Mathilde Gervais

• Can you briefly introduce yourself?

My name is Mathilde Gervais and I’m a student in Year 3 of the Bachelor in Tourism and Hospitality Management at Excelia. I am part of the Class of 2022.

• Can you tell us about your international experience?

For my academic expatriation, I went to UADE University in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I spent 5 months.

I lived in Buenos Aires, in a house share with other international students. I met some fantastic people of all different nationalities. At the start, things were a little difficult because of the language barrier, but it forced me to quickly find my bearings and I went on to enjoy some unforgettable experiences.

For the lessons, I was worried about the language barrier as Argentines have a very strong accent that is very different from the Spanish, but in the end, I had no problem following the lessons. Oral comprehension develops very quickly!

I only had lessons from Monday to Wednesday so I had a lot of free time, which allowed me to travel around this vast country. Each region is very different in terms of landscape and environment as well as things to see and do.

• What was the highlight of your expatriation?

The highlight was my first trip outside of Buenos Aires. Just a couple of days after landing, I went to a small seaside town a few hours by bus from the capital with two French students I had just met. This was the first time I had experienced such a huge contrast… leaving the capital to arrive in a tiny town where the roads weren’t even paved. We were completely lost and didn’t have any cash (they don’t have a credit card culture at all). Fortunately, we met an incredibly kind family who helped us. They invited us to share a traditional meal at their home and took us quad biking on the beach. Their kindness and humility affected us deeply and it was definitely the most memorable experience of my trip. I am still in touch with this family.

• What was the main difference between teaching in France and teaching at the partner university?

The attitude of the students and teachers is somewhat lax. In class, everyone drinks ‘mate’, the local herbal tea, students shout out and move around as they please but somehow the lesson isn’t disrupted. Lessons are very interactive, the students participate a lot and the teachers use the students’ experiences to explain ideas and concepts.

• What do you think of international experiences in general?

My expatriation made me realise that travelling is the best way to learn! By leaving your comfort zone, you learn so much more! This experience was incredibly enriching in terms of openness and tolerance. It enabled me to discover and affirm my personality, with character traits that I was certainly not aware of before I left.

International experiences are synonymous with openness to the world, to new ways of living, thinking, and behaving, which makes us to reconsider our vision of things as French people, and to be more broadminded.

• Why did you choose Excelia Tourism School for your studies?

I chose Excelia Tourism School because of its strong international dimension, especially through its university exchange programmes.

• What do you plan to do after this programme?

When I have completed the final year of my Bachelor, I hope to join an MBA in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, in Bordeaux. I would like to do the work-study track to be able to join the team of a 4* Michelin hotel-restaurant in the Basque Country.

• What is your professional project?

After my studies, I would like to run my own hotel on the Atlantic coast between the Landes region and the Basque Country, and offer packages linked to water sports activities such as surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and kitesurfing.