Backpackerz BUZZ: Issue 61

HI Staff: Insights from the Front Lines

The staff of Hostelling International is a dedicated group. They check you in, answer your questions, wash your sheets and make sure you’re having a good time. They see a lote of travellers and it doesn’t take long to build up a bit of an understanding of every species of backpacker that comes through their doors. From experts themselves, here are some HI staffers’ stories and advice, straight off the front lines.

Hostel DOs and DON’Ts
DO encourage meal sharing and group outings, and don’t be afraid to join in the fun.
I got to know a very charismatic Italian man over the winter months at HI-Vancouver Downtown. Every night he would cook for several people, and eventually his dinner parties grew to include almost the whole hostel. The sense of community he sparked was inviting, but as happens to a lot of notorious leaders, his popularity was short-lived. His downfall began when one day he thought his moles were bug bites, and proceeded to dig them out with a knife. This man’s magnetism was rapidly replaced with paranoia, and the dinner parties ended when other guests lost interest in meals that were cooked by someone who thought mushrooms were growing on his neck. DON’T underestimate the dormant delusions of extremely nice people.

DO take time to hide under a table, pretending the world has stopped, to clear your head.
A day will come when your reservation is lost, the police are arresting your bunk-mate, and you accidentally left your beer on the free shelf. Fear not! The world is not out to get you, and there are always plenty of safe zones around the hostel in which to seek refuge. Only mind that you DON’T fall asleep on a common area couch with your bits hanging out. That will only lead to someone else having to run for cover.

Although it is really interesting to listen to heated arguments and long-distance love affairs in 10 different languages, it is amazing the amounts of spittle that fly from those foreign tongues. So DO wipe off the pay phones once in a while, unless you want a new stream of Backpacker’s Flu to spawn in your mouth.

DO find a spot in your heart for elderly travellers. They are sometimes the most interesting travellers in the hostel, and have probably been to a lot more places than you can imagine. Look for that sun burnt, wrinkled face among the towering backpacks, and ask them where they came from. I have met millionaires, authors, champion wrestlers, Olympic athletes, celebrated radio DJs, and even couples in their 70s touring North America on rebuilt Beamers. DON’T discriminate or filter your travel friends by age. That grandma from New Zealand might not remember her own birthday, but you know she brought her kayak paddle in case the hostel has some killer rapids nearby.
—Emma Wilkie, Front Desk, HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach

DO your research before arriving in a town. Purchase a map before arriving. This eliminates so much confusion and so many questions.

DO bring a lock for the lockers.

DO bring one of those lightweight quick dry towels.

DO wash, dry and put away your dishes if you use the kitchen facilities. If you don’t it sets a precedent with other hostellers and the dishes really pile up fast. Hostels require an extensive degree in co-operative living.

DO remember hostels are for travelling on a budget. Do not expect a hostel to have the same amenities as a five-star hotel.

DO socialize readily with other guests. Exchange rides, tips and advice, even addresses, emails, phone numbers, etc. This is a wonderful source of free knowledge, friendships, and who knows what more.
—Mary Lou Fisher and Etienne Gour, Front Desk, HI-Victoria

DO use the ladder to get to the top bunk instead of your roommate’s head.

DON’T try to appoint yourself Pub Crawl Leader, even if you think you can do a better job than the hostel staff member in charge.

DO inquire about free nights’ stay for volunteer work. It’s a win-win situation!

DO your dishes. Seriously.

DON’T participate in the hostel-run Burrito Eating Contest if you are staying in a dorm room.

DON’T inform the front desk that, “The police will confirm my identity,” if you forget to bring your government-issued ID.
—Ryan Chilibeck, Manager, HI-Edmonton

If you snore, DON’T be surprised to be woken up by someone in the middle of the night asking you to stop. Better yet, come up with some solutions to not share this personal habit during your travels (there are many surprisingly effective ones).

