Cat Lai Terminal Tour Going into this tour I had high expectations. As a part of this course, I am writing a paper focused on the future of Vietnam’s global trade as it is impacted by sustainable logistics. I was disappointed as I listened to the opening presentation, finding myself raising a brow more than…
Tag: Mikaela Smigo
Tunnels to Temples
Buddhism Today was the most educational for me as we explored Buddhism and different perspectives of the Vietnam War. Growing up Catholic, I wasn’t really exposed to many religions, so learning about Buddhist philosophy and its origins was intriguing. What I find interesting is that Buddhism doesn’t revolve around a god or gods, rather centering…
Admiring the Product, Questioning the Process
Coherent was much different than the other companies we’ve visited, given that this was the first one that was manufacturing. Along with this, it was an American-founded company rather than Vietnamese. That said, learning about its production was important because of recent foreign affairs with the U.S. As we learned in their presentation, they took…
Sweet Like Honey, Strong Like Water
Day at the Mekong Delta: Although we started off with some rain, our trip to the Mekong Delta exceeded my expectations. During a rainy boat ride, we learned about the different aspects of generated economy in this region, one of them being honey and honey products. After getting off the boat, we got to try…
People Before Pixels
From my business experience so far, I’ve learned that motivating employees and keeping a good company culture is vital to the longevity of a business. As I learned more about the GlassEgg today, it was clear that their employee care is a major reason why their company has grown and excelled in their industry. Since…
Hearts, Hats, and Honest Realities
Throughout my life, I’ve found there are multiple global issues I care deeply about, and visiting the VinaCapital Foundation seemed to cover each one. As Mr. Rad Kivette shared in his presentation, VinaCapital was originally built to support Vietnamese children with heart conditions, and has since expanded into multiple other programs. In their support of…
From Exhaust to Innovation: A Day of Sustainable Discovery
When I first applied to this program, the focus on sustainable development stood out to me for a variety of reasons, one of which being because I want to work for a company who cares about sustainability in their production. This morning’s lecture with Professor Minh on Green Transformation in Vietnam expanded my perspective. Some…
Names, Nations, and Green Innovation
Chào ban (Hello)! Tôi tên là Trân (My name is Trân)! Our lectures this morning consisted of an introduction to production in the Mekong Delta and a basic teaching of the Vietnamese language. In the language class, we learned the pronunciation of Vietnamese letters and how to introduce ourselves, and closed out the session with…
Meeting UEF Students and Introductions to Vietnamese Culture
Starting my day off with hot pho and Vietnamese iced coffee made the 30+ hours of travel worth it! After the tailor visit and getting measured for the traditional Vietnamese áo dài, we made our way to the Ho Chi Minh University of Economics and Finance (UEF). Upon arriving at UEF, we were warmly welcomed…
Getting Ready for Vietnam
My name is Mikaela Smigo and I am majoring in Finance and Accounting with a minor in Economics. Beyond the classroom, I have been an active member in Women in Business and am the business manager of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), a club my roommates and I started. I have also completed a market…