Professional Journey

Three Stories

Abstract

The learning narratives in this book are based on retold occupational and life experiences, conversations, and documents. They are grounded in a larger text material from interviews with several vocational apprentices in the hotel industry. In addition, documents from occupational experiences and documents from retold school and professional histories have been used. Some stories are also inspired by diaries, newspapers, and notes. The material from diaries also includes poetic elements, and thus also elements of fiction.

Part 1 (Johannes) is a learning narrative based on five individual anonymised research interviews with receptionist apprentices in the period 2021–2022. The text bears the stamp of paraphrased own experiences within professional practice in hotel subjects and teaching within vocational pedagogy in VGO, as well as paraphrased educational courses from the hotel industry from own family members. The text can be read as part of an overall learning narrative about learning in practice, at work and in life. In addition, there is a helpful dimension in Johannes' hidden but well-developed sense of smell. He can recognize his guests long before he sees them.

Part 2 (Ole) is based on my own experienced and anonymised learning stories from my own professional practice at sea and on land. This text can also be read as part of an overall learning narrative about learning from one's own practice, at work and in life.

Part 3 (Jon) is based on my father's complex life experiences, school and professional stories from a long life in the galley and in military kitchens, and from his old diaries, stories and notes which have now been rewritten and anonymised. Roald Thunberg was also the illegitimate son of the Finnish skater Clas Thunberg. This has also previously been reproduced in the History of the Winter Olympics (Lahlum and Tronstad 2021, p. 67).