My name is Aleksandr Gorbenko, I am from Latvia / Lithuania and I just started my Certificate Course here, at HTMi. While studying in school I have already decided to dedicate my future life to the Hospitality Industry. Since I have heard about HTMi for the first time I never stopped dreaming about my being here. On the 23th of January 2010 my dream came true and now I am a student of this institute.

My first day here – fantastic, every day here I feel like that. Every day I find something new about this place, which fascinates me. Atmosphere in the whole town cannot be described in words. The town of S?renberg is surrounded by a snowy mountain range...spectacular nature views like ours here leave a deep impression on anyone. People who are leaving here are very friendly. The atmosphere inside HTMi is very warm and family-like. It creates the feeling that you are actually at home.

HTMi’s motto is: “Come as a student, leave as a manager”. Education System is very thoroughly thoughtful here. The ideal balance is found between academic knowledge and practice. Students can study and then immediately apply gathered knowledge into practise. The campuses we live in are hotels, so while we are here – we are working, studying, living in a real hotel. This system gives the opportunity to understand more clearly the hospitality industry from within itself and makes students more competitive, because they leave the Institute as an experienced hotel operators. In my vision this system unites the best features from other education systems, consequently making it the best.

All lecturers and operating staff are very responsive and always ready to help. They always encourage, motivate and inspire students to create new personal aspirations and goals we can reach in future, and they help us to expose our strengths, to spot weaknesses and turn them in advantages.

For a rather short time of being here, I made a lot of international friends, I am really grateful for it, as I have the opportunity to learn from different cultures.

The assembly of those factors makes being here absolutely and undoubtedly an unforgettable experience.

Aleksandr Gorbenko

Latvia