Life's a beach: Working abroad

[By Nicola Blaney - First published in ForgePress 7 November 2008]

Every summer, thousands of young Brits take the two hour flight to the hedonistic paradise of Tenerife. With its sandy beaches and raucous nightlife, this Spanish island is a haven for students all over the country wanting to escape from coursework deadlines, exams and mind-numbing Powerpoint presentations.

Two people hell-bent on swapping seminars for sangria are 19-year-old students Jayne Moran and Stacey Lyndon. This summer, both girls did just that; they booked one-way flights to the infamous party island in the hope of finding summer work in the sun. After spending a week soaking up the sun, the pair became full-time PR girls for Irish bar O’Neill’s. Both were given their complimentary O’Neill’s vest tops and a specific standing place to work.

“We were so nervous!” laughs Jayne. “They practically threw us out there with no training and told us to PR that night.”

Workers were invited to ‘down a few drinks’ beforehand in order to pluck up some dutch courage. These free drink offers were continued throughout the night, meaning workers could enjoy themselves and earn a living at the same time.

“Working in Tenerife is totally different from holidaying there,” explains Stacey. “You see a totally different side to the island.”

While many unsuspecting holidaymakers enjoy the hustle and bustle of the strip, workers enjoy after-hours underground raves where it is happy hour every hour, with the secret parties often lasting until the following afternoon.

“The raves were only open exclusively to the workers,” adds Jayne. “After a few weeks of working at O’Neills, we got to know PRs and bar staff from all over the strip. It was like a secret society. Everyone knew everyone else’s business and if we weren’t working together, we were socialising together.”

The girls had no fixed wage, but were paid just one Euro per person they enticed into the bar.

“You were pretty much self-employed,” explains Jayne. “There were some PRs who would get 60 to 70 people in every night, while others were too busy enjoying the free drinks to care.”

The idea of 24 hour drinking and meeting hundreds of new friends sounds like bliss to the average student, but the girls admit there were some downsides.

“We were working from 8pm until 5 in the morning, meaning my body clock was all over the place,” remembers Stacey.

However there was no room for moodiness or tiredness. The nature of their work meant the girls had to remain upbeat and cheerful, in order to pull in customers and make a wage. The pair also had to endure several rude holidaymakers. Jayne explains: “Most people we approached were in really high spirits and friendly, but we did get the odd one or two who gave us the cold shoulder or at worst, some form of verbal abuse.”

The girls were also shocked to discover the high level of promiscuity between workers.

“Our job meant we were constantly meeting people all the time, and some workers took advantage of this,” explains Stacey.

Despite these shortcomings, the pair say they would definitely recommend working abroad to students.

“The people and the atmosphere was unbelievable,” says Jayne. “I can honestly say it was the best experience of my life.”

The girls maintain that despite the hectic lifestyle and late shifts, Tenerife offers workers tranquil, lazy days on its beautiful picturesque beaches, meaning workers can recuperate in paradise. Stacey believes the trip was a real confidence boost and plans on working abroad with Jayne again next year.

“Working abroad helps you find yourself in a way, and rids you of any insecurities, I’m just wondering how next summer’s trip can beat Tenerife!”