The team working at ABROADER is beyond special. Each person was welcoming, friendly, and not at all judgmental when we spoke about our struggles and accomplishments. Julie was one of the most caring and supportive managers I have ever met. In addition, buddies like Lemon, Thu, and Kazue, made the experience oh-so-cherishing.
I think there could have been more activities for the interns/casual meet-ups. While the people within ABROADER make the program such a special place, I do wish there had been more opportunities and support to meet other Vietnamese students our age and various activities. At the beginning of the program, it felt as though we were on our own trying to figure out how to live here and I was unsure how to meet more people, especially those my age. I think it would be better if there could be a way to keep student interns busier and a larger sense of community that they would often interact with. In addition, giving students the opportunity to meet with their internship companies before the program would have been incredibly valuable. We were thrown into the company without much information and it took a long time for us to gain the resources and documents to fully understand the company and its mission. I think meeting beforehand would have given us a more productive start so we knew our roles and how to most effectively help the center.

The experience taught me much about flexibility, creative thinking, and collaboration within a nonprofit setting. That being said, I had gone in with the expectation that I would be gaining more exposure to the entrepreneurial/nonprofit world. The responsibilities assigned to us felt more that of an English teacher and activity planner. I very much loved working with the students and creating connections with them at the center, however, I do wish I had gained more exposure within an operation/marketing nonprofit side. It didn’t feel like there was much training. I understand the busyness of the staff at the center, but it was quite difficult to set up meetings or ask questions about our work. They were always supportive, compromised with us often, gave us lots of creative freedom within our lesson plans, and welcomed us into their team (through the yen bai trip, lunches with the team, etc.).

Thank you all so much for your kindness and welcoming spirits. Lemon and Thu, you will always be my first memory here in Vietnam. From the first time we came to meet you all and make spring rolls in the office, you all had this wonderful energy and allowed us to be ourselves unapologetically. You are all such interesting and different people, but I think what binds you is your kindness. I never realized how important being friendly to others and the impact that has is until meeting you all. I am beyond thankful for your help and the hard work you put into all of the activities for us. I will never forget any of you 🙂