How my exchange studies changed my whole career plan

By Celia Ogna

It’s 2014. I am 21 years old, and after 9 years of wanting to live in the US, I’m stepping on the first step of the staircase. I am embarking on a journey that is going to change my life completely. This upcoming semester I will be an exchange student at Ferris State University in Michigan.

I have been planning my relocation for months and at this point, I have tons of notes on my checklist:

• Get my international driving license
• Buy THE suitcase
• Get an insurance…

I’m definitely a planner! I have even known since age 12 what career I wanted, it will be a career in hotel management in America, it was crystal clear. All the decisions I made until then, aimed at this goal. I plan ahead, do research, read about it again and again. I make sure to know all there is to know about what I am getting into, to make the best decisions no matter the situation.

But one thing I was not expecting, is for Ferris State’s International Office to be so dedicated, organised and attentive, weeks before I even arrived. Their attention to detail and anticipation of every single question and need a student will have was very impressive. I was not used to “being taken care of”.

In January 2014 when I finally arrived on campus, I had no clue what my first day was going to be like. Although, not so surprisingly, everything had already been taken care of by the International Office staff and all I had to do was showing up for the big day. I attended various introduction sessions, all extremely helpful and on point, then checked-in to my dorm and took the shuttle to go shopping for my bedroom. By the end of this first day, I had met other international students, had a campus tour, knew everything I needed to know and had a bedroom ready for my first night in the US.

A few days passed, my classes started and my new life with it. There was a real community here, a diverse community of international and American students that made me feel home. Almost every week and weekend, events were organised by the Office of International Education to gather students and help us all discover more about the different cultures on campus.

After a few encounters and discussions with the Office of International Education, it hit me.

These people cared about every single student’s experience as much as the student cares about it him/herself. The International Office team members were all as passionate, invested, caring and professional as you could dream of - pretty much a dream team for a dream experience. Their dedication touched me a lot. And as I realised they had the opportunity to connect with so many people and cultures every single day, I felt that this is a job I would actually enjoy...

I have always loved meeting people from all over the world, hearing about people’s stories, countries and cultures was fascinating, almost mesmerising for me. As a kid, I remember I was always the first friend of the new international student in town, drawn to them like a butterfly. They often did not speak a word of French, so we would walk home together after school and learn each other’s language. I would try to help them feel comfortable in their new country and help them in their new life as best as I could. After just a few months, you could see the incredible impact moving abroad had on their confidence, maturity and determination in life. That was such an inspiration! It took 10 years until I had the chance to move abroad and experience it myself at Ferris State University, but it was worth the wait and I was not disappointed!

As an exchange student, I felt that all emotions were heightened, the good ones and the tougher ones. But you discover you can do it all on your own, wherever you are. You find so many pieces of yourself and so many different side of each piece. Living abroad teaches you it’s all good to be different, because after all, everyone is. You learn more about who you truly are, what you want and where you want to go.

You understand so many more points of view, and how people’s perspective is not only a reflection of their lives but also their culture. You understand it from real life experiences, not just from reading it anymore. You get to see up close and personal the impact of cultures on relationships and interactions. Each culture brings something different to the table, some are very respectful of every rules, some are very spontaneous, some enjoy silence, some love time with friends more than anything, etc...Most importantly, you take so much distance on everything. You don’t take things personally anymore, you don’t engage in drama, and you put everything into perspective. That is probably the most valuable lesson of all, it serves in everything you do for the rest of your life.

I can say that living abroad taught me much more than I imagined, it taught me perseverance and gave me the will to take every opportunity to grow personally and professionally. It gave me perspective on the importance of personal experiences in life, life should be experienced. So often we don’t include personal experiences in the balance of career and academic success. However personal experiences shape you, they help you see who you are inside, to reflect it on the outside. And that’s how personal experiences can positively affect your career choices.

Picture: Celia with two international friends from France and Japan on a trip to Toronto during their exchange semester in Michigan

When my semester in the US ended, I went back home in France to finish my Bachelors in Tourism and Event Management. I was obsessed with sharing experiences abroad with other students that had the same opportunity or were about to go experience it themselves. For the next 5 years I kept encouraging as many people as possible to go for that semester abroad, that gap year, that trip they had in the back of their head. But for the next 5 years, in the back of my head I kept on thinking about how amazing it would be to work in the field and help students make their dreams come true.

Six months after my return to France, I moved to Finland in Northern Europe for a 6 month internship in business travel management. After the internship ended, I decided to stay and my job search started. The next 6 months tested my resilience more than I imagined, despite my motivation getting an interview was really difficult: I did not speak the language (Finnish) and had little experience. So it was time to remember what I learned abroad:

• Being different is an asset,
• Your ability to understand different cultures a treasure you can use,
• Gain perspective and don’t take it personally,
• Use your perseverance,
• Remember it will all help you grow personally and professionally.

It took me 8 months to finally find a job, and the best part is that I was passionate about it! I received an offer in February right before moved out because I was running out of money to support myself. But let me tell you I am so glad I didn’t give up! After gaining some experience on the first job in sales and marketing, I discovered I was more of a People person. Finding a second job was a million times easier, and I moved on to work as an Employee Experience Manager in a company with lots of international team members. Every single day I got to work with people from all continents and many cultures. Diversity in the workplace is definitely the most exciting part of my career, I choose roles that allow me to give back, make sure people’s experience at work is meaningful and joyful. I want to make sure they feel good, secure and happy. Making a difference in team members’ lives every single day keeps me going and building a community with so many different backgrounds is so enriching.

After 5 years thinking about how everything changed for me thanks to the Office of International Education, stepping on the second step of the staircase feels like a calling. The feeling that I should make a career change and contribute to international education has been growing a lot over the years, and my professional experience certainly guided me to dive into diversity more. I consider my early career as a first step towards making one's experience unique and creating a diverse, supporting and cohesive environment, while making everyone’s well-being a priority. It guided me to my true purpose. Everyday for the past 3 years I got to help people connect, I got to support them, motivate them and encourage them. This is an invaluable experience that I won’t forget, and I want to keep doing that.

But when it’s time for the leap of faith, it’s time. I dream about helping international and American students have one of the most beautiful life-changing experience they can have.

International Education staff does much more than meets the eye, they guide students in regards of academic, cultural and personal matters. They significantly impact student’s lives for the long term, and that is such a beautiful mission! After living abroad for now 5 years, I want to use that experience to help all the other students discover new cultures and understand all the opportunities studying abroad will bring them. I want to guide them and help them through their journey abroad. I am currently focusing on my job search to join an Office of International Education in the US and help students go for their dreams and realize how much they can achieve.

I have never been so enthusiastic and motivated to make something happen, and it is all thanks to my experience as an international student and the dedication of the Office of International Education I once met. Inspiration is something that makes the biggest difference in the world and can guide you a very long way… I truly believe International Education can do so much for the future of this world.

Bio of Celia Ogna

Celia Ogna grew up in France and moved to Big Rapids, Michigan at 21 to become an international student. After earning her bachelor’s in Travel Management she started her career in Finland to further expand her understanding of different cultures. She later started working in Human Resources as an Employee Experience Manager, ensuring team members from all over the world had the best possible experience in the work community. Celia developed a strong passion for International Education during her time as an exchange student. She is now dedicated to making a career change to support the field of International Education in its mission to strengthen relationships between nations and create diverse communities for a better future.

Her full experience can be found here.