Sodexo Catering. Sodexo Campus Dining. I view those as my serving opportunity, as a place where connections can be build.
Social prejudice against food workers persists. There is that connotation that people who work in food industry are of lower status; that they are not capable of doing better things; that you are poor and that means you have less worth. Not that I believe that, but the society has done a good job to allow you to think like that.
I began my journey with Sodexo during the pandemic years. I needed a job, but student visa limits availability so much. Not gonna lie, that stigma haunts me. How should I carry myself when I serve my friends in the caf?
Soon enough I found myself enjoying my job (I mean, okay, cleaning and wiping tables are not the most enjoyable task in the world, but you get over it).
First of all, I had the most wonderful managers/supervisors. They are friendly and helpful, and actually makes sure that we are satisfied with the working environment. Second, I develop friendship with my co-workers. It's almost like a family: we threw jokes around, got to know each other, but we also helped each other to finish the job. It's teamwork. When we finished with our own station, we helped the others.
A blessing in disguise: I got to see all my friends on campus as I served lunch or dinner in the caf. I thought I would hate it, I thought I would be embarrassed. But instead, it sparked a conversation. I got to have small talks and catch up with friends and acquaintances as I was serving them food. It fulfilled my social interactions of the day. As an introvert, I could only be energized so much before I became depleted. These small interactions behind the salad bar, behind the table-bussing, behind the simple servings are the highlights of my day.
The best part? When I served salad and I memorized people's salad combo or likes/dislikes, cheering them up.
I kept making that connections to students. I thoroughly believed that slight uplift in their moods could make their eating experiences teenie bit better. Hopefully.
The stigma fades within me fairly quickly. I realize, if this is a way to share love, then I'll share it this way. If this is a way to serve, then I'll give my best and do my job well.
That's what you need to with every task.
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