During the fall semester of 2021, I was hired as a technical service assistant at the Centennial Student Union (CSU) on MNSU’s campus.  I help to set up, manage, and tear down numerous types of events.  These tasks can include creating a lighting design, setting up sound systems, and setting up projections.  Some of these events have included Indo-Banglo Night, Nepali Night, and Dishan and Tihar.  In addition to working culture nights, I have also had the opportunity to work with numerous international student organizations.  This has allowed me to meet people from all different cultural backgrounds.

Working at the CSU has pushed me to improve my communication skills.  I have learned how to better communicate with people who have a different first language other than English, who are not familiar with some of the technical elements of running large events, and how to communicate with people who are in a stressful situation.  This was something that caught me off guard when I started working here.  I think I had the assumption that I would be able to easily communicate with everyone, but I had to learn how to adapt my skills and mindset.  It also became challenging when the event was not going according to plan.  Because of my major, I have become used to fast-paced and high intensity events, but not everyone has this experience.  I had to learn how to stay calm and calm the client down while still thinking about the communication skills mentioned previously.  

One of the skills I would still like to improve on is my ability to communicate with people in these situations.  While I was able to find a solution for most situations, there were times when clients would have rather spoken to someone else because I did not speak their first language.  Sometimes this meant they would involve a third person, or communicate with my coworker instead of me.  I think this will be a vital skill as I continue my career in theatre.  I am certain I will work with people from a variety of backgrounds, many different from my own, and I will be able to confidently communicate when at work.  There are many theatre plays that share the story of someone from a different culture or background.  By learning how to work with everyone, I will know how to step out of the way to let people who share a similar experience tell the story, but I will still be able to help.