DO bring a couple of soft, but moderately hefty items to bed with you (think fist-sized stuffed toy, sandal, pair of rolled-up heavy socks, etc.). Then, when you are awoken by someone who snores, you have something to throw at them from the top bunk. Just enough to wake them up, so you can tell them, “Hey, stop snoring!” (To which they will inevitably reply, “I wasn’t,” but it buys you some comfort and/or satisfaction, anyway). True tale, I was woken up this way once (and gave the aforementioned response) and now always take things with me to my upper bunk.
—Ken Campbell, Manager, HI-Banff Alpine Centre

Memorable Moments
During the spring we had a guest come to the front desk complaining about being attacked by mosquitoes in the night while sleeping. Upon further inspection it was clear that the guest had ripped open his screen window in order to enjoy a cigarette in his room. No matter what people tell you, smoking indoors in Canada is frowned upon…unless, as in this case, you’re a mosquito.
—Ryan Chilibeck, Manager, HI-Edmonton

Running between buildings at HI-Jasper, jumping down the stairs three at a time (a total of three jumps), only to find on jump one a fairly large bear with his head under the last step. Just glad my scream and the sound of my stomp on the step scared the bear right out of him and he ran away like a little girl.
—Ken Campbell, Manager, HI-Banff Alpine Centre

I’ve delivered a baby on the front lawn. At about 2 a.m. one night, a man came up to the door and informed me of the woman about a half-block away crying, “It’s coming!” and stumbling this way. I walked over and asked her what I could do for her to which she replied, “It’s coming!” She got up to our lawn and laid down. Alright, no problem. I went inside to call 911 and was put through to EMS. They asked me how many months she’d been pregnant. “Hold on, I’m stuck to the wall.” I ran outside and asked to which she replied, once again, “Oh god, it’s coming!” Right. How far apart are the contractions? “It’s coming!” Okay. No problem. I, being very squeamish and not looking forward to this at all, ran inside to tell the operator that they’d better haul it. When I returned, I had enough time to close my eyes, assume the position and play catch. Slimy. By this time someone else had come to the scene. EMS? No. Just a guest. She went inside to talk to the operator as the baby wasn’t breathing. They told me to place it face down in my palm and rub its back up and down. Thankfully this worked. Sirens, a fire engine, an ambulance and a van. Nice timing guys. Thanks.
—Colin Middleton, Night Auditor, HI-Calgary City Centre

Last summer, while doing the morning rounds at the hostel, front desk staff noticed there was no screen on the window leading to the roof. After further inspection we noticed that one of our guests had climbed out in the middle of the night and slept outside. After safely luring our guest into the building it was reported that his roommate’s snoring was keeping him from getting any sleep. Just remember, pack your earplugs if you are a light sleeper.
—Ryan Chilibeck, Manager, HI-Edmonton

You Want What???
I was asked for a map of how to get from here (Calgary) to Ireland. World map on the wall isn’t enough, he needs detailed directions. After about an hour he got fed up and said he’d ask someone in the morning, as I obviously didn’t know my geography.
—Colin Middleton, Night Auditor, HI-Calgary City Centre

DO encourage meal sharing and group outings, and don’t be afraid to join in the fun.
I got to know a very charismatic Italian man over the winter months at HI-Vancouver Downtown. Every night he would cook for several people, and eventually his dinner parties grew to include almost the whole hostel. The sense of community he sparked was inviting, but as happens to a lot of notorious leaders, his popularity was short-lived. His downfall began when one day he thought his moles were bug bites, and proceeded to dig them out with a knife. This man’s magnetism was rapidly replaced with paranoia, and the dinner parties ended when other guests lost interest in meals that were cooked by someone who thought mushrooms were growing on his neck. DON’T underestimate the dormant delusions of extremely nice people.

DO take time to hide under a table, pretending the world has stopped, to clear your head.
A day will come when your reservation is lost, the police are arresting your bunk-mate, and you accidentally left your beer on the free shelf. Fear not! The world is not out to get you, and there are always plenty of safe zones around the hostel in which to seek refuge. Only mind that you DON’T fall asleep on a common area couch with your bits hanging out. That will only lead to someone else having to run for cover.

Although it is really interesting to listen to heated arguments and long-distance love affairs in 10 different languages, it is amazing the amounts of spittle that fly from those foreign tongues. So DO wipe off the pay phones once in a while, unless you want a new stream of Backpacker’s Flu to spawn in your mouth.

DO find a spot in your heart for elderly travellers. They are sometimes the most interesting travellers in the hostel, and have probably been to a lot more places than you can imagine. Look for that sun burnt, wrinkled face among the towering backpacks, and ask them where they came from. I have met millionaires, authors, champion wrestlers, Olympic athletes, celebrated radio DJs, and even couples in their 70s touring North America on rebuilt Beamers. DON’T discriminate or filter your travel friends by age. That grandma from New Zealand might not remember her own birthday, but you know she brought her kayak paddle in case the hostel has some killer rapids nearby.
—Emma Wilkie, Front Desk, HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach

DO your research before arriving in a town. Purchase a map before arriving. This eliminates so much confusion and so many questions.

DO bring a lock for the lockers.

