When my course finished last April, it was time to start a new life in Europe.

It was a tough time in May, because hunting for a job as an inexperienced international student is not easy at all. I have been a student for more than ten years and barely have any work experience. I am thankful to Edmund from Postgraduate Placement and Language Support at BU, who gave me precious suggestions as well as self-confidence.

It was tough at first. I searched for jobs on MyCareerHub and sent my CV every day, but only received a few replies, most of them were refusals. Then, I received the first interview chance in my life! That day, I was very nervous and unfortunately the nerves got the best of me. The HR manager asked, “What do you think about our website?” I answered, “Sorry, I did not see your company’s website”. That was an embarrassing experience, but I learnt from it. Following my terrible start, I attended some interviews, calmer and cleverer. Finally, I received an invitation from Corinthia Hotel. I succeeded!

Corinthia Hotel, Saint George’s Bay is a five star hotel located in Malta. It is a wonderful destination with luxury and elegance. After solving my visa issue, I started my journey to Malta!

I am working as a hostess in the Food and Beverage department. My main task is to greet people and lead them to their seats. My working time is from 8 am to 12 pm and then 7pm to 11pm; which means I am working during the breakfast and dinner services. I think it is a beautiful place to dine!

The weather in Malta is definitely hot; it is not very comfortable working in a suit and high-heeled shoes. However, the colleagues and guests are really nice people, which makes the time easier and happier. I have learnt a lot of practical things here, for example making coffee, setting cutlery and making cocktails. I have also acquired some knowledge about fine wines, desserts, and local speciality dishes from a variety of regions – and I luckily tasted them as well! Besides the work experience, I was honoured to attend the Corinthia Annual Donation Party at the end of my internship. I do like the scenery here, the sunny weather, blue sea and the old historical town. And at work, I met friendly and interesting people whom I regard as my best friends forever. I am really happy with my time in Malta!

By Liyuan Zhang