When I created this blog, this was something I did out of passion and desire to express myself. Over the past few years, life got so crazy, especially with COVID-19, that I didn’t have the desire to sit down and write, nor did I want to force myself. I have regained my passion for blogging.
Here is a long awaited update and story of what has transpired so far…let’s start from my last post…
After school, I went back to the USA to see my family. I still had to complete a final internship, which I did this time as an actual job working again at the Gstaad Palace in Switzerland. I thoroughly enjoyed the season, with lots of snow, hard work and on my off periods going to do sports, the spa or traveling a little bit.
This was the start of the pandemic, in which I experienced this by visiting my host family. No one was wearing masks yet, and in the international airport lounge I had a few people coughing all around me. A few days later, I lost my sense of taste and smell and was experiencing my first symptoms of the original strain of COVID. Nobody knew I had it, since it wasn’t even well known yet, but later was able to be confirmed (as Im currently sick with it again and can confirm almost similar symptoms). Speaking of my host family, they are doing very well and we still communicate, now even after 8 years since my CBYX program (the origin of this blog)
No one was prepared for COVID, especially in hospitality. Statistics were alarming in the industry, from Marriott hotels loosing 95% off its business in mainland China and over 60% reduction in sales in Europe. At Gstaad Palace, we were prepared much more as an independent, family owned business, yet still it hit and it hit hard. Luckily for us, it was right at the end of the season and no one knew what to do.
I decided to go back to the USA, completing my five terms of hospitality school and mandatory traineeships and jobs. Upon my return, I noticed that everything was closing down and after less than 3 weeks at home, I thought it would be more wise to return back to Switzerland, as school would begin in a few months. I can say that when I flew back, I was the only plane crossing the Atlantic Ocean at the time. A very eerie feeling. I flew through Atlanta and I didn’t see a single soul in the airport, apart from my gate with the only lights on and maybe 30 people there. Needless to say, I didn’t know what this virus was so I was equipped.
I found an Airbnb owned by a previous GM of the Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne, Mr. Andres Oppenheim, and got a good rate, in exchange for assisting with gardening and hospitality events that he hosts at his mansion. He owns a private catering business, which I’ll include the link to below for the photo (which credit goes to his son, a spectacular photographer). I had a beautiful part of the 10,000sq foot home I rented for myself, overlooking Lake Geneva and even a Jacuzzi to enjoy as well after running and hiking. Needless to say, while the world was going crazy, life was a dream.
I met a beautiful girl at school and we dated now for nearly two years. She was originally from Yemen but grew up in Lebanon. She is such a sweetheart and joy to be around and strives to be her own hotelier and entrepreneurial woman in the future. She also enjoys sports, is a foodie and loves traveling too.
I completed university in June 2021 and we actually graduated together in the same class. I went back to the USA and do to her visa expiring from Switzerland, she had to go to a refugee camp and seek asylum, as if she went back to Yemen, she would face dire consequences. She went through it for 4 months, really fearing for her life in there and was able to get out in December. She currently in Switzerland still and i’m excited for her as she is doing her final traineeship in Asheville, NC, at Omni Grove Park Inn and finally got her documents today to be able to apply for an embassy interview and come in the coming months to America. It will be great to see her again soon.
I on the other hand, started working at a hotel in Charlotte called Ballantyne Hotel, and currently work there as an assistant front office manager. Life for me has been very stressful. Before finding this job, I actually worked for Amazon for a month delivering packages, one of the hardest jobs in my life. Needless to say, once I found a good hotel job, I quit that immediately. My current responsibilities are assisting the director in managing the front office. Of course there’s the standard check-ins and outs, but also resolving guest disputes, handling phones, billing issues, reputation and review management, pre-arrival requests and preparing guest amenities and so forth. There has been an increase in workload due to staffing reduction as when I joined, we had a team of 14 and now only a team of 4 (which includes an overnight shift position too). In addition, our concierge/bellman went from 4 to 2. Our hotel is part of the Marriott Luxury Collection, with only 16 hotels in the USA having this ranking and on the same luxury scale as Ritz Carlton (owned by Marriott).
This is not just our hotel, but the industry as a whole right now, in response to the pandemic and changing employee market. In addition, crime was on the rise during New Years and one of the most challenging things I had to deal with was an individual who tried to check in with credit card fraud, which I denied entry. I was all alone that night in the hotel, apart from security behind my back. He then told me he would get me and proceeded to run over the counter and reach for something that we thought was a gun in his pocket and come after me. I hid in the back office with security barricading the door as we called for police. The man left and was later discovered to have three counts of attempted manslaughter on his record from last year from shooting at a father and his two children in the back of the car. Needless to say, I made sure security policy and protocol changed with leadership overnight for the safety of our team and myself. I’m proud that I came back to work after that, as I wasn’t going to, for lack of better words, let some jackass scare me from my profession.
Now, I am focused on growing in my career and will see what adventures and experiences await. In the meantime, I got COVID this Monday again, probably the Omicron and have been laying in bed with a high fever and joint aches the past few days. 
My grandparents might have it too, so I hope they get better soon. The rest of my family, mom, dad, aunt and uncle recovered from it well.
Unfortunately, my grandma Lena passed away last year due to it. She will be missed dearly. If anything, these past years can remind us how precious life is and that every moment can change. If anything, these years have taught me a lot about resilience, change and perseverance through very tough times and also to enjoy the good too.
Overall, this is the recap of a little bit of my life and look forward to keeping you updated much more frequently now on my hospitality journey and life. Time flies so quickly, it’s important to keep it documented, otherwise it all just disappears.
Wishing you health and all the best this year to you and your family and speak soon,
Igor
Igor Miller 
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