Greetings folks, I’m Joe Galante, a freshman in Pitt business majoring in Business Information Systems. Outside of my schoolwork, I’m on the business team of Pitt’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers, where we build a formula racing car from scratch, race it, then market it in a mock professional sales pitch to investors. Outside of my curricular and extracurricular activities here, I’m proud to say that I’m a brother of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. And in my spare time, I like to play baseball & football with my friends, watch old movies, lift weights, and joke around with my friends.
I’ve always wanted to help people. I’ve been lucky enough to be very fortunate with what I have, and I haven’t struggled in certain ways millions of people around the world have. After 19 years of living in excess and instant gratification, I figure now is the time to give back. Now is the time. I’m young, motivated, and ready to do my duty as a moral human. I want to help those all around the world struggling just to find their next meal, or struggling to find where they’ll sleep next, or those who don’t have anyone providing for them. Thus, when I heard about the possible destinations for Plus3, I knew the only place I should go, was Vietnam. Luckily, I was chosen for it, and I have never been more excited to take a 30-hour trip before in my life. Ho Chi Minh, here I come.
I’m excited because Plus3 Vietnam’s theme is Globalization & Development, which is perfectly suited for my needs. After coming off a devastating war, China building dams upstream on the Mekong river, and a myriad of other problems, Vietnam is finally starting to make a come up financially, but there still are plenty of problems, and a lot more room for growth. This country is the ideal place for me to learn about so that I can learn how to use information technology to improve their businesses which will in turn improve their financial state and hopefully in the long run improve their quality of life. If I learn about their culture, their ways of living, and their unique issues, I can better understand how to use what I learn in the classroom to help them best.
Additionally, while I’ve been all over Europe, I’ve never been to an Asian foreign country. I’ve never been tossed in an environment this foreign. Being here for two weeks will not just encourage but force me to acclimate to their lifestyle and standards of living. That is such an amazing experience that you will never be able to have sitting at a desk inside the United States. Finally, I’ve always been interested in Vietnamese culture, and this is a great time to delve into that. This program will be everything I want and need, packed into an adventurous and busy 14 days. I’m incredibly eager to make this trip, and May 3rd can’t come fast enough. Peace out.