Hearing about KinoSol’s trips to Africa is great, but do you know what’s even better? Hearing it straight from our students. So here is our third student spotlight featuring Haley! She is a senior studying marketing and international business at Iowa State University. Haley is here today to share a few takeaways from her KinoSol trip to Uganda, Africa last November.
Do you have any future career plans?
I plan to work with an international company that can make a positive impact on the world.
Why did you want to come on this trip?
I wanted to come on this trip because I wanted to see what a third-world country was truly like. I was interested in finding out the impact that KinoSol made and the importance of focusing on helping these suffering countries.
What was one of your favorite memories from the trip?
One of my favorite memories from this trip was getting to interact with native individuals and see their norms and everyday life in comparison to the American way.
What was the most “African” thing you saw, experienced, or heard?
Elephants just crossing the road, and no Ugandan natives seeming to be that impressed by it because they are so used to it, or maybe even the Hakuna Matata saying and seeing it be practiced.
What lessons did you learn while on this trip?
Always take caution on the sanitary or lack thereof when it comes to foreign countries. Americans develop immunities to our own bacterias and air quality and such, just like Africans have adapted to their native bacterias and sanitary needs and such.
Any advice for future students that travel with KinoSol?
Be open and willing to learn about this new culture and dive in headfirst with an open mind to fully get a taste of the African way of life. Then step back and realize all that you have.
How has your time in Uganda impacted your view on entrepreneurship and business?
Based on my time in Uganda, my view on entrepreneurship and business has been impacted due to the many situations we were exposed to while on our trip. Seeing how the Ugandan natives operated their businesses compared to the American way is wildly different. There are many challenges that the average American would not typically face that Ugandans do. They deal with limited resources such as education and technology to help with the entrepreneurial and business lifestyle.
Has this trip impacted your future career goals? If so, how?
This trip has inspired me to be more open to the idea of working with a business that reaches internationally. I would want to work someplace where we would make an impact on the lives of individuals in need.
Any closing statements?
I recommend this trip to everyone no matter their prior travel experience. It is an eye-opening experience for everyone involved and teaches you more than the regular class material you expect to learn with it.
Haley’s enthusiasm and openness made our time in Uganda last November so enjoyable! Thank you Haley for sharing in this student spotlight, and thank you for reading! If you want to hear more about Haley’s time in-country, check out this blog post! Likewise, if you want to find out more about traveling with KinoSol, contact us! And don’t forget to tune in next week to read our newest post!
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