Ep.7“How I Ended Up Working at a 5-Star Hotel in Australia – My First Step into the Real World”

🎙️ Artisue Storypod Ep.7“How I Ended Up Working at a 5-Star Hotel in Australia – My First Step into the Real World”

Hello everyone, this is Susan from Artisue. Today, I want to share the story of my very first job —how I ended up working at a 5-star hotel in Australia.

After graduating high school, I completely failed the HSC, which is like the Australian version of the SAT. 😅At 18, I had no idea what to do next. For a moment, I thought about retaking the exams, but deep down, I knew that wasn’t the right path for me.

Then, suddenly, I felt the urge to return to art —but I didn’t have the money to enroll in an art academy. I didn’t want to ask my parents for help, so I decided, “I’ll get a job first and save up.”

So I started walking around Sydney City, visiting hotels one by one to pick up job application forms. Looking back now, I was so naive… and brave at the same time. Luckily, my uncle came along with me that day.

We stopped by the Westin Hotel, a luxurious 5-star hotel, and something truly life-changing happened there. It turned out that my uncle knew someone who worked there —the HR manager!And just like that, she decided to give me a chance.

I had absolutely no experience, but simply because I was “my uncle’s niece,” I was hired into the banquet department of a 5-star hotel. Honestly, it was pure luck — the kind that only happens once in a lifetime. 🍀

But once I actually started working…I realized I knew nothing. How to set a table, pour wine, carry plates — everything was new to me. So I survived purely on observation and instinct. I watched what others did, copied them quietly, and learned from my mistakes.

Day by day, I started to learn —not just about work, but about life itself. Humility. Gratitude. And the importance of helping others who are struggling.

Back then, I got scolded a lot and even cried many times, but every bit of that experience shaped who I am today. That’s why now, when I see young people who are inexperienced or clumsy, I don’t get frustrated — I just feel for them. I want to help them, to teach them gently, because I know how hard it is to learn alone.

Even though I was immature, unskilled, and insecure back then, I’m deeply grateful to those who believed in me anyway. Because of them, I became who I am today.

This episode reminds me that a small act of kindness can truly change someone’s life. So to those people — and to my younger self —thank you, from the bottom of my heart. 💛