I used to be afraid to dine alone. Now I love it.

The author used to be afraid of dining alone in public.

Courtesy of the author

• My last name is Mesa, which means "table" in English.
• I joke that my name means I was destined to work in the hospitality industry.
• I was afraid of dining alone in public, but now I've learned to enjoy it.

It's no coincidence that my last name, Mesa, translates to "table." I believe I was born to work in the hospitality industry, and my passion for hosting people was nurtured from a young age.