as of late

It's been a little bit since I last wrote, and for that I apologize! It's been a little hectic around here since opening day, and with no internet in my dorm, it's difficult to find the time to update my blog. The photo above is from Thursday night. One of my co-workers and I went to the cookout at the Roosevelt Lodge (for anyone visiting Yellowstone, I really recommend this trip!) and on the way home, we stopped to watch the sunset on the mountain. The cookout is a total blast - you ride out to the dinner spot on horses or stagecoaches (we took the stagecoach), and then eat a delicious meal while being serenaded by a cowboy entertainer. It was nice to get away from the employee dining room for a night, while also experiencing something I'll be selling to guests. I love having the first hand experience, it makes the whole thing more sincere when I'm saying how great the tour/trip/dinner is. Of course, I really do think that most things Xanterra offers are really fun and showcase the park well, but adding that personal "I've actually done this" touch is really nice.
Lake Lodge opened on June 10th, and let me tell you, it has been a whirlwind. I've had a few guests get flustered with me, and it's absolutely terrible when I find out there isn't any way to amend their problem. While being in customer service is definitely stressful, I also enjoy helping people and trying to make their stay memorable. Yesterday, I had a guest interaction that made my day a little harder. We just weren't communicating correctly, and come to find out, I was handling the interaction slightly wrong. It was a simple mistake to make, but when I found out that I was making the whole thing more complicated, I almost wanted to cry. Luckily, I have the best manager in the world, and my co-workers are awesome. When my manager stepped in, she was able to appease the guest and help him. My co-worker asked me to "go check a price in the gift shop" which gave me time to collect myself. This entire interaction was made so much better by my team, and then, one of my co-workers pointed out that the guest had left a very positive comment card, mentioning my name. Even though it was a difficult day, this frustrating moment was completely turned around in the end. So, even when things suck and I find myself panicking, something happens to make me realize that I'm in the right place.
We should be getting internet in my dorm fairly soon (cross your fingers!) and then I'm hoping to update more frequently and with more pictures.