Born in Spain and raised in Mexico, our Intern Martha Diaz, a graduate in Busines and International Relations, joined us this year from Culinary Arts Academy in Le Bouveret. She brings expertise as a Chef and Etiquette specialist to the Surval family.
Modern Etiquette is the most accurate term for our offering at Surval. There can be a perception that etiquette is outdated, old fashioned and obsolete, that it’s just about behaving yourself in front of important people.
The purpose of Etiquette was originally to teach people how to behave in front of queens and kings and that is not really the case now, it’s about equipping yourself with tools to be yourself. For example, Surval’s etiquette programme teaches you how to host ‘correctly’ and with cultural sensitivity, it teaches you how to conduct yourself and interact in every situation, as well as the girls learning self-defence as part of the course, and other critical life skills like that.
I believe the Etiquette class should be interactive, fun and different. Currently, we’re talking a lot about mindfulness as a way to know yourself better, and to love yourself more. It’s a journey of self-discovery. With a strong sense of self, you can be confident in what to wear, how to sit, whether to accept others opening a door for you, how to present to yourself, for example, and introspection boosts feeling secure, confident and happy in yourself. All this is critical for the modern-day polished woman. Etiquette plays an essential role in your personal development.
Podcasts, reading the news and following current affairs are also part of the course - keeping up to date with what’s going on in the world, forging discussion and forming opinions on issues are key skills. In a society which can try to control and squish passion and spirit, it’s important to know more than just how to behave.
The only constant is change. Surval’s Etiquette celebrates tradition, today and embraces the future fully preparing our girls for the life they live now and that which lies ahead of them. From the micro detail of holding of cutlery and table placings to the hosting of board meetings, presenting to a globe of delegates and delivering executive-level receptions, Modern Etiquette develops your own style and truth, giving you a vital edge and distinctive finish.
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