Originally this QnA was planned for all those fabulous Marcomm people that kept Bali’s hospitality brands ticking across all mediums… However, since C19 came along a few of these talented professionals have had to find other employment …

The Yak tracks them down and asks “Where are you now?”

Name, age (if you want to tell us) and where were you born? 

Bhatari Bulan Bharata, 32, Denpasar.

When did you come to Bali?

I’m from Bali. Born and raised Sanurian. 

Do you have family here? (We include your furry friends into this question). 

Yes, except for my sister who lives in Singapore.

What brands have you worked for over the years?

I’ve been with Hyatt for the past six years, and it’s the only hotel company I’ve worked in. I am fortunate enough to have worked across Hyatt brands; Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency and Andaz.

In my previous life though, I worked in market research agency and have worked for Estée Lauder, Campina, Unilever, Coca Cola and more. 

Nineteenth of March 2020. When you first heard of the Bali “stay at home” / #dirumahaja regulation what went through your head?

I am fortunate to still be working in the office from 2020 until now. But if I was to work from home… the first work would be: back pain! Lol…

What backup measures did you start putting in place when the writing was on the wall? (Covid 19 regulations were extended). 

Covid has made us think through of our future – in my case it makes me think hard of my back-up plan and make concrete plans for it. I reached out to people from various industries to learn more on different opportunities, took courses not related to my current job and expanded my network. 

What was your mental state and how did you move forward into a more positive attitude?

I went through different stage of emotions, like most people. There were tough times especially from April to June last year, I believe this was the toughest period, business and personal wise, for everyone. But I also learned the importance of taking care of ourselves mentally and opening up to people. Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends when you’re feeling low. A strong support system is just as important as supplements and working out. 

Also, take up a new hobby or learn new skills. When you do something for the first time, you have to focus on one thing at a time and learn something new about yourself. You have more compassion for yourself. Last but not least, have faith that things will work out. 

Finally, what are you doing now?

I am still with Hyatt; we just opened Andaz Bali on 9th of April – a rather bold decision given the current situation. As I said, have faith things will work out, as we just proved it! 

Definitely let us know if we can support you and we very much hope to catch up all together at some point soon. Until then, we salute your perseverance and strength! 

And readers do please go and support these fabulous people in their positions and companies!