Hidden Meanings

Wow. Wow. Sadly, this post will not be long enough to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the Hospitality House. As I am writing this post, I am a senior here at Appalachian State, studying criminal justice with a minor in psychology. Not really knowing where I would be at in my future was very stressful approaching potential graduation. I needed an internship as well, which was an experience I have never had before. I began to feel extreme anxiety and nervousness prior to reaching out to Hospitality House for an internship, especially during a pandemic. Reflecting, I laugh at my nervousness and stress. There was absolutely no need for this. It is safe to say that this has by far, this has been the best experience in my collegiate career at Appalachian State. Hospitality House welcomed me with open arms, which I will forever cherish. This started with the best staff and intern class in the entire world, creating an environment that made me comfortable. Quickly I was able to call all these people family. The support system provided by staff at Hospitality House has been unmatched by anything I have experienced.

This revolved around my intern class that provided a tremendous foundation, driven by initiative to make our intern experience as enjoyable as possible. This family bond allowed us to help our community diligently while learning valuable life lessons with real-world experiences in the process. Next, I am so thankful to meet and develop relationships with clients that Hospitality House serves. Every client is beyond special in their own way. Our clients have so much pride and dignity, with so many talents that were incredible to witness. For example, I have grown to admire art much more than before. One painting from a client took me minutes to process the hidden meaning. I was left breathless after this realization, now understanding the talent and creativity that the people in this organization have. Interactions at Hospitality House taught me a lot of lessons that I have always overlooked in life, while also teaching me a lot about myself. I am forever grateful for the clients that I have seen excel at the Hospitality House. I want to thank my supervisors for absolutely everything. Their passion and dedication is incomparable. They made me feel extremely excited to come in every single day, teaching me so much. A lesson I learned at Hospitality House is that it takes everyone to get involved to create change. You can make a difference and help yourself, to understand the hidden meaning of hope and work for others to create change in our community. I am so appreciative to continue my journey at Hospitality House.

Please feel free to contact me at jjrohlinger52@gmail.com for more information on my experiences as an intern or how you can help because YES, you should 100% join our family and make a difference.