Suriname Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHATA)

Placement organization

Name of organization: Suriname Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHATA)
Town/city: Paramaribo
Country: Suriname
Website: http://www.shata.sr/en/members/

Student

Name of student: Janneke Ebbers

Specialist area: ITMC
Placement period: 2017-2018

Information about placement organization

Type of organization: Private tourism association
Organization’s activities: Market research, lobbying, marketing & promotion and tourism education
Target group of the organization: Private organizations active in the tourism sector or any affiliation.
Company culture: The company culture at the SHATA is somewhat informal, in that communication lines are short and direct. As an intern, you are likely to report directly to the managing director, who will also be your placement supervisor. In my experience, all employees were easy to reach out to. Also, the team is keen on working together rather than maintaining strongly hierarchical relationships.
Number of employees: 3
Dress code: formal
Did the organization meet the agreements you made beforehand? Yes

Information about your placement

In which department(s) are you working?

This strongly depends on the agreements you made with your supervisor prior to the start of your placement. During my placement, I worked project-based on the development of a Gastronomic Route in Suriname. However, as SHATA continues to start new projects, you might well be asked to work on marketing- or sales-oriented tasks.

Brief description of your daily activities: Due to agreements I made both with NHTV and my placement company, I did not work on daily activities. Rather, I worked on one project the entire time (i.e. my company assignment).
Brief description of your company assignment: Assisting in the development of a Gastronomic Route in Suriname: To strengthen Suriname’s tourism product portfolio, the SHATA initiated the idea of developing a Gastronomic Route. When I started my placement, solely a rough idea existed of what such a route could entail. So, I was asked to create an advisory report, in which I laid out how the route could be developed and what steps should be taken.
Comment briefly on your supervision by the organization: Even though my company supervisor was not always physcially there, she was always reachable by phone or e-mail. Also, she was honest and regularly provided me with constructive feedback. We regularly sat together to discuss my work and my progress.

Requirements for students on placement

What kind of personal skills are required for this placement? Independent, self-motivated, flexible, confident and representative.
Additional company requirements for this placement? MS Office (i.e. Word & Excel), writing skills
English: Advanced
Spanish:
French:
German:
Italian:
Other languages: Dutch – Advanced. National language of Suriname is Dutch, which is also the main language spoken both in- and outside the office.

The trip

Mode of transport to reach your destination: Airplane

Accommodation

How did you arrange your accommodation? Family/Relatives
How did you go to work every day? Bicycle or taxi

Visa / work permit / vaccinations

Do you need a visa? Yes, depending on the duration of your placement. For me, a Short Duration Visa (€40) was sufficient, which is valid for max. three months. I do advise you to check visa requirements with the Suriname consulate in time!
Do you need a work permit? No.
How did you arrange the necessary documents: Surinamese Consulate in Amsterdam.
How much time did it take to arrange the necessary documents? Once you visit the Consulate, you will get your visa straight away.
Did you need certain vaccinations? Yes
How long in advance?

Language course

Did you take a language course before you started your placement? No
Would you recommend to have a language course prior to this placement? Only in case you are not fluent in Dutch or English.

The costs in euros

Travelling expenses (e.g. return ticket): € Return flight €650
Accommodation (monthly): € €150 (Keep in mind that student housing tends to be more expensive!)
Local transport (monthly): € Rented a bicycle for €50 per month (via Fietsen in Suriname). However, I advise anyone to either buy a bike second-hand once you get there, or find another rental company. Also, taxi rides are very affordable.
General costs of living (monthly): € €400
Costs of visa: € 40
Costs of work permit: € N.A.
What did the company pay for/to you? The company did not pay for anything.

Culture

How did you prepare for the country’s culture?
Read some online articles and watched some videos. Also, it is recommended to talk to people who visitied Suriname in the past.
Did the culture of the country influence your performance during the placement in any way? Keep in mind that the culture is fairly laid-back in comparison to that of the Netherlands. However, during your placement, you will be asked to deliver quality, on time.

Future students on placement

Future students are free to contact me for further information: Yes
My e-mail address: janneke.ebbers@live.nl

Other information

Recommendations on what to do and what not to do: Please prepare yourself, both for your placement as for the country. In my experience, a very negative image on (white) interns exists, partially because of inappropriate behavior from their side. Even though Suriname has a long history with the Netherlands, it does not mean that there are no cultural differences. Particularly for girls, I would not advise you to go out after dusk, simply because it is not safe. Do not wear obvious jewelery. Moreover, handbags or purses are easily stolen, so it might be better to wear a shoulder bag or backpack, for instance. Finally, it is very common for foreigners in Suriname to think “they know it better than any of the locals”. Even though you will likely be welcomed with open arms, you should not place yourself above anyone. Particularly because you are still an intern, and probably not as experienced as your co-workers or stakeholders.
Leisure possibilities in the city/surroundings of where the placement took place: The historical city of Paramaribo is a great place to stroll around, but it’s small. You will have seen most of it within a day. A tour to the interior of Suriname is definitely worth it, particularly if you love nature and the outdoors.

Media

Youtube link Youtube placement video link