Amber's story
My name is Amber and I am 24 years old. I have been living in Tampa, Florida for a year and a half now. I am currently studying Hospitality administration management at Hillsborough Community College, also known as HCC.
Saving up money
After I graduated from my hotel school, I decided to move to the United States. I worked full-time for a few years, and I was able to save enough money to go. I reached out to KILROY, and they guided me through the application process. Early in the process, I got in contact with Ashley, one of the recruiters at Hillsborough Community College, she answered all of the questions I had. I felt very welcome from the start. Hilssborough Community College has a Center for International Education that guides students through the application process. The center helps students before, during, and after their studies. From the application process to graduation - for any questions - you can come in.
Learning about leadership
Extracurricular activities are very important in the United States, especially for international students. I became the President of Hillsborough's Global Council. Hillsborough's Global Council is for both international and domestic students. We organize social events and international festivals. We volunteer in the community and raise money for the club or other organizations. During spring, I organized an on-campus international festival. Many students, faculty, and staff came out to visit the food trucks, a henna artist, international soda tastings, and even a Japanese calligraphy artist. Our last event was a great success too. We organized an international retreat and took 23 students camping and kayaking over the weekend. It was lots of fun! I loved being the President. I learned a lot about leadership and watched the club grow throughout the year.
Time for the beach
During my free time, I love going to the beaches! My favorite beach is Fort Desoto. I have a dog, and we love to take him there on the weekends. Florida also has many water springs where you can do kayaking and swim in the cool water. Weeki Wachee is my favorite so far! And in downtown Tampa, one of the yoga studios organizes free yoga on Sundays in the park, which is a great way to stay active. Plus, the weather is always nice!
The Tampa Bay area is a lot of fun all year long - since the sun is always out, and there are a lot of things to do!
Best regards,
Amber 't Hoen
College student at Hillsborough Community College