Meet Sonia Olarescu, a 23-year-old graduate from the American Hotel Academy in Romania, who transformed her career in the luxury hospitality industry through the J-1 Visa program in the United States. In this interview, Sonia shares her journey, insights, and the impact of her international internship experience.

For more information about our J-1 initiative Fast Track USA, head over to the program’s homepage to find out everything you need to know to take the first steps towards your once in a lifetime training experience abroad!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in the hospitality industry?

I am a recent graduate at American Hotel Academy in Brasov, with a bachelor degree in International Hotel Business Management. I decided to choose this career because I considered it to be interesting, fun and suitable for my skills and abilities. I am a people person, and I am always ready for traveling and new adventures. 

What motivated you to pursue an internship/traineeship in the United States?

I have always wanted to visit the United States, but I never actually got the chance. When I heard about the opportunity of having an internship in the US through my college, I immediately said yes. I was interested in finding out more about their culture, habits, ways of doing things and also, I wanted to learn about their hospitality industry.

How did you first learn about the J-1 Visa program and why did it appeal to you?

I found out about the J1 programs at the beginning of college, when I learned about the internship opportunities and career management. It appealed to me because I was interested in going to the US anyways and being given the chance to also explore and learn about their hospitality industry made me decide I wanted to pursue my internship here.

Can you describe the application and selection process for the J-1 Visa program?

Getting a J1 visa is not very complicated, you have to get in touch with ITN, choose a property, take an interview and after that, you have to fill in paperwork provided by ITN and also by the host company.

You apply for the visa on the embassy website with the required docs and then have the interview at the embassy and that is about it. There were not any challenges I had to face during my visa application, just small details about how to fill certain paperwork. ITN helped me with those.

Can you walk us through a typical day in your internship/traineeship?

A day in my life starts with a good coffee and then I make my way to my hotel where I either find myself serving in the restaurant/bartending or managing. At the end of the day I usually go out with my co-workers for a drink / food. We are pretty close to each other even outside work.

What kinds of skills and knowledge did you gain during your time in the program?

I gained a lot of skills such as organization, time management, and communication. I learned how to work under pressure, problem solving and also, I learned significant aspects about the F&B industry and the service side of it like wine service, mixology, inventory, interviews, and scheduling.

How did you adapt to the work culture in the U.S. hospitality industry? Were there any significant differences from your home country?

I adapted very well to the hospitality industry in the US. I caught up very fast and went straight to being one of the top members of staff in less than 2 months. 

Hospitality industry is different overseas, but in a good way. Service is more complex and has more steps, but in this way people are more satisfied. Tipping is also different- has to be around 18/20% at least, whereas in my country, Romania, if you tip 10% is more than enough.

Can you share a particularly memorable experience from your time in the U.S.?

I've had so many great experiences in the US, I wouldn't know which one to share.

I visited more than 13 states, I went to the Dominican Republic, went the Bahamas on a cruise and I attended multiple music festivals like EDC, ULTRA, and SUNFEST. All my experiences were memorable and I cherish each of them in particular. I remember going to a pool party at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida and seeing Steve Aoki performing on the stage. It was an awesome time spent with my close friends.

What were some of the biggest challenges you encountered while living in the United States?

One of the biggest challenges I had to face in the US was getting homesick. Sometimes I would get so emotional and would just want to see my family. But I'd facetime them and then I'd be just fine. I got a lot of support from my colleagues and my friends from there that at some point I felt like they were my second family.

In what ways has the experience impacted your personal growth?

The experience has impacted my personal growth in so many good ways. I learned how to be responsible, independent, how to communicate better, how to control my emotions, how to be a better person. I learned how to live far from my family and be able to manage the time being away from the dear ones.

What advice would you give to someone from Europe considering a hospitality internship/traineeship in the U.S.?

I would totally recommend signing up for an internship in the US for the experience. It is something unique,something you don't get to try everyday. Hospitality is different in the US and teaches you a lot about how to grow and learn more everyday.

How can someone prepare to make the most out of their J-1 experience?

If you want to make the most out of your experience, you have to live life to the fullest. There is no such thing as preparing. You have to let yourself flow, allow yourself to be surrounded by great people, and to travel, to have fun, to learn interesting stuff. You have to always be positive and have a good attitude. If you are in a good mood, everything else follows.

Want to add international hospitality experience to your CV early in your career like Sonia did? Fast Track USA makes it easy to find exclusive training placements abroad and obtain the visa you need to get there. Visit the Fast Track homepage today to apply for your dream internship overseas!