Hi everyone! My name is Josh Sorkin and I am a freshman in the College of Business Administration planning to major in finance and accounting with a certificate in international business. I was born in New Jersey, but I’ve lived in Alpharetta, Ga since I was five. Coming to Pittsburgh from Georgia was a big change and I look to continue to step outside of my comfort zone by traveling to Vietnam through the Plus 3 program. On campus I’m a member of the Sports Business Association and will also be the Vice President of Scholarships and Awards for Delta Sigma Pi this upcoming fall. Outside of school I enjoy playing and watching sports, reading, and working out.

I’ve chosen the program in Vietnam to have the opportunity to travel somewhere new that is not a typical vacation spot for a majority of people. The opportunity to immerse myself in the Vietnamese culture by trying the food, interacting with Vietnamese students, and just walking around the city will be an incredible experience. The program in Vietnam focuses on development and globalization. Vietnam is still a developing country with high potential to be an important part of the global business economy. It will be interesting to learn about how the country is developing its economy, and what steps it is taking to manage the process, and become a major player in the global business world. Also, the prospect of seeing how a developing country such as Vietnam is able to interact on the global scale, and how the ability to work with people from around the globe has impacted the development of the country’s economy, is a captivating topic. Finally, the site visits in Vietnam will provide an opportunity to see how business is conducted there, and how it differs from the United States.

The main thing I intend to gain on the trip is experience. The opportunity to interact with professionals in a country across the world from us will provide me with experience that I will be able to take with me for the rest of my life as I continue to travel and expand my knowledge of the business world abroad. These experiences will also be applicable as real life examples in future job interviews and other career related opportunities. Besides the business aspects, I am excited to meet Vietnamese students on the trip. It will be a great opportunity to see what life in college is like for kids our age in a different country and see how it compares to college in the United States. The students will also be a great resource as they look to help us navigate our way around the city and introduce us to their favorite stores, foods and restaurants.

Its going to be a long flight but I can’t wait to get to Vietnam and get started with this incredible trip in just a few short weeks. I hope you continue to follow along with my blog and I will make sure to keep everyone posted about my experiences while I’m away. Hẹn sớm gặp lại!