Tell us about yourself:

My name is Yaisa Loria Vega, and I am 22 years old. I was born and raised in Gallardo, a small village close to Puerto Jimenez. I went to elementary school in Gallardo, and later on to the Technical High School in Puerto Jimenez with a focus on tourism, the hotel industry and special events.  During my last year in high school (2015), I had to do practical work experience at a local business, and I got accepted at Crocodile Bay Resort. One year later, after I graduated, I went to work part-time at the resort. Within six months, I moved to a full-time position as a receptionist. At the beginning of 2018, I started to work at the reservations department at Crocodile Bay Resort, where I still work today.

What is the most unusual request you’ve ever had from a guest?

One time, a client asked me what time her flight would arrive “on the island”. Confused, I responded that Costa Rica is not an island nor is the Osa Peninsula. I was surprised that the guest had thought she was flying to an island, after already having made their reservations many months prior.

What is the most challenging experience you’ve ever handled at the resort? 

In 2018 during that terrible hurricane season in the United States, I had to rebook a lot of guest reservations. We worked hard for many hours and had to change a lot of hotel bookings, flight bookings and transport. But in the end, it all worked out, and I was able to accommodate all our guests successfully, so that they could safely leave the country before the hurricane arrived.

What’s your most significant professional accomplishment? 

Since I started working at Crocodile Bay Resort, I have grown so much as a person. I used to be rather shy, and now I have gained a lot more confidence. I have also improved my English skills. Crocodile Bay gives free English courses to all their staff, and I enjoyed developing my English in these classes. I am now able to communicate fully with all our guests in person, via email and over the phone, which is such a great feeling.

The best career advice you received? 

A piece of great advice I received once was: If you make a mistake, do not take it personally and do not give up, but learn from the mistake and improve yourself.

What do you love most about your job?

I love getting to know people and their stories. Often clients talk to me personally and tell me about their lives. It makes me happy to help our clients and give them the best information possible so that they can enjoy their vacation here at Crocodile Bay Resort.

What are your plans for the future? 

I want to continue to study and improve my English, and continue to work at Crocodile Bay. I love studying English so much that I could envision one day teaching English myself to elementary school kids. I had a fantastic English teacher at my high school that taught us English in such a fun and immersive way. I would love to do the same one-day and pass on my language skills to kids. Maybe I will find a way to combine my job at Crocodile Bay Resort with teaching kids, as I envision myself working here for a long time to come.