My name is Karlee Cuddy and I am an undergraduate student studying both Business Administration-Management and Psychology at California Lutheran University. I choose to have my first international experience in Thailand and Vietnam and attended the Winter South East Asia program.
Hear more directly from Karlee:
What was it like meeting and traveling with a group of people you didn’t know beforehand?
Half of the journey is the fact that you do not know who you are traveling with. I think an integral part of the IBS programs is that everyone is not only discovering a new country or countries, but they are living out that experience with others who are just as unfamiliar with the locations. This commonality of being in a completely new environment creates the opportunity to bond because when it comes to free time activities, you want to go with others, so it creates a greater incentive to get to know each other. My group had a well-balanced dynamic in which we all play certain roles and meet the group’s needs by looking out for each other. We rapidly overcame any discomforts and embrace each of our unique qualities without judgment.
Do you intend on interning/working abroad in the future – if so, what did you learn from your seminar that will help you work/live abroad?
Personally, I do not foresee myself working or interning abroad in the future. Although this trip was amazing and I would never take back the experience, I think I am more of a domestic traveler. Experiencing a country outside of the United States gave me a lot of insight on myself and my habits, which has proved useful going forward, but also I felt a lot of discomfort with this trip. Two weeks was a perfect amount of time to visit a country, get a very quick blip of the culture and the climate, and be content with what I accomplished.
What company did you enjoy learning from the most and why?
The company I enjoyed visiting the most was MPG or Mahanakorn Partners Group. The individual that volunteered his time to speak with us created an open discussion by simply introducing himself briefly and talking about the concept of cultural immersion and his failure to achieve this when he first transitioned to Bangkok. This introduction inspired more questions from me than any other company combined. The free form conversation enabled me to ask direct questions about the company’s culture, its brand, and how it operates from a human resources perspective. From this speaker, I learned about the economy of Thailand and what it takes for an international business to establish itself and thrive. In order to thrive, culture is a huge proponent because it influences how business meetings are conducted. The presented was able to make the conversation come full circle because cultural immersion was the central focus. Because of this company visit, I found that company culture and establishment is a topic I am passionate about and wanted to learn as much as I could.
If you have any questions email me at: kcuddy@callutheran.edu