Genuine opportunity to better the lives of rural Brazilians
By Hannah
I feel that my team has a genuine opportunity to better the lives of rural Brazilians. Grades seem less significant when the true measure of success lies in implementing sustainable changes for real people.
Amidst the frenzy of Mod 3 ending, I am starting to wrap my mind around my upcoming trip to Brazil. Up to this point, my field seminar has felt like any other class: a team project, individual research and class time. However, the project’s scope is to assist a real client with a real business need. Not only will my team make recommendations based on our research, we will have the opportunity to present those recommendations to the client in Rio.
This is the exact type of opportunity that prompted me to leave work and return to school full-time. I am hoping to apply the classes that I have taken thus far to create a broader understanding of