Jodie Hall from France is Studying at Truckee Meadows Community College

Who am I?

Hello, I’m Jodie Hall, I’m 22 years old, and I come from Lyon, a city in France not far from Switzerland. I was born in England, I’m half British, half French. I love traveling; the first time I went on a plane, I was 18 months old going to France. Fun fact: I have never been alone in my life, I have a twin sister, so we are always together, traveling together but this is the first time going somewhere without her. I think that was the most challenging part of coming to the US for me.

Why did I choose to come to the US? 

After 3 years of studying hospitality, food and beverage, catering management and 4 years of work experience in a restaurant and a hotel in France, I decided to pursue my studies in the United States at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC). The hotel industry is different in the U.S. and I think it is important for me to gain a deeper understanding of American hospitality and improve my English. Furthermore, my parents currently live in Reno so it’s a great opportunity for me to come here.

As Vanina Coudriet, the coordinator of the program says: "The Hospitality and Tourism Management program is perfect for international students because the hospitality industry is built on global skills that can be learned, developed, and applied anywhere in the world."

How has it been so far?

It's been 6 months since I left France, and it was the best decision of my life! Being international at a U.S. college, I have met a lot of international students. I’ve been improving my English (and Spanish), and also, I have learned new words in Japanese and how to be more open-minded about other cultures.

Classes are fun because it’s a very different approach compared to French education: classes are interactive and participative, and students and professors are caring. Also, there is a service dog in my class, you only see that in the U.S.! Professors, international services, and advisors are very helpful and give us useful information.

Why study hospitality in the U.S.?

I already have my degree in hospitality management in France, and I wanted to learn more about an industry that is quite different here, for instance, the gaming industry. My professor, Vanina Coudriet, has a very interesting way of teaching with in-class activities. She says, "Another advantage of our classes is the diverse guest speaker population. We often have guest speakers who are local leaders. Students have the unique opportunity to network and learn from the experts. We also have a job shadowing assignment so students can explore different career paths, experience “a day in the life”, and build strong relationships with people in the industry."

Work experience

As I said at the beginning, I worked for 4 years in a restaurant and a hotel. Professor Coudriet mentioned, “Our customer experience course has the benefit of diversity through internationalization. I love it when Jodie shares her academic and work experience from France with our class. She motivates other international students to also voice their experiences and perspectives. Culture plays a huge role in the hospitality industry — understanding different cultural perspectives and insight gives students a competitive advantage."

Moving here, it was hard for me to not work as I like to keep busy. Thanks to the hospitality program at TMCC, I will have this great opportunity to have an internship in a local hotel. Vanina helps students find and secure internships “especially international students,” she says, “since they often need more guidance and mentoring. Internships integrate classroom study with relevant hands-on experience by allowing students to use their education and training in an actual ‘real world’ work environment to gain industry experience. Hospitality internships provide the opportunity for customized learning, career exploration, professional growth, challenging work experience, networking, training, and skill development."

Getting experience working in a hotel and working in English will get me out of my comfort zone and boost my confidence. Can’t wait!