Last year, this time I was going through Rice University’s website and came across something called Global Field Experience (GFE). I came to know that it is an academic program whereby first-year MBA students work with firms from countries other than the United States. It is a taste of the operations of foreign firms. I remember wondering what this program would be like. Do students just travel and work with clients? Do they get to do any sightseeing? How are country assignments done? I had many questions which got answered during the two-week-long launch program for full-time MBA students at Rice Business.
First forward a year, I just got back from my GFE in Lima, Peru and I have been describing my time in Peru as ‘awesome’, ‘amazing’, and ‘fantastic’ to anyone who asks about the trip. So, what made my GFE awesome? Several things.
Firstly, the thrill of going to a new country is incomparable especially if it’s a county you have heard about but is not very accessible to you. I spent all my life in a small South Asian country (Bangladesh) before I came to the United States for grad school. Peru is not very high on the list of places to visit for people in my country. The South American country is way too far for us.
Anyway, thanks to my grad school, I made it to Peru, and boy, was I impressed. Peru holds so much historical value that it will take a couple of weeks at least to take it all in. This country has Machu Pichu (one of the seven wonders of the world). Next to this citadel, is the Peruvian Amazonia which is part of the world’s largest rainforest located in Peru. Lake Titicaca located near the Peru-Bolivia border is the world’s highest navigable body of water. The list continues.
Secondly, working with a firm that operates in a completely different setting than the United States was an interesting experience and valuable learning. The team I was part of wanted to work with a firm in the education sector. We were introduced to Educa, a college counseling service firm in Lima. Our team worked hard on this project, and everyone made solid contributions.
Thirdly, our school arranged for us to hear from Peruvians who had worked and lived in Peru for years. We even got to connect with young & brilliant Peruvian entrepreneurs. I was in awe of their efforts and perseverance. One of the country’s leading economists gave us an overview of the economic & political circumstances of the country and Rice Business alumni who work in the mining sector (the sector with the highest contribution to GDP) shared his professional experiences with us. These sessions helped me better understand the dynamics of the country and product quality deliverables for the client.
Currently, three of Peru’s former prime presidents are in jail. The country had gone through a period of major political unrest last year. Even Machu Pichu was shut down for a brief period at the beginning of this year. But when we traveled to Peru, the situation was much better. We spent all our time in the extraordinary city of Lima. Situated right beside the Pacific Ocean (2500km of coastline), it is the second largest desert city in the world behind Cairo in Egypt but has. Although the sky is filled with perpetual dark clouds, it barely ever rains in Lima, but thick mists termed ‘La Garua’ locally are common between April & September.
Peruvian cuisine is legendary, everyone who has been there will tell you that. But I am a very picky eater so I will refrain from commenting on this matter. One thing I will say that is I liked most of whatever food I ate in Peru. Especially, desserts such as Alfajores (caramel cookies with sugar coating) & Tres de leches (cake soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk) are delicious.
If I close my eyes and think of Lima, I can see the view of the ocean from the hills and hear the waves crashing at the shore with all their might. Makes Lima seem like a place from a fantasy novel.