Vacation Journal Entry 1: Service

I didn’t do much this vacation, to be frank. I had some personal issues to deal with, so unlike last break, I barely did any work. I do realize you’re not supposed to let your work problems and personal problems overlap, but I ended up doing just that. I spent nearly all of my time reconnecting with family and friends that I kinda left behind once I moved to Costa Rica. It was an experience that changed my mindset on many aspects of life.

I’ll have to stretch the definition of service a bit. Before I went back to Brazil, I actually did manage to do a lot of work, not a vacation’s worth, but work nonetheless. On the 1oth of December, I went to Lola’s for my HL Business IA. I interviewed the employees, and at first, I planned on asking very cookie-cutter questions- just enough to squeeze an IA out. Then I thought of what the actual purpose of this project is. Why would I sit here and waste both of our times with a mediocre interview when I can not only get some great insight on employee-employer relations but improve my understanding of how a business functions.

So I asked for their complete honesty. I asked for them to share their biggest complaints, worries, and opinions on Lola’s management. And surprisingly, they did, with great detail, in fact. As a third party in this business, it’s my duty to communicate the employees’ concerns to the management. And with me not having a connection to the business, I can communicate these issues when the regular business hierarchy prevents it.

So yeah, it’s a stretch, but I could say I’ve been of service for these workers, not only for them to vent, but to help improve the business they work for.