Yok, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Final Year (4th Year)
🌺🏝️🇺🇸 Review of the Work & Travel Program at the Westin Hotel, Hawaii
I worked in housekeeping with another friend from the same university. The employer was actually very nice and kind, and the coworkers were lovely too. The bus ride from our house was about 20-30 minutes, and from the bus stop to work, it was nearly a 20-minute walk.
The accommodation we got was good, and I was happy with it.
As for tips, some friends received tips as high as $200 from just one room. Meanwhile, my luck wasn’t that great; I only got $20 in a whole week! 😂
Guests would leave tips for us in the room. If the guests were really impressed, the tips were quite generous.
Most tips ranged from $10 to $60.
🥞 Second Job Opportunities
There were plenty of second job opportunities. Once you have a Social Security Number (SSN), you can apply anywhere. Since I still had time and energy after my first job, I decided to take on a second job.
My second job was at Denny’s. However, it was quite far from my accommodation, and since it was a late-night shift, there were no buses available, so I had to take an Uber. If you’re working alone, it’s not really worth it. I recommend finding someone who lives nearby to share the journey with.
Despite that, it was a really fun and hectic job because it was an all-day breakfast restaurant. I had to do everything—serve drinks and food, and even prepare food like decorating pancakes, making salads, desserts, and milkshakes.
My coworkers were very kind, and the tips were great too. The system at the restaurant was that we were assigned tables in specific zones, and tips were split accordingly. It was a pity that I had to leave the job because it was too far, and it made it difficult to manage my schedule for the first job.
👒 🧢 Third Job at a Hat Store
After leaving Denny’s, I started working at a hat store. The pay here was really good, and if you asked for more hours, they would give them to you. It was a retail job, so I had to meet sales targets. If you hit the target, you would get a bonus of +$2 per hour.
🍲 Helping Out at a Vietnamese Restaurant
I also had the opportunity to help out at a Vietnamese restaurant. This was great too, and the pay was excellent. If you worked all day, you could make at least $100, including tips. I worked at the hat store, but when it closed, I would go help at the Vietnamese restaurant, as the hat store closed earlier. On days when I wasn’t working at the hat store, I’d help out at the Vietnamese restaurant if they needed extra staff. For those looking for a second job, if you’re staying near a McDonald’s, I recommend it. My friend worked there, and the pay was good. She could even walk home because it wasn’t far—just a short walk down the hill.
I highly recommend the Vietnamese restaurant for a second job. One of my friends was able to recoup her expenses because of this job. The responsibilities included serving drinks and food, clearing and washing dishes, wiping tables, and cleaning the restaurant (like mopping the floors) before closing. The restaurant owner would also cook for us, and we could take food home, choosing anything from the menu. The pay rate was $13 per hour, and tips were pooled and split.
I don’t recommend working at a Thai restaurant for your second job because the pay rate is often lower, and tips aren’t great, at least from what I’ve heard from friends.
Another good option that a friend recommended was Duke’s restaurant, which is near the hotel area. If your accommodation is near this hotel, they even have a shuttle service. My friend said the pay rate is good and tips are high because it’s always busy.
There’s also Waikiki restaurant, which my friend said was good too. I’ve been there before, and the staff were really friendly.
Once you get your SSN, you can apply at big, popular restaurants because they are always short of staff.
I recommend finding a place near your accommodation. If you don’t mind the hard work, find something close enough to walk home. For me, climbing uphill to get home every day was like a mini hiking adventure! 😂
🏔️ 🥾 There are many beautiful mountains here for trekking, but I didn’t get the chance to explore many other places. However, I did get lost once, which gave me the opportunity for some light hiking. Oh! If you come here, I must say, you’ve got to try cliff jumping at least once. I tried it, and it was super fun and thrilling!
Before starting work, I decided to walk from my house to work just to try it out. It was exhausting, but the view was absolutely stunning.
The owner of the Vietnamese restaurant even took me on a trip to another island. Honestly, I didn’t have enough time for sightseeing, so I had to reschedule my flight. The owner was so kind, even letting me stay at their house!
After finishing work, I had the chance to visit California before heading back to Thailand. I got to explore Disneyland and Hollywood.
✈️ I previously participated in the MPLC exchange program during high school. However, this experience was completely different. During the exchange program, we had someone taking care of us, we lived with a host family, and our parents sent us money. Life was much more comfortable back then—no rent or transportation costs. All I had to do was go to school and participate in activities.
But during the Work & Travel program, I had to take full responsibility for everything in my life. I had to manage my time well, make sure I woke up in time for the bus, and think about whether someone could share the cost of an Uber if I overslept. If I wanted to save more money, I had to wake up early to make food to take for lunch.
👧 My advice is to walk a lot before you go. Exercise by walking as much as you can because, during Work & Travel, you’ll walk around 20,000 steps a day on busy workdays. Prepare your body, and don’t forget to bring antihistamines and sore throat medicine. Almost everyone catches a cold and loses their voice at the beginning because the climate change hits hard.
But I gained so many valuable experiences, and it was a lot of fun. I’d love to go back again, but next time I think I’d go for my master’s degree instead. 🏫 🗽
