After all the weeks I have now spent in Auckland it is time to introduce you to the place I spend the major part of my months at – The Shakespeare.

I discovered this place on my job search through Auckland CBD where I dropped my CV of in various pubs and restaurants to maximise the chances of getting more than one reply. It might seem like in those Disney or Nicholas Sparks movies now, but I literally had one CV left, I was already on my way back to the hostel, when I came across the building that had a picture of a person I knew too well. The name The Shakespeare seemed really interesting to me especially because I like both, to watch and to act in plays.

When I entered the pub for the first time I left my CV and went out with a date for my trial shift. Later I should discover that the person who promised me a trial shift and confirmed it with a high five was the general manager of The Shakespeare, which is the oldest Brew-Pub in New Zealand.

I never expected to be able to enjoy working in hospitality but a signed contract and a view weeks later, I realised how much I liked the work in Front of House.

Even though the kitchen is upstairs which means that you need to climb the stairs every time when someone downstairs ordered food, the work is great fun overall. A funny team that is shooting around with jokes and the possibility to meet people from all over the world every day is a great way of going through the work day.

And the characteristic building which is 120 years old creates not only a special environment and nice atmosphere but also a lot of tasks that make you grow in the practical life. As with a building of that age there is always something broken. Once you think you are done and having a day without incidents, all over a sudden the gents toilet is leaking upstairs.

The staff as well as the variety of people that enters the Shakespeare every day makes sure that no day is like another. You get to know the regulars and New Zealand‘s lunch-culture as well as the habits of tourists from all over the world. You learn to deal with people you would rather like to see outside the building instead but you also get an insight look into different cultures like in no other job.

And with working in a bar you build up experience in a job that you can do all over the world.

I even learned to carry three plates. When my general manager said that of all the hundreds of waitresses he trained in his life, all of them were able to carry three plates afterwards, I needed to laugh aloud. Now I find myself not even thinking about it anymore. It just happens. I just take them like I automatically carry 12 beer handles at once. I think I have never used my arms so efficiently to carry things around like I am used to now.

After a view weeks I already knew that I would like to learn more about how a place like The Shakespeare works – bar, restaurant, hotel and brewery. So I joined in as many tasks as I could. That provided not only a lot of working hours per week which made it possible to save some money for travelling but also gave me the possibility to gain experience in different fields. Beside doing the housekeeping (which I still absolutely hate), I joined the brewer in his brewing process and some weeks ago I started to help out in the kitchen. And if I told my mom or my friends that I would work in the kitchen before I left home they would‘ve laughed very loudly. As I am the last person you would normally find in a kitchen.

Right now I find myself pouring beer, preparing meals, changing empty beer kegs, carrying plates, making beds, checking people in and placing sheet orders in hotel software without thinking about it. I even learned how to chop like a professional kitchen staff member.

The work in hospitality really widened my horizon in many facts.

Some of my colleagues really transformed into friends and I often spend time in the Shakespeare even if I am not on shift and not even drinking either. Some nights I left the pub three hours after finishing my shift because the manager on duty and me were having a great talk about life.

One of the funniest and biggest surprises was meeting my German colleague who is probably going to start her study in the same city at the same time as I will. Having a great time together and spending a major part of our leisure time together we decided to move together if we both really start in the same city at the same time with our studies. We will even travel the North Island‘s east coast together.

Even in heavy weeks of 50 – 60 hours of work, I enter with a good feeling. Because I know that I will be welcomed with jokes and funny stories of the hospitality world. I know that even though I am making mistakes, I know what to do next and the best part is that I can never predict anything. I never know if my break will be 20 minutes or 1 1/2 hours and the time when I will have a break is unknown either. I never know what people will come in on that day. And if it will be busy or quiet. Every day is like a small surprise.

Even though I will probably remain „just another waitress“ in the history of The Shakespeare, that place changed my life in many ways and showed me that it is possible to conquer fields in life you wouldn‘t have expected yourself to come along with.