Employee of the Month: December

With the craziness of the holidays over and a little time to breathe and recuperate before the next wave of guests start arriving, I wanted to post (and boast) about our employee of the month!

A couple of weeks ago, when the resort was full of guests, I had many things running through my mind. I watched proudly as our staff handled the many and varied requests of our guests. I was supervising the logistics of handling 42 guests all wanting to go on excursions with our boats at the same time people were checking out and checking in. Katie was busy proofing menu orders for the kitchen and organizing the Bistro's seatings. Executive Chef Ben was slammed in the kitchen, busily breaking down lunch and simultaneously prepping for dinner.

As a couple hundred items scrolled through my head like a mechanical rolodex, my glance landed upon one of our four housekeepers, Floralba Bonilla. Flor, or Rosita, which many of us affectionately call her, was breaking down assignments for the other three housekeepers, taking care to appropriately assign the tasks based on seniority and skill. She then hustled her way off to her own assignment, with a small smile towards me as she passed. I stopped her and said, "Rosita, tengo menos estres cuando estas aqui." Rosita, I have less stress when you are here. She just laughed and hustled off with her basket of cleaning items, mop and broom.

I was serious though. Flor has been with us for a year and a half. She came on the invite of her boyfriend, Eduardo (Employee of the Month, October), whom she is now married to. They live together at the resort, saving money for the house they are buying in Changuinola.

Flor is a great housekeeper. At seven, she cleans the clubhouse and dining area with the other housekeepers, then is off to supervise the cleaning of the rooms while the guests are at breakfast. As people leave at different points throughout the day, she quietly organizes the cleaning of their rooms, so as not to disturb the guests. She always makes sure that there are plenty of pool towels laundered, as well as fresh linens for the dining room, and sheets ready for any guests checking in. At the drop of a hat, she can give you an up-to-the minute progress report on how everything is going.

During the month of December, she did all this and more. In realizing that the kitchen was busier than ever, she thoughtfully laundered the kitchen towels and the chef coats for the cooks. She also supervised the efficient and thorough cleaning of 16 rooms during our peak times. Most of all, she did it with a smile on her face and without ever lowering the standards of perfection we maintain here at Popa Paradise. I can't tell you how proud it makes me to hear when guests remark on the cleanliness of the resort, or the care that is shown in arranging our guests personal items, when cleaning the room. It is due in large part to the presence and hard work of Flor Bonilla, Employee of the Month for December.