Leadership and Coaching in Nepal – Deborah Koehler (part 11)

1st Year Hospitality College Teaching

For 12 mornings I am teaching classes at a Swiss Affiliated college in Kathmandu. The CEO himself had Swiss training and is hoping to develop the hospitality in Nepal to rival that in Switzerland. Like Switzerland, Nepal is a land locked mountainous country has turned itself into a desired Tourist destination over the last 100 years. The CEO in Nepal wishes to achieve this by training 18 – 23 year olds in the art of Hospitality.

The school has been operating for 8 years and I helped set the foundation of vocational based curriculum. Due the chaste system most of the students who can afford to go to college would have a maid to wash dishes and clothes for them. When students arrive at the college they must wash the dishes after the lunch service (they also wait in the restaurant) and they must soak and clean the tablecloths that are dirty.

Teaching them is a delight for me. I am often the first “foreign” or English speaking teacher they have had – if they have come from the village to Kathmandu to go to college. My way of teaching of involving the student in activities and drawing the learning out from them is so different from the one-way teaching that they have experienced.

Once they understand my way of teaching, their sense of fun emerges. I have so many laughs and joy in teaching them. Of course, in their past they have cheated and copied their papers – as this is what happens in the oppressive classroom. I have a grading system that minus five points from their grade if this happens. It is not a discipline problem – it is just setting boundaries of what is acceptable in my class. I understand where they developed the habit – but if they want to work in the world in 5 star hotels – then the short cuts will get them kicked out of their jobs.

I teach them with the top of their desk cleaned and their eyes engaged with my lesson. No pens to doodle with and they are involved. They set eagerly waiting for the next surprise. I change the typical classroom set up where all face front in a Board Room table style. They learn that this style of room arrangement is good for discussing an issue or make up a collective story as a group. Next we move the desks into small teams so they learn to interact and ask questions of each other. A more intimate conversation that makes many of them shy as they must engage the other. (Remember most of them have been facing front their whole life receiving instructions from a resources poor classroom.)

My delight and joy is helping they realize they have a mind and a personality of their own. Hospitality industry is about personality and character and attention to customer service so what I teach them is listening and asking and planning. I set up exercises so they have to pay attention to the other and then go deeper to understand others.

Large luxury resorts in the Middle East, China, India, Malaysia, Japan, and Australia will hire these students. Some might manage to get to Europe but that is a bigger challenge. As these countries are growing in wealth there are more luxury resorts and they need staff that have English and Hospitality skills. Nepalese in their pure self are incredibly happy, welcoming and charming – so they are in demand in these hotels.

This college changes the previous destiny of families with international positions and income. How to teach them to retain their Nepali charm with International standard service: it is a challenge and a great experience. Part 12