Activity 3 Reading and Understanding
Read the following passage about saying farewell and try to get some cultural knowledge.
Saying Farewell
Farewell is the last, but not the least work of reception. A FA (Foreign Affairs)secretary should get farewell well-arranged to make the foreign guests feel home and want to come back.
To follow a prescribed order in farewell arrangement is essential for a FA secretary. Farewell arrangements begin with arranging the farewell dinner if there is one.Usually, about one week ahead, the FA secretary notifies the staff canteen (or some preferable restaurants) of the farewell dinner and discusses with the chef about the menu. If a farewell speech is needed, telephone or send e-mails to the person who is going to deliver the speech and remind him/her of the speech, the time and place of the dinner. Similarly,inform all the participants of the farewell dinner.
Next, a car or a coach should be arranged to pick up the guests from the hotel to the airport on the departure day. The FA secretary should call the administration office two or three days in advance, and confirm the car arrangement one day before departure.(https://www.daowen.com)
Some people may wish to see off the guests personally. In such a case, the FA secretary should notify these people of the guests’ departure time from the hotel or the departure time of the plane if they like to go to the airport directly.
Checking ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) is a must. The FA secretary can telephone the airport several hours ahead to confirm the flight and see if there is any change.
Before heading for the airport, the FA secretary should go to the hotel several hours before the plane takes off and help the guests to check out. The secretary should make sure the guests have collected all their belongings, documents and have taken all luggage.
After arriving at the airport, it is the FA secretary’s job to help the guests with customs formalities and check-in. It is essential for the secretary to wait in the departure lounge with the guests till the time for boarding. When the guests start boarding, the secretary should wave goodbye to them. It is only after the secretary sees the plane take off and disappear in sight can he/she leave the airport.