In praise of foreign workers

One thing I've come to realize in my few trips I've made this year is what a big impact foreign workers make on the bigger parks, such as SFA, SFGAdv., and Hersheypark. Would any of the big parks be able to operate at anywhere near capacity (meaning rides open, and/or services) without these workers? I find it fascinating to see where all the workers come from (all over the globe) on the nametags. Your thoughts.
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If you have a problem with clones, the solution is real simple—Stop traveling.

I think they are great workers and help out a lot. They work hard and longer hours then the rest of the staff usually. And the amusement park is usually only one of their jobs. It's just not easy to train them on rides...

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"Here's my ten cence, my two cence is free"-Eminem

SFGAm employs alot of foreign people and IMO they are some of the best employees at the park. They are usually helpfull, courteous, and speak to you like you are a person and not just another body walking around the park.

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Arena football has arrived in the Windy City. Go "Chicago Rush"

I love the fact that some of them are also blatently honest while operating rides. For instance: I was riding Talon at Dorney Park the other day and we were temporarily stuck on the brake run. Some idiot on the train decides to start screaming in a very sarcastic tone just to get some attention. One of the ride ops (I believe she was Russian) promptly told him to "shut his mouth" and "calm down." It was hilarious. :)

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Whenever you can ride a roller coaster and experience 15 spots of intense airtime, you know you're on a good coaster. (see: Phoenix)

At SFSTL we have internation workers everywhere. Some are better workers than others but for the most part I dont know how we would get by without them.

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If practice makes perfect but noone is perfect, then why practice.

I know that the foreign workers at CP are almost always very helpful and efficient (of course, so are the rest of the workers). The only problem I sometimes see is with their accents. Last time I was at the Point, there was one girl who was operating the train-crossing gate near the Gemini. She was trying to tell everyone that they need step back off of the ‘bricks’ before should go open the gate. Unfortunately, what she was saying did not sound like ‘bricks’ and most people had no idea what she was asking. She started to get a little upset because everyone kept crowding the gate. I thought it was kind of funny, but I felt sorry for her.

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Bob M.

I've had the privelege of working with exchange students while working as a ride op for Great America. It's really nice to meet people from different cultures.

One summer, I worked with a group of Belgians. At a party, one of them told me how much he hated American beer. I asked him which brand he tried...he told me "Root".

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"SOME people have NO class!" - Mom from the Whizzer queue

LOL! That's a good one janfrederick... :)

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Whenever you can ride a roller coaster and experience 15 spots of intense airtime, you know you're on a good coaster. (see: Phoenix)

*Birch* is a way better brand...;)
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If you go down the Jersey shore to, say, Wildwood, most of the employees are foreign... lots from Ireland, France, Poland, etc. Many seasonal attractions, whether they be parks or entire towns, wouldn't survive without these employees. And as much as it pains me to say it, the foreign workers are usually ten times better than the American ones.

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

Well, I think that it might be easier to have a really good attitude about your job when you are doing it as a visitor. It's almost like being on vacation.

In spite of that, I've worked with people from other countries who were really bad...not many, but there were some. There was a guy from Korea who had is own version of the loading spiel for Whitewater Falls: "Get in, sit down, GO!"

Management transfered him out of rides after they figured out that we wasn't such a good fit.

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"SOME people have NO class!" - Mom from the Whizzer queue

Oh my God, I think this might be the first time I've ever laughed out loud TWICE in one thread!

Between Marimbaguy and janfrederick, I was rollin for a good two minutes!

Might be because I have experience working with international employees at SFGAm and some of them were *awesome*! I totally love how they "speak their mind."

That reminds me of my trip to SFGAd this year when the [Polish?] ride op on Nitro said, "While sitting on hand rails [awkward pause]...get down."

It killed! :)

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Top Thrill Dragster -- The most intense, unbelievable, and spectacular fifteen seconds on any coaster, anywhere, ever.

The Russians have invaded Mairne World!

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We had Eastern Europeans and Russian nationals working at SFOG in the summers I was there. Although sometimes communication was difficult, they were by and large good, friendly, smart, and hard-working folks.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

I think it's a great opportunity for both sides: The park has an employable person who isn't going to "quit" midseason, and the employee not only has plenty of stories to tell about his experience in America, but can save up a lot of $$ as well.

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"That's DOCTOR Evil. I didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called 'Mr. Thank You Very Much.'"