DO bring one of those lightweight quick dry towels.

DO wash, dry and put away your dishes if you use the kitchen facilities. If you don’t it sets a precedent with other hostellers and the dishes really pile up fast. Hostels require an extensive degree in co-operative living.

DO remember hostels are for travelling on a budget. Do not expect a hostel to have the same amenities as a five-star hotel.

DO socialize readily with other guests. Exchange rides, tips and advice, even addresses, emails, phone numbers, etc. This is a wonderful source of free knowledge, friendships, and who knows what more.
—Mary Lou Fisher and Etienne Gour, Front Desk, HI-Victoria

DO use the ladder to get to the top bunk instead of your roommate’s head.

DON’T try to appoint yourself Pub Crawl Leader, even if you think you can do a better job than the hostel staff member in charge.

DO inquire about free nights’ stay for volunteer work. It’s a win-win situation!

DO your dishes. Seriously.

DON’T participate in the hostel-run Burrito Eating Contest if you are staying in a dorm room.

DON’T inform the front desk that, “The police will confirm my identity,” if you forget to bring your government-issued ID.
—Ryan Chilibeck, Manager, HI-Edmonton

If you snore, DON’T be surprised to be woken up by someone in the middle of the night asking you to stop. Better yet, come up with some solutions to not share this personal habit during your travels (there are many surprisingly effective ones).

DO bring a couple of soft, but moderately hefty items to bed with you (think fist-sized stuffed toy, sandal, pair of rolled-up heavy socks, etc.). Then, when you are awoken by someone who snores, you have something to throw at them from the top bunk. Just enough to wake them up, so you can tell them, “Hey, stop snoring!” (To which they will inevitably reply, “I wasn’t,” but it buys you some comfort and/or satisfaction, anyway). True tale, I was woken up this way once (and gave the aforementioned response) and now always take things with me to my upper bunk.
—Ken Campbell, Manager, HI-Banff Alpine Centre

Memorable Moments
During the spring we had a guest come to the front desk complaining about being attacked by mosquitoes in the night while sleeping. Upon further inspection it was clear that the guest had ripped open his screen window in order to enjoy a cigarette in his room. No matter what people tell you, smoking indoors in Canada is frowned upon…unless, as in this case, you’re a mosquito.
—Ryan Chilibeck, Manager, HI-Edmonton

Running between buildings at HI-Jasper, jumping down the stairs three at a time (a total of three jumps), only to find on jump one a fairly large bear with his head under the last step. Just glad my scream and the sound of my stomp on the step scared the bear right out of him and he ran away like a little girl.
—Ken Campbell, Manager, HI-Banff Alpine Centre

I’ve delivered a baby on the front lawn. At about 2 a.m. one night, a man came up to the door and informed me of the woman about a half-block away crying, “It’s coming!” and stumbling this way. I walked over and asked her what I could do for her to which she replied, “It’s coming!” She got up to our lawn and laid down. Alright, no problem. I went inside to call 911 and was put through to EMS. They asked me how many months she’d been pregnant. “Hold on, I’m stuck to the wall.” I ran outside and asked to which she replied, once again, “Oh god, it’s coming!” Right. How far apart are the contractions? “It’s coming!” Okay. No problem. I, being very squeamish and not looking forward to this at all, ran inside to tell the operator that they’d better haul it. When I returned, I had enough time to close my eyes, assume the position and play catch. Slimy. By this time someone else had come to the scene. EMS? No. Just a guest. She went inside to talk to the operator as the baby wasn’t breathing. They told me to place it face down in my palm and rub its back up and down. Thankfully this worked. Sirens, a fire engine, an ambulance and a van. Nice timing guys. Thanks.
—Colin Middleton, Night Auditor, HI-Calgary City Centre

Last summer, while doing the morning rounds at the hostel, front desk staff noticed there was no screen on the window leading to the roof. After further inspection we noticed that one of our guests had climbed out in the middle of the night and slept outside. After safely luring our guest into the building it was reported that his roommate’s snoring was keeping him from getting any sleep. Just remember, pack your earplugs if you are a light sleeper.
—Ryan Chilibeck, Manager, HI-Edmonton

You Want What???
I was asked for a map of how to get from here (Calgary) to Ireland. World map on the wall isn’t enough, he needs detailed directions. After about an hour he got fed up and said he’d ask someone in the morning, as I obviously didn’t know my geography.
—Colin Middleton, Night Auditor, HI-Calgary City Centre

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 at 10:23 pm and is filed under Hostelling International. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Add to del.icio.us.