Edit note: As I have struggled for "blog inspiration" recently (even though I enjoyed a swell time at home), I thought it would be fun to reach out to a friend and have them feature on my blog -- it's something I have wanted to have happen for some time now anyway. Contributions for this post made by Becqui Weaver.
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| Becqui's cafe handiwork. |
Hello! I’m Becqui and I enjoy blogging about books, life, and
general happenings. Allen was a classmate of mine throughout three years of battling Critical & Cultural Theory and poetry. We're both continuing our
education in Manchester, albeit at different universities, but I am still pretty excited that one of
my friends is carrying on roughly the same path as me. I have recently taken up blogging to fill the summer university void left without any essay writing, so when
Allen offered me a spot as a guest on his blog I jumped at the chance. At first, I was stumped what to write about as I didn’t think one of my usual book reviews was
quite right, so today I’m going to talk a little bit about my experiences as a waitress and barista in a bustling Manchester café.
For the past two years I have worked at Café Muse in one of the city's top tourist attractions, Manchester Museum, which is located just off Oxford Road on the University ofManchester Campus. The café itself provides, what I think is, an extensive menu
for a museum café -- I really like the emphasis it places on local
suppliers, seasonal produce, and sustainability. These ethics are implemented
within the coffee production by using organic coffee beans and Sweetbird
syrups, which are a particular favourite. The syrups are not only
vegetarian and vegan friendly, but free from all artificial colourings
and high fructose corn syrup. I might be biased, but a gingerbread latte made by Muse beats all others. If you really want to indulge
we make an amazing mocha which melts real chocolate drops into the espresso
before being topped with foamed milk.
Because of location, the job also entails working various functions such as weddings or corporate hospitality events. As I work part-time alongside my studies, lately I’ve been thinking about the overall, non-monetary, benefits of my job: the values of companionship, appreciation of kindness, patience, and above all, a respect for hard work. At times it's hard to see those through stressful situations or impolite patrons I encounter, but the ability to handle such scenarios is personally rewarding.
There have been incidents where I have been called "stupid", or been sworn at by wedding guests too drunk to listen to me telling them that their taxi is outside. While these are isolated incidents, the humiliation of someone berating you in front of others when you are just trying to do your job is what hurts. And it’s not just behaviour towards me that is impolite. I have seen families come to cross words over who sat at a table first, and people who treat their surroundings with disrespect. I don’t think leaving dirty nappies in a restaurant is pleasant for anyone, let alone the server who has to clean up.
Because of location, the job also entails working various functions such as weddings or corporate hospitality events. As I work part-time alongside my studies, lately I’ve been thinking about the overall, non-monetary, benefits of my job: the values of companionship, appreciation of kindness, patience, and above all, a respect for hard work. At times it's hard to see those through stressful situations or impolite patrons I encounter, but the ability to handle such scenarios is personally rewarding.
There have been incidents where I have been called "stupid", or been sworn at by wedding guests too drunk to listen to me telling them that their taxi is outside. While these are isolated incidents, the humiliation of someone berating you in front of others when you are just trying to do your job is what hurts. And it’s not just behaviour towards me that is impolite. I have seen families come to cross words over who sat at a table first, and people who treat their surroundings with disrespect. I don’t think leaving dirty nappies in a restaurant is pleasant for anyone, let alone the server who has to clean up.
Some situations truly verge on farcical: while working a wedding
recently, one woman who had been particularly demanding requested ketchup to go with her meal -- creamy chicken with potatoes in a tomato
sauce, in case you were wondering. With some trepidation I nervously asked the
chefs if there was any [ketchup] in the service kitchen only to receive a predictable, "F*** off". No way was I repeating that. The result? Me sprinting the length of the building through back corridors, down a flight of stairs to another
kitchen, and back. Desperately trying to control my breathing I
handed the ketchup to the woman only to notice later that she
barely touched it.
Coupled with the monotony of cleaning up after other people
everyday you would think that it’s an unrewarding job. ... You might therefore
be surprised to hear that I love it. Even through the hard and
unrelenting days, I ultimately leave work feeling satisfied. I
talk to hundreds of people, meeting a host of interesting
characters from students to ladies admiring my braids, and conservationists harbouring local news. From time-to-time, a few famous faces pop in: the team from The One Show, as well as the ubiquitous Professor Brian Cox. One of my
favourite regulars is an old man who always spares the time to note down a
poem or a writer he thinks will interest me. It’s because of him I have a prodigious
love of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood. I’ve learnt that
a simple conversation can really cheer people up -- if someone is looking down
then give them a smile.
Equally, I have learnt to take pride in everything I do; it’s
another way of giving happiness to others. I already love having guests in my
home for dinner or drinks, so working as a barista is an extension of that -- almost. I take pride in the coffees I
make. In the same way, little gestures like bringing a family a high chair without them needing to ask or handing an elder couple extra napkins for their
sandwiches, makes me feel like I’m doing something further to make better their experience and that’s where work becomes enjoyment.
Finally, I have learnt the value of good, hard work.
Balancing four shifts a week alongside university has never been easy but I’ve
managed it well. My job is a requirement because -- quite
bluntly -- I would never have been able to afford university, and a post-graduate programme would have been out of the question. However, I am of the firm belief that
working part time has not only enabled me to study, but also made me better at
it. I am more time conscious and organised, thus, utilise it more efficiently. You can’t pull an all-nighter doing an essay if you have a
ten hour shift the next day.
I’ll leave you with this brilliant Buzzfeed list that I was sent the other day, waitresses and baristas everywhere, enjoy!
Becqui's blog can be accessed at http://becquij.wordpress.com. She earnt a combined honours degree in English & Philosophy from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2014 and will be continuing her studies on a MA English Studies programme this Autumn. Enjoys conceptual poetry, running, urban gardening, baking, and Foucault. You can follow her on Twitter at @BecquiJ.