My name is Brian Hodges and I am a Speech Communication student at
 State University. For the summer of 2014, Trip Horn, a Speech Communication alumnus, and I had the experience of traveling across the country together. At first the sound of a 36 hour car ride did not sound very appealing, however, after countless stories and laughs we made it to Gardiner, Montana.

Moving across the country to work for Yellowstone National Park was an experience that I will never forget. Using skills from intercultural communications, I was able to understand perspectives of people from completely different cultures than my own. One interesting thing about working a summer job at a National Park like Yellowstone, is that students from all over the United States and around the world come together to work for 3 months. Interacting with foreign students who had never been to the United States was a daily occurrence. There were people from Poland, Chez Republic, and Slovakia, who all had trouble speaking English. These interactions and cultural boundaries made my communication skills an essential part of everyday life at Yellowstone.

While at work, I feel like my communication skills gave me an advantage over my coworkers.  Yellowstone is the number two most visited attractions in the United States for foreign travelers, following New York City as number one. What this meant for me was as a server and cashier I had to learn others cultural differences. For example, many foreigners did not understand the concept of tipping. It was not that they were being rude it was just that in their home countries or culture they do not tip. I also found that non-verbal communication was vital when it came to explaining foods and giving directions in a professional and polite manor.

Communication played a key role in my success through Xanterra Parks and Resort and I plan on moving back to Montana after graduation in May to work full time in management. Although the purpose of traveling to Montana was for work, I felt that I was really out there to hike, climb, fish, camp, and explore every day. The countless memories and friends from all around the world made this trip unforgettable.