I am still in jet lag, this trip does not want to end in my head. This was my first study abroad and has been an amazing experience where I got to meet classmates whom I have never seen before, staff that is energetic and knowledgeable, and an amazing tour guide who has stolen my heart away from me.

Dubai has been an unforgettable experience where I wish I could stay for a very long time. Learning from it’s culture and people has got me looking at the world in a very different way.

Being able to be behind the scenes of Atlantis and Burj al Arab was very impacting to me due to my field of study and work. I was over amazed by the customer service and staff in each hotel. Although both hotels are for different occasions, both meet the purpose of satisfying their guests with a final outcome, which is creating a loyal and more than satisfied member. Burj al Arab was a very short visit but being able to step into a suite was more than enough. It made me want to learn more about taking care of rooms like these and what it takes to service a perfect room with such perfect scores. And from Atlantis? Well, Stephanie was very persuasive regarding the work she does and how happy she is with the decision of going to the other side of the world and working for such an amazing hotel. Where can I apply?

Byblos, was a great example for me to what a hotel should not be at any given moment. It is not only about looking pretty in the outside, it is being able to deliver customer service past the short skirts of their employees and the “At Byblos we do not make mistakes and guests check out as friends.” In the future when I get to host a visit in my hotel, I will definitely make sure that everyone is being taken care of and actually speak around the room. It is not enough just being the son of the owner, it is actually about making connections and selling your brand!

Customer service in Dubai had me blown away, and that is something that I will definitely apply in my professional work ethic and make sure my team is providing the output services. At the end of the day, we are here to accommodate them as best and as professional as possible.

Thank you Dubai for teaching me so many great things everyday; my heart is set on you and I will come back one day.

Hi readers!

Today is December 17th, 2015, its my third day in Dubai and so far it has been nothing but an amazing time. I am honestly so glad I made the choice in attending this study abroad trip because I have gained so much knowledge, made so many wonderful memories, and experienced so many new things I have never experienced before.

Although all of the educational visits have been wonderful, so far my favorite educational site visit would have to be the Nakheel presentation the Nakheel Sales Centre.

I really enjoyed this presentation because I was truly amazed to see how far Dubai has progressed and developed within the recent decades from a desolate desert to one of the world’s fastest growing tourism cities. All of the future projects that are currently under construction for the World Expo 2020 Dubai are absolutely mind-blowing. I was honestly in shock through out the whole presentation because I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Dubai is planning to expand and improve their city in so many different aspects when it is already a wonderful tourist destination! Learning about Dubai’s history’s and near future was an awesome and interesting experience and I was really engaged throughout the presentation.

Just like the educational site visits, the attractions at Dubai have been fantastic as well. My favorite attraction so far however has been the tour at the Atlantis Hotel in Palm Island. It has always been my dream to vacation at an Atlantis Hotel, and although we didn’t stay at the Atlantis property, today on our tour, it sure felt as if I got the whole experience. Not only was the tour very informational and detailed, but it was great to know that all three tour guides were FIU Alumni. It was awesome to see people who used to study the same courses as me, at the same university, live their dream jobs. My favorite part about the tour was the Royal Bridge Suite, which I never even knew existed. We were able to observe the rooms and step out on the balcony, which had the most gorgeous view of Palm Island. Afterwards we had an informational meeting about Kerzner, which was also very enriching. The tour of Atlantis was my favorite attraction on the trip so far, and it made me feel secure that I picked the right university for my career because I saw how successful the FIU Alumni employees are with their career.

I cannot wait for the remainder of the trip! Dubai has really been a life-changing experience so far 🙂