Noah's internship experience in Thailand

Noah Taylor

My name is Noah Taylor, I am a third-year student from Germany and I am currently pursuing an exchange in Barcelona, Spain. I chose to do my internship in Phuket, Thailand, precisely in the beautiful JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa. I had the opportunity to work both In Guest Relations and Front Office. 

The internship

I knew I wanted to experience something entirely different. I had never been to Asia before and it seemed like the perfect mix of a new working and living culture, an introduction to new norms and values and an adventure. 

I mostly worked in Guest Relations, which brought me very close to the guests, their wishes, inquiries and also problems. If I had to describe this role in simple terms, it often felt like I was a “personal assistant” for guests.  I was responsible for preparing and organizing special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. Beyond that, I was answering emails as well as phone calls and I worked a lot with Opera, Excel and MS Word. 

Noah's experience

I found myself in the continuous process of adaption and learning, which has shaped not only my cultural awareness and sensitivity, but also my people-knowledge. I also learned a lot about service excellence, brand standards and how to create memorable experiences for guests.

Of course, the start is always the hardest part. Everything is new, you barely know anyone and you can easily get overwhelmed. The same happened to me, but thanks to my open-mindedness and desire to connect with others I was able to quickly familiarize myself with the environment and the people.

During my internship, I was able to directly apply several knowledge areas and skills developed at HMSM. In particular, the strong focus on cultural sensitivity and adaptability proved extremely valuable when working in an international environment. It was also fascinating to observe how various models and theories taught during the programme were subconsciously applied in real-life situations.

I really felt that I enjoy working in culturally different environments and I realized that curiosity is the key to being successful. Always showing interest and a genuine desire to learn, really helped me to develop throughout my internship. 

HMSM values in practice

The HMSM value that resonates with me the most is courage.

In Thailand, hierarchal order and respect is of great importance. There is a very thin line between being honest and helpful and disrespectful. Once, my direct manager misread booking codes and accordingly altered the wrong profiles in the computer. I respectfully and politely pointed out, what went wrong and showed her. Instead of remaining silent, I was able correct her and prevent more mistakes from happening. She was proud of my action and complimented my eye for detail and precision. 

Reflection & ambition

I can see myself working in a specialized field of hospitality, for example sales, marketing or revenue management. My dream is to work abroad in as many countries, cities and cultures as possible, while developing both my personal and professional skills.

This internship provided me with a completely new perspective of work cultures and ethics. I also realized how important it is to maintain healthy relationships with colleagues and to always demonstrate ambition and curiosity at work. I will try to always remain curious and open-minded to learn and grow. 

Noah's tips

While working, always try to go the extra mile to leave an impression. Also, do not be afraid to go on an adventure and to come out of your comfort zone; I learned that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. 

I would absolutely recommend my internship abroad! If you are seeking for a transformative and immersive internship, where adaption, respect and cultural knowledge play a huge role, while simultaneously experiencing an adventure, go for it!

Are you interested in the possibilities or want to read more about internships? Visit this page.