Alumni

How hospitality will always be part of you after Hotelschool

An interview with a volunteer at Dew Drops – By Julia Kobiolka

We would like to introduce you to Tanya Busquet, who graduated in 1999. Traveling the world opened her eyes to what children were struggling with and inspired her to help them. After taking up great projects around the world, she moved to Beijing. She started volunteering at an organisation called Dew Drops, which provides children in medical need with support and a better future.

What did you do after graduating?   

I graduated in 1999, and I did my internship on an island in the Caribbean, where I was working in a restaurant in a hotel. After my internship, I asked if I could stay. So I stayed there for four years and, in the end, managed the restaurant. I worked a lot of hours there and managed to earn a lot of money, which allowed me to travel more. We had to pay the owner of the hotel, and then we could do whatever we wanted with the restaurant. We organise barbecues, weddings and fun stuff like that. After that, I went on a trip to Australia and New Zealand. I stayed in both for a year. Then we went to Thailand for almost two years and then to Bali. After a few years in Munich, I worked there for an Italian company, and then I kept looking for places to go next.

When did you discover your passion for volunteering and helping others?

I think it's because after you see so many different countries. Especially when you are not on holiday, but you're really working and living there, and you see what you can do. So when I met my husband, I couldn't work anymore because I didn't have a green card. I started in Turkey, where we lived for nine years. There were lots of children who needed help because they came from Syria with no mum or dad. They're all fleeing the country. Of course, I didn't speak Arabic; however, fortunately, I met a girl and she was also a teacher. Before my Hotelschool, I taught for two years. I do not have a full degree, but I have some experience. We would just go onto the streets, and she had a guitar, and we would bring all kinds of things to colour and just have fun with the kids. It would also be very, very nice to make a difference for these kids.

What does the organisation Dew Drops do?

Dew Drops is an organisation that helps kids from different villages in China. All these kids have some physical problems. Their parents are not able to pay for the surgery, so they put the kids on the street. We don't know who these parents are, and these kids are found and brought here because in Beijing, of course, there are more hospitals. We have apartments here where these kids come together. Then, after they get better, they go back to their own village and to the orphanage there. These kids are rotating; some have already been here for four years, but some have only been there for two weeks. So what I do, and there are a few other volunteers, we come to play with them. I love to sing with them, but I mostly do something with paper or clay, and cooking is my passion. It's very nice to volunteer here even though in the beginning I was sad. I drove home the first few times, and I needed to cry because I thought about what was going to happen with these children after this. What kind of a life do they have? But then, you see, how the children are so happy when you come, and they're jumping up and down, and they have a calendar where they count how many nights until somebody's coming again? And this is what keeps you going.

How did you decide to volunteer for Dew Drops?

Actually, I think it started with my helper here in China, and I told her about how I work with children and that I want to do more of that. Then she said, "Oh, I know somebody here that does that". So that's how I began to volunteer here. They are looking for volunteers here who can really stick around because if the kids get attached and you leave again after 3 or 4 times, it's no fun for them. Currently, I'm planning on staying here for three years. However, you always have to go back because, you know, they're waiting for you.

While working for Dew Drops, have you encountered any tough situations so far?

I think the language barrier is the hardest part because, of course, these kids only speak Chinese. However, they are teaching me, and I'm teaching them English. So I sing, for example, a song in English, and I sing it twice, and they then sing it with me. Then they sing a Chinese song, and they want me to sing it. Of course, I try my best, but I cannot. So they're laughing, but we have so much fun. We also play with Duplo or Lego, where I teach them the colours in English, and they teach me in Chinese. In the end, you don't really need communication as long as you're smiling.

Do you see yourself volunteering for longer in the future or pursuing a different path?

I'm in such a luxurious position that I don't have to work because my husband is earning the money for our family. I really love the volunteer work, and I would definitely continue doing it. After this, I want to move to different countries too. I don't know which ones, actually. It's always in the blank. For example, after we came from Turkey and went to the Netherlands, I started a cooking studio. There was also a group of kids that had autism. So, I could only do this with four kids because they need a lot of support. The main goal was to make bacon and eggs or make a smoothie or take care of them. I tried to do something like that, and it worked out really well. These kids came every week. Then I had a group of girls that had anorexia, so they never ate the food, but they came in to cook it and work with the ingredients and smile. Doing this was also very nice because cooking is also therapeutic. While we were cooking, we started to talk, and they began opening up because they were in a very safe environment. I would definitely do something like that again.

What achievements are you most proud of?

I never really looked for my path. It always came to me. When these opportunities come, I think I'm proud that I grabbed it when I thought this was for me and never was scared of it. When I was in my 20s, I was like, what shall I do? Let's go to Curacao and start this restaurant. I was scared to death because I didn't have any experience. At one point, there were about 50 people who came for a barbecue, and I was totally inexperienced. I let the rice burn and everything. However, in the end, it all works out. I learnt so much from this, and you just need to grab it and do it. I'm proud that I took all these opportunities that came to me even though I was scared.

What was a challenging experience you've had, and how did it help shape you?

I was very insecure when I was younger because I was also anorexic. Whenever I look at pictures, I would say to myself, girl, go out there and nobody's watching and be your own self. I wanted to do everything precise. I'm 50 now. I finally get it. Life is so much fun. Everyone's different, and that's the beauty of it as well. So follow your own path. You're the only one who can make yourself happy. Towards the beginning, I was wondering if I could do this with dewdrops. I will take everything home with me and cry all day. Then I thought, no, I have to stay with my feet on the ground. It also shows you how good you have it and your kids, too. So what if you never know what your future will look like? You still have to go for it and take the opportunities that you get. These are the ones that will probably make you happy as well.

What would be your advice for students graduating in 2024?

I think with this education, you can do anything and everything. When I look at my intake, I see that nobody's working at a hotel. Only one is still a chef, but the rest are doing such diverse things. You can do whatever you want to do. The world is completely open. Don't think too long about whether it's outside of your comfort zone because this can be so much fun. Just go and do things. Things that really make you happy. Don't think of the money because it comes to you by yourself. It's a good thing to do if you're passionate about it. Therefore, you're probably good at it as well.

What is your favourite book?

Heks by Camila Läckberg

What was the last movie that you saw?

The zone of interest

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Morning person

What is your biggest dream in a few words?

There not being any children in orphanages

Name one thing on your bucket list.

Travel even more

Name one thing that you like to do in your free time.

Read books