Farewell to our Intern, Gina from The Netherlands!
For the past 5 months we’ve had the pleasure of having Gina as an intern from the Netherlands. She has been a great asset to Go West, working on a number of tasks in both the reservations and marketing departments. We had a quick chat with her about her time at Go West and future travels!
Tell us a little about yourself!
My name is Gina and I’m from the Netherlands. I love shopping, travelling, eating great food and spending time on the beach. At the moment i am studying tourism management and came to Australia to intern for Go West Tours.
What did you like the most about interning at Go West Tours?
Coming into my internship at Go West Tours, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I have never worked in the tourism industry before, so this was all new for me. What I liked the most about my internship was the diversity. During my internship I was working on 2 different departments, so my tasks were quite diverse. This was great for me as I like the mix of duties.
I also really enjoyed going on all the tours, although I’m not sure which was my favourite. Even though i enjoyed feeding the kangaroos on the Phillip Island Tour, I would say that the tour to the Grampians was my favourite. I’m not a fan of heights, but when I got up there I really loved the beautiful scenery.
What did you find different about Australia and Australians?
Australia is very different from the Netherlands. The scenery, nature and wildlife in Australia is beautiful and I would suggest that other tourists see as much of the county as they can during their stay – not just focusing on the highlights. As for the locals, I find Australians to be very friendly people.
What were some of the challenges whilst working in Australia and how did you overcome this?
There were few times where I got a little homesick, but not nearly enough to want to return back home!
What do you hope to do after finishing your studies?
After I finish my studies I would first like to travel through Africa and South America. After that I will have to start with finding a job within the tourism industry. At this stage I’m not sure on what my future job will be or where i want to work.
What advice would you give for others hoping to work in the tourism industry?
If you want to work in the tourism industry, travelling and working abroad is a must. It will definitely change the way you look at the world and give you some life experiences that you will never forget.
What’s next for you?
When I go back I will focus on finishing my studies in tourism management. In 2019 I will have the possibility to travel abroad for an internship again, but I’m not sure where I will go next!
We’ll miss you Gina! All the best for your studies and future travels.
From all of us here at Go West!
