We all know that taking that first step to start an international internship can be terrifying. For Naomi Hoyte, a 22-year-old culinary school graduate from Trinidad and Tobago, moving across the globe felt like a distant dream initially.
Today, Naomi is thriving on the other side of the globe as a Kitchen Intern at the luxurious Park Hyatt Doha in Qatar. She originally signed up for a 6-month program, but due to her great performance, it earned her an extension to 10 months.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Naomi for a real-time Participant Insight Session to talk about what it’s actually like to step out of your comfort zone and leave your home for another country you’ve never been to, manage a 5-star kitchen shift, and live in Doha, Qatar.
Setting off for Qatar required her to navigate three planes and two layovers completely by herself over a grueling three-day journey. That foundational step helped build her self-reliance and confidence.
“It was a very scary situation… a gut-wrenching experience,” Naomi recalls. “But I remember sitting in my apartment on day one, patting myself on the back and saying, ‘You made it. You did everything right.’ From there, I learned to break my goals down into smaller tasks and congratulate myself along the way.”
Doha is a global hub for luxury hospitality which means that the standards are incredibly high. Naomi jumped straight into the fire, arriving in November just right before the peak winter holiday rush.
Kitchens are known to be fast-paced environments with high pressure. Desserts had to be served for every hotel outlet and big catering events were happening, Naomi had to absorb information like a sponge. Good thing her academic foundations in biology and chemistry came in handy and made it easier for her to understand essential food safety and blast-chilling protocols. She did mention that real-time kitchen speed is something you can only learn by doing and being in it. This is where internships play an important role in preparing you for the real world.
We can say that one of the biggest testaments to her growth was when the culinary team trusted her so much that she was put in charge of an entire kitchen shift completely by herself. She was also handed the creative freedom to make a massive gingerbread house display for Christmas and research recipes to infuse her own heritage into the hotel’s dessert menus.
A lot of people think the Middle East is strictly desert sand and rigid rules, which admittedly made Naomi nervous at first. She couldn’t be more wrong as the reality of living in Qatar blew her expectations away.
- Beautiful Environment: Naomi was instantly captivated by the stunning architecture, pristine cleanliness, and highly organized grid system of Doha.
- Accessibility: Getting around is incredibly affordable. The city’s metro system allows interns to travel across town for just 2 Qatari Riyal.
- The Hotelier Discount: Working in luxury hospitality comes with major perks. Naomi takes full advantage of a 10% to 15% hotelier discount offered to industry workers across various clubs and venues in the city.
- Weather & Nature: Arriving in November somewhat surprised her with a cool 10°C breeze. She loves spending her days off lounging at MIA Park, a lush, green coastal park featuring a cafe tucked under a hill looking directly out at the sea.
Living in such a culturally diverse place has allowed Naomi to connect with professionals and fellow expats from all over the world, where she got to bond with close friends from Kenya, over their shared journeys.
When brief geopolitical tensions arose in the region, Naomi felt protected saying that RMC Asia’s support team was in constant contact.
“They gave me all the reassurance that I needed, which kept me calm and composed.”
She also notes that Qatar’s secure defense and alert infrastructure gave her peace of mind and it meant daily life returned to somewhat normal immediately.
Now, Naomi is an independent, resilient young professional who knows she can be part of any kitchen in the world. She is already planning her next international moves and we’re very much excited for her.
Her advice for students hesitating to take that first step towards an international internship?
“No matter how far away something might seem, or how ‘too good to be true’ it might sound, ask for what you want because there’s a good chance you might get it. Apply, send the documents, and open up every possible opportunity by just saying yes. They [RMC Asia] will take care of you, and they will send you where you want to go.”
Ready to write your own success story?
Explore RMC Asia’s Cultural Exchange Programs. Apply now.
