- Name: Amanda Gamel
- Age: 29
- Current location: Chile
- Home town: Alabama
- Education: Bachelor of Arts - Sociology, University of Alabama
- Current position: Operations Assistant Manager, Tumunan Lodge
- Organization description: Tumunan Lodge is a winery and equestrian lodge in the Colchagua Valley in Chile.
- Bio: Amanda received her BA in Sociology in 2010 and moved to Alaska to work in the tourism sector. After working as a tour guide and naturalist for two years, she was recruited as an Office Manager and Flight Coordinator for Misty Fjords Air, a private airline, where she worked for four years. During this time, she accepted two short term internships in Nicaragua: one at La Mariposa Eco-lodge and Spanish School in hotel management and volunteer coordination, and another at Rancho Chilamate, a prestigious horseback riding tour and eco-lodge, where she functioned as a tour guide and operations assistant to the owner. She then moved into a full time position with Aqua Wellness Resort in Tola, Nicaragua, a boutique luxury beach resort owned by Lionheart Nicaragua, an international real estate and hospitality developer. Her titles included Owner’s Representative and Guest Relations Manager, and she later was promoted to full-time Reservations Manager in the corporate office. Currently, Amanda is the Assistant Manager at Tumunan Lodge, outside of San Fernando, Chile.
- Countries I've worked in: U.S., (Alaska), Nicaragua, Chile
- Sector / subsectors: Tourism & hospitality
- Areas of expertise: Equestrian tourism
- Country: Chile, Nicaragua, United States, Niger
- Region: Central America, South America
- Sector: Tourism & hospitality
- Degree subject: Sociology
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Please tell us about yourself.
Meet Amanda Gamel.
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What does your job as an operations manager look like on a day to day basis?
Amanda strives to run a smooth operation wherever she's working in the world. At the winery, she's the "glue" that holds everything together.
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Can you tell us about your past experiences - some of the places where you've lived and worked?
From Alaska to Nicaragua to Chile, Amanda has held some unique job positions around the world.
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Did you ever imagine you'd be where you are today?
How did this small town Alabama girl find herself working in the international tourism industry?
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What is it that you love about working in tourism and hospitality?
Working abroad in tourism allows Amanda to push her limits, and she's grown to love the unexpected.
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What are some of the challenges of working in the industry?
Culture shock can sometimes get the best of you when you're working abroad...
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Is education important? How do interested people get hired in this field, and what do employers look for?
Amanda provides a realistic look at the value of a tourism degree these days...
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What are some of the skills or traits that employers look for?
Amanda gets real about what personality traits and skills make or break your experience working abroad in the tourism industry.
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How important is it to speak the language. Do employers look for that?
To speak the language, or not to speak the language? Amanda weighs in.
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Do you recommend that people apply for jobs before they travel?
There are many ways to break into the field, but Amanda tells us why she prefers to line up a job BEFORE she travels.
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How did you find out about the position in Chile? Is there an online job search?
Amanda reveals her secret to finding work in the international tourism industry.
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Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Amanda shares some tips about the importance of certification to prove that you're serious and skilled.
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You’re good at this! You could be a career counsellor…
If you push through the hard times, you'll be rewarded - get inspired by Amanda's final thoughts here.
