Since receiving the email confirming our visit to Huawei, I have excitedly anticipated this business excursion. As a global leader in the tech industry, Huawei is at the cutting edge of computer and telecommunication advancements. However, I was not at all prepared for the jaw dropping tour of the Huawei Exhibition Center we would soon…
Category: Plus3 2019
Stats on Stats
Following a heavy sleep after yesterday’s excursions, I awoke to the sound of the hourly bell toll of the Beijing Railway Station directly across the street. I was soon dressed in business casual attire and headed for the sunshine atrium café. Here, I ate a delicious breakfast unlike any I have had in the past….
We Love Logistics(Re-Upload)
The day began with a trip to the Cat Lai terminal, Vietnam’s largest commercial international port, where we visited the Saigon Newport Corporation, a military backed terminal operator, ranked 21st in the world according to themselves. We were met with gracious hosts who educated on the world of overseas shipping, logistics, and port operation. We…
Can We Get Much Higher?
Today was an incredible introduction to the city of Beijing and its role in the Chinese history. We began the day with trip to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which is roughly 45 miles north of the city. As we navigated through the busy streets of Beijing, I was struck by several features…
Vietnam: Final Review
After two weeks in south Vietnam and a week to reflect on it, I’m sad to have left, but happy to have done it. Never would I have thought I would go to Vietnam to study the history and developing economy, let alone even go to Vietnam at all! I made many new friends, met…
Ok, So When Do We Go Back?
It is crazy to think that these past two weeks have given me hundreds of stories – some funny, some sad, and some more impactful than I could have ever imagined. On the two-hour car ride from the Dulles airport to Hershey, PA, I don’t think that I stopped talking. How could I when I…
Here Comes the Sun Village
My sixth day of the trip and first full day in Xi’an showed me why this city was the perfect showcase of the culture of China. The children’s village was definitely my favorite thing I did in Xi’an mostly because of the kids there. The Sun village was founded in 1996 and is for children…
Bye Bye Beijing
My fourth day of my trip and my last day in Beijing was a full one. My day started with going to Tiananmen Square. At first it surprised me that people were ready to wait 3 hours in line to see the grave of Chairman Mao but then again, you have to consider his importance…
This Can’t Be It, Can It?
As my time in Vietnam drew to a close, there was very little that I could articulate about the impact it had on me. First and foremost, I believe that entering Plus3 with as little amount of expectations as possible allowed me to get the most out of my two weeks, as every experience was…
감사합니다, South Korea!
The title means: “Thank you, South Korea!” as Saturday was the last day we were to be on the Korean Peninsula. The alarm, as always, woke me up early as heck in the morning but the feeling of excitement for a new day of exploration and adventure was gone. It was the morning that I…
Day 15: You Gotta Love Traveling
Sad! The day has come. The day we have to leave South Korea. It all starts with waking up at 6:30 am to finish packing, brush my teeth, go grab breakfast, and hop on the bus back to Seoul. We boarded the bus at 7:30 and drove six hours back to Incheon International Airport right…
A Great and a Palace
Thanks to jetlag, I woke up bright and early this morning before my alarm for probably the first time ever. Luckily, I went to bed early last night after what was literally the longest day of my life (over thirty hours between getting out of bed and turning in for the night), so I felt…
Missing Ho Chi Minh City
After two weeks in Vietnam I’m happy to be home and readjusted to life in the US; however, I’m also sad that the trip had to come to an end. The crazy streets and food in Ho Chi Minh City, along with all of the UEF and Pitt students that I met, are just a…
Until Next Time, Vietnam
What started as simply a two-week study abroad, molded itself into a once in a lifetime experience showing and teaching me more than I ever could have expected. The most special part of this trip was working directly with a Vietnamese college, UEF, and interacting with people my age who grew up and live in…
Goodnight Vietnam
One word that sums up my experience: Really cool. All jokes aside, I am so happy I went on this trip. I am proud of the numerous times I left my comfort zone, whether eating fish eyes or sipping tea next to bees or climbing in a cramped tunnel. I will give examples of three…
My Final Thoughts
Going to Vietnam for 2 weeks was something that made me extremely nervous going in. Before this trip started I had never been on a plane, left the country, or really gotten to know anyone else that was going on the trip with me. I don’t know if it was the culture or the activities…
That’s a Wrap, or is it a Spring Roll?
After finishing up the trip with final presentations, sports day, and a very long trip home, it’s finally hitting me that this experience is over. It was 2 weeks of learning about the business world both in and out of Vietnam, tech developments happening in the country, and Vietnamese culture and history. It was nothing…
May 17 – Munich Take 2
Today was finally the free day! (And unfortunately the last day of the program.) While the majority of the students decided to go to Salzburg, Austria, I headed back to Munich with five other people. I really liked it the first time and thought it would be a nice place to spend the free day….
Day 12: Now That We’ve Saigon :(
The past two weeks in Vietnam have honestly been incredible. From meeting countless new friends, both Vietnamese and American, to breathtaking sights and deliciously unique eats, there is so much to miss about the trip. Visiting several large companies gave us great insight into Vietnam’s economy and it’s role in the larger world economy, while…
Veni Vini Amari (we came. we saw. we loved.)
The past two weeks have given me insights and experiences that I could not have found elsewhere. This experience firstly, enhanced my educational and professional development. Through this experience, I have seen that there are vastly different ways to acheive the same goal. I have learned that there will always be differing circunstances and that…