Fulfilling the dream of becoming a hotel manager through learning and experiences at Otemae University

Traveling has been my hobby since I lived in Myanmar, and I often went there with my family. However, when I was a teenager, I was attacked by severe motion sickness at a tourist spot. I was feeling down at the hotel where I was staying, but the staff treated me very kindly, and thanks to them, I was able to enjoy my trip to the fullest. Through this experience, I strongly felt that I wanted to spread the word about the world where such wonderful people exist, and before I knew it, I wanted to become a hotel owner.
After arriving in Japan, I was wondering whether to go to a vocational school for the hotel or bridal industry or to study business management, when a senior from my hometown recommended that I attend Otemae University. I learned about the university's unique educational system called "Crossover," which allows students to take classes that transcend the boundaries of their major and I was interested in gaining a wide range of knowledge related to hotel management. Furthermore, just as I was about to enroll, a new Faculty of Business Administration was being established. I felt it was fate and decided to enroll, thinking "This is the place for me!" Currently, I am learning practical management through "PBL" classes, where students actually visit various companies and come up with the issues they face and solutions for themselves.

Recently, I've been taking not only business management classes, but also classes that I feel are necessary for me at the moment, making the most of the crossover curriculum. I think that many of the classes at Otemae University are unique and practical. For example, in a "tourism"-related class, a hotelier gives a lecture on the characteristics and business strategies of their hotel, and there is also a class where students put up a travel itinerary on the web and actually accompany customers when they apply. Don't you think that's very meaningful and original?
Language skills are also an essential skill in the hotel industry. I am currently taking four languages, including English and Japanese, because I want to be able to communicate more intimately with customers from all over the world. There is a lot to remember and it can be difficult, but the classes at Otemae University are designed to make learning and speaking fun, such as by incorporating games between lectures, so I am able to continue studying without feeling pressured.

Currently, I am also focusing on working part-time at a hotel. In arriving at this decision, the "1-on-1 reflection" system, one of the features of Otemae University, had a big influence on me. At the university, students can meet with their homeroom teacher twice a year. In addition, if they wish, they can meet with teachers who have deep knowledge of various fields as many times as they like. I often make use of this system, and they have often given me personal advice on how to realize my dreams. It was also through this system that a teacher with extensive knowledge of the hotel industry suggested the option of "part-time work."
At the first hotel that the teacher introduced me to, I worked as a restaurant staff member. However, I felt something was off while working there, and after about four months, I consulted him again about my worries. As I talked with the teacher, I realized that I wanted to be more involved in customer service, and came to the conclusion that I should "change my job." I am currently working as a front desk staff member at another hotel. Check-in work is very difficult because I have to explain the keys, room type, meals, etc. to the customers who come one after another. However, in my current job, I can learn about the room types for guests, how to assign rooms to suit the customers, and the overall flow of hotel work from a bird's eye view, and I am absorbing the necessary knowledge as a "hotel owner" one by one.

There is another thing I am focusing on in my student life. There are hundreds of foreign students and exchange students like me enrolled at Otemae University. I work as a member of the student staff "Team Colors" who support them, and we plan and support events aimed at international exchange on campus. The staff's work mainly involves planning and creating recreational activities during lunch time and special events such as international exchange days. I have also been in charge of planning events aimed at understanding Myanmar culture. At that time, I planned traditional games for children and an experience event where people with different values and rules could apply cosmetics called "Thanaka". Games and events seem like they only involve sharing a short time, but in order to get people with different values and rules to enjoy the same experience, it took more trial and error than I imagined. It was a valuable experience that made me deeply realize the difficulty and fun of international exchange. In order to interact with more students, I would like to work on creating a place where students from outside the university can participate in future events and deepen their interactions.

My most moving, touching experience was when I participated in the Otemae Presentation Festa in my first year. At Otemae University, all students give presentations as part of their career design class in their first and second years. Those who advance in a tournament are given the opportunity to give a presentation at the Presentation Festa, where all students gather at the end. I was worried about my Japanese pronunciation, but my teachers patiently taught me. I remember them also carefully pointing out how I should behave during the presentation.
The theme I chose for my presentation was "My Dreams." In fact, before participating in this presentation, I had only vaguely thought, "I want to run a hotel someday," but had not taken any concrete action. However, as I repeatedly declared my dream in front of others throughout the presentation, my own words struck a chord with me, and a strong desire to "absolutely make my dream come true" welled up within me. To my own surprise, after finishing this "shaking, touching, heart-warming" presentation, I began to take proactive action to make my dream come true.
My current goal is to become a hotel owner in 10 years. I envision a hotel where customers can relax, like a "third place that is neither home nor work". Also, because I myself have had trouble with interpersonal relationships at part-time jobs, I want to make it a place where staff can enjoy working. In order to make my dream come true, I would like to continue to take advantage of the crossover in my remaining university life to absorb knowledge and expand my network through various experiences.