Download Connection Alumni News 42 - César Ritz Colleges

PEOPLE ‘N‘ STUFF – UPDATES
The adventures of the “Fantastic Four”
hakon, mustafa, Barnabi and Fair explain how they came to be reunited in thailand!
the story began in 2006 when
Fair Suparerk thongsuk graduated
from university Centre “César
ritz” (uCCr). he returned to
koh Samui, thailand, and started
working at his parents’ resort,
the brand new four-star-plus Ban
laem Sai Beach resort and Spa.
he helped out in a variety of departments,
but focused on Front
office. Soon, however, there was
so much work that Fair thought
he needed some help. “And what
better than to hire good friends
whom you can trust?” says Fair.
“how soon can you get to Thailand
and start working?” was the
message received by hakon Gjerde,
originally from Norway, only a few
hours after he had landed in Sydney,
Australia. “I was planning to
travel the world after obtaining my
Bachelor degree in International
Business from UCCR, but I wasn’t
sure where to start. Fair offered me
the post of Guest Relations Manager
and I was so shocked by the offer
that I asked him if I could sleep
on it! Of course, I answered yes the
next day and the job has proven
perfect for me.”
After some persuasion, Fair and
hakon managed to get two other
“César Ritz” graduates on board.
Mustafa and Barnabi joined them
in May and June 2007.
Barnabi Luna says: “I love travelling
and am always open to new
experiences. When Fair offered
me the chance to work at his parents’
hotel I was in no doubt at all
about accepting. Working here has
been a great experience. I am the
C.h.I.L.L Manager and my job is
to devise activities for our guests. I
enjoy it a lot. And it’s unusual for
them to see a Peruvian working
in Thailand, because it is mainly
Europeans who work here. We,
however, consider ourselves
“citizens of the world”, which I
think is the main reason we came
to Thailand. It’s true that there’s
no place like home, but I think
that home can be anywhere you
feel happy and comfortable doing
what you do.”
The latest addition is Mustafa
Almasri. Mustafa is a graduate of
the Master degree programme at
UCCR and has had a lot of experience
in kitchen and service, which
made him perfect for the position
of Food and Beverage Director.
“I visited Koh Samui for just a
day shortly after presenting my
dissertation. Although I thought
that I would return one day, I
never dreamed that a year later I’d
be working here! I was employed
in Abu Dhabi in the UAE when
hakon mentioned an opportunity
for me to come and work in Thailand.
Shortly after, Fair then asked
me if I’d be interested in joining
the team. A week later, I won
a round trip to Thailand in a
raffle at a gala dinner! What are
the odds? I’m now enjoying living
and working in Thailand, the land
of a thousand smiles.”
barnabi.luna@ritz.edu
hakon.gjerde@ritz.edu
fair6776@hotmail.com
mustafa_almasri@hotmail.com
on the occasion of the 25 th anniversary, Nacky, Boon and Samer send
wishes to “César ritz” Colleges and share memories from their time
in Switzerland.
Nacky Iu recalls some of her Swiss experiences
Nacky as a student with Mr Kisseleff and
Stephen Coachran, 20 years ago
“i have so many memories after
22 years that could still easily make
me cry and laugh. there are people
who still mean a lot to me.
My Swiss education brought me
to where I am today. It was not
the certificate in my hand but the
attitude that moulded me. Swiss
school life enhanced my decisionmaking
and made me discover that
life is beautiful if you value it every
day. I was 20 then and it was the
shortest year of my life.
“the 25 th anniversary of any
event is always special but more
so for my alma mater. Alas,
Switzerland is so far away from
malaysia where i live! if not for
the constant and gentle persuasions
from the school, i would
have missed the Alumni reunion
in may and would not be telling
you what the College meant to me!
I would have missed seeing
Brig and how it has developed, the
old hotel School Alpina, the University
Centre and the future dormitory,
and how much the school
has achieved in terms of status and
Mr Kisseleff visiting Nacky at her House of
Fine Food in Macao, September 2005
I faced the hardship of internship
alone in a new place but came back
for graduation with tears in my eyes.
School was like home and I knew
I had to leave what I loved. I promised
myself to come back and I have
done so many times over the past
20 years. I went back to show the
people I love part of the memories of
which I am so proud. I have seen the
school getting younger while I and
Mr Kisseleff have gotten older (but
he still has the same pipe smell!)”
nacky.iu@ritz.edu
What the College means to me – Boon Low
recognition. And I had the chance
to see the school at Le Bouveret
for the first time. how magnificent
it looks.
I would have missed seeing
my old classmates, Peter Van
Thiel and Mahes Boopalan,
and meeting other wonderful
graduates who are the driving
forces in the alumni network.
I even met Dr Petri again, who
is still the same man, full of
passion and conviction. In 1982,
he introduced discipline and
professionalism and every stu-
Samer El hajj sends
wishes from Montreal,
Canada:
“i would like to congratulate the
faculty and staff on the 25 th anniversary
of the school. may the
coming years be full of success
and growth to the company.
Being a student at “César Ritz”
Colleges had a big impact on my
personal and professional life.
It helped me create a better
understanding of other cultures.
Being in the Swiss environment,
I learned how to be more organized
and manage my time more
efficiently. Overall, it was a
life-altering experience.”
samer.elhajj@ritz.edu
Boon with Peter and Dr Petri in Brig,
May 2007
dent was whipped and forged into
shape and were changed forever.
happy Birthday hotelconsult “César
Ritz” Colleges! I am extremely
happy and indebted to be a small
part of this global family!”
bylow33@gmail.com
14 December 2007 No. 42 Connection alumni news 15