Hi everyone! My name is Hippolyte, and I’m a second-year student in Civil Engineering and Construction at École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in France, where I’ve also been taking architecture courses on the side. I grew up in Le Havre in the north of France, and in just a few weeks I’ll be trading the Normandy coast for a GMS internship in New York City. Needless to say, I can’t wait.
How it all started
I actually heard about Architect-US through my future employer in New York. They put me in touch with the team to handle the visa sponsorship side of things. Looking back, I didn’t have many worries going into the process. The only real question mark for me was the visa timeline, since I knew it could take a while. In the end, everything moved along smoothly, and the Architect-US team was genuinely great to work with: responsive, attentive, and always quick to answer my questions. Honestly, nothing to complain about there.
The embassy interview
If you’re stressing about your embassy appointment, don’t. Mine was short and pretty relaxed. The longest part by far was standing in line beforehand!
Landing the offer
I got my position after an interview that covered both personal and technical questions. It went well overall, though I’ll admit it was a bit nerve-wracking since it was my first professional interview conducted entirely in English. Good practice for what’s ahead, I suppose.
What I’m hoping to get out of this
More than anything, I’m looking forward to putting into practice everything I’ve learned so far in school, while discovering how construction and design methods differ in New York compared to France. A whole new set of standards, workflows, and site practices to absorb. I’m ready for it.
See you on the other side of the Atlantic!
