of learning in the hospitality field.

I have also learnt from my life experiences that everyone desires to be respected no matter where they may be from. Being acknowledged at an individual level is a desire shared by almost everyone. Thus, I will strive to treat each client as if he/she is the most important person in the world. I will be truly grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to serve them even though they have so many choices. In this manner, I will not just win their hearts but may also gain lifelong customers in the process. To ensure I provide them the best service, I will not only learn about their cultural backgrounds but also try to learn about their individual traits and preferences as much as possible. The client is the boss and there are few professions where it is as true as it is in the hospitality sector.

I look forward to a great career in the hospitality sector and am confident because not only my interests but my skills and strengths are also a great fit to the hospitality profession. An education at EHL will provide me with a strong foundation for my hospitality career and I also hope to further strengthen my cross-cultural skills through interaction with fellow students from all over the world.