News from Turkey!

Eh eh, finally I’m back...

For those who think they have waited to long, just remember that no news is good news... And that is really what it is...

I’m living more than 2 months in Kemer now, and (unfortunately) it’s coming to its end.

I still like it, even if I need to work really very hard, sometimes more than 10 hours per day, I even lost a lot of weight (don’t know how much, just know that my clothes are about 2 sizes smaller now) and I have been sweating a lot, not only from working but also from hot temperature (above 45°) and humidity (above 85%).

But I enjoy it. It seems I’m among the oldest ones here, older then my manager and his manager etc… but it is an advantage, my age and 10 years experience in tourism help me a lot to handle boring tourists trying to transfer their stress and frustration onto me.

In the morning I have “FIT”s, Ferien Informations Treffen, Welcome meetings.
Every day at least two planes arrive from Belgium, and often also people from the Netherlands and France. They get distributed over the whole Turkish Riviera (from Kemer to Alanya, look on a map..) That means that in every of the 4 hotels I manage every day new guests can arrive. So I might need to organise a maximum of 8 of those FIT’s, one in Flemish (Dutch) and one in French in every hotel.
Aim is to give information on the hotel, the region, myself (where and when to find me) and obviously on the excursions that can be booked.
In the afternoon I go back to the hotels for speaking hour, moment when guests come with their complaints, questions or to book excursions.

And in the meantime I need to do some administration: writing personalised invitations for the FIT’s, giving return flight information...

I have a rather full package, a lot of arrivals and work. I don’t have time to go to the beach so I still have a pale skin. People sometimes ask me if I only arrived a couple of days before...

When I have time (mostly on Wednesday), I make jeep safari, scuba diving, go relaxing on a boat, or go to the hamam.

Although my full program, I don’t complain about my work and working atmosphere: my manager behaves more like a coach giving “tips & tricks” to improve my work (selling excursions), or how to resist to the never ending complaints of some guests. He has enough humility to ask my opinion on some issues and always ready for a joke or a good chat.

I have a Turkish colleague, she looks like a European: very nice and always ready to help me.

And the young Zoe, could be my daughter, working good for her age. And Marjorie, the French colleague, repper and animator in one job. I couldn’t do it.

The most boring part of the job are the complaints, sometimes really ridiculous (one has complained because little sea fishes where biting his legs while swimming in the sea). And French (or French speaking) are the worst (Pascale, désolée!): they never give up complaining. Mammamia...
Fortunately there are enough nice and satisfied tourists telling me how great their holiday is. Some have asked me where I will go next summer season, as they want to stay where I will be working.

Turkey is still okay, though I’m really missing some things now: I would like to eat raw ham or pork meat (who had ever thought that I would miss meat!), a good sandwich with cheese, salad and tomatoes eating “on the way” (I go eating in a restaurant 2 times per day). Having my lunch or dinner without being disturbed by tourist that always invent new questions when they see my face. A latex mattress instead of a spring mattress, something I really hate. My feather bed instead of blankets and sheets. I would like to hear church bells instead of the muezzin singing his prayer from the minaret. I would like to drive my car without holding my hand on the claxon.
Fortunately in this moment I’m enjoying a squisite salami my manager offered my. Not bad!

Istanbul: closed case. Unfortunately I didn’t receive my last payment and Filiz is just not answering me... Turkish reliability? I know something about it...

The future? I still don’t know. I seems they have forgotten about me in Switserland (main seat of Thomas Cook), and so I still don’t know where I will be working next winter. Most probably back in Turkey. We will see. In the meantime I enjoy this adventure...