Cinderella, Cinderella

I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is I don’t feel mopey anymore! Thank you for all the cheer up messages. They made my heart warm like a mug of hot cocoa on a rainy Scottish day.

The bad news is I don’t feel mopey anymore because I am too busy to pout!

Currently in the manor is a group of 120-140 (I lose track) of historical economics professors for a conference on… well, historical economics (here are some riveting titles from their conference sessions: “A Sectorial Analysis of Anglo-Indian Productivity Differences, 1870-2000,” “Procyclical TFP and the Cyclicality of Growth in Output per Hour” and “Marine Insurance in Philadelphia during the French and Indian War, 1755-1759″).

The conference participants have come from all over the world in their tweed jackets to attend this conference. Some are staying as residents of the house in our accommodation rooms (about 40) but the bulk are just in during the day for the conference and meals. The house is insanely busy and to say this group is high maintenance is, well, being very generous.

As the Director is on holiday, I am the commander in chief. What a way to test my leadership, logistical, customer service, and management skills, right? I am responsible for the facilities, guests, catering operations, cleaning staff and house while the Director is away. Of course, I have assistance from the Director of International Education from a Wisconsin college (who flew here with his lovely wife to pitch in this week but has made it clear that I am in charge, which I am very grateful for!), and the chef Henry who has been helping me keep my sanity this week and of course is heading up the catering business.

I’ve spent the last three days telling people over and over and over where the toilets are (heaven forbid they look at their maps or the directional signs on the wall!), responding to lock-outs at 2 and 3 a.m. from those returning late from the pub, cleaning up coffee cups, lunch trays, wine spills, half-eaten sandwiches left on the marble tables, and trash from all over the house after every meal, listening to 10,000 complaints (”There isn’t enough coffee!” “You should have told us to bring power adaptors!”, “The wireless isn’t working!”), helping the chef set up after meals, and making copies, fetching staplers, fixing printers (or pretending to jab at it), and running the reception desk…

I don’t understand why they all think they are too good to throw away their own coffee cups or to clean up after themselves, but I have been on my hands and knees scrubbing a coffee stain off the marble floor and someone will just throw their dirty napkin on the floor next to me and walk off! I’ve never seen such rudeness! I’ve not received one “thank you” even after running all their errands, making last-minute copies for them because they have forgotten to do it at home before arriving even though they were told to, picking up their trash, fetching them extra pillows and blankets, and serving them breakfast every morning. I literally have been at their beck and call around the clock and … I’m just a little tired.

I find it worth mentioning that these are history professors who can remember countless dates and minute details about [grabs conference schedule] tariffs, grain prices, and the Trade Boards Act of 1909, but cannot remember their manners or a simple 4-digit housecode. Go figure!

I know I sound like I am whinging (whining in non-Brit speak!), but really, I just find their behavior humorous and fascinating. And if nothing else, like I always say, they have provided me with some great stories to tell!

They leave tomorrow BUT just a few hours after they leave a group of 80 college students from Southern Mississippi arrive for a few days. I am looking forward to the new group – apparently they are great fun and to be fair, college students are my preferred clientele!

And most importantly, I think I’ve done a pretty good job of keeping this place afloat and providing great customer service. I have been nothing but accommodating and sweet to the guests (though sometimes I swear under my breath when their backs are turned) and thanks to the assistance of the staff things have gone pretty smoothly (they are saints!). If their biggest complaint is there is not enough coffee, then I think things are going pretty alright!

I do have a new-found respect for people in the hospitality and food service industry, though. I always have, but now I really understand what they put up with day in and day out! Waitstaff of the world, I salute you!