Group activities, conversations, and role plays turned English from an obstacle into a living language he could use every day. “The teacher is excellent,” he says. “The activities and role plays were extremely helpful for a better understanding of the language.” Week after week he practiced, listened, and spoke. Little by little, the barrier that had kept him silent started to disappear.
So, when a position opened in the spa for a locker attendant, a role requiring warm, confident conversational English and the very skills he had been building in class, from welcoming guests and explaining how their lockers work, to answering questions and escorting them to the waiting area before their treatments. He decided to apply, and he got the job.
Looking back, he is certain the classes were pivotal. “Definitely not,” he says when asked if he could have made the transition without them. “The English classes gave me the confidence I needed. That barrier disappeared and I gained the confidence to communicate better and to apply for the position.” The lessons didn’t just expand his vocabulary, they gave him the courage to step forward for a position that once felt out of reach.
Jonathan now sees his future differently. He believes these opportunities show that no one should limit themselves. His message to colleagues who hesitate about signing up is simple: If he could do it, anyone can. In his words, where there is a will, there is a way.
His transformation is one of many. This year, approximately 173 colleagues from four properties, including new groups from Nekajui, are participating in free weekly English lessons, from beginner to intermediate level. The program focuses on back-of-house team members, creating space for growth, confidence and wellbeing. Participants consistently praise the teacher’s attentiveness and the quality of the materials, and they benefit from the support of supervisors who champion their development and Peninsula Papagayo’s vision to help colleagues advance within the company.
Delivered in partnership with Mohari Hospitality, the program is now in the second year of a three-year pilot running from September to June, and feedback has been outstanding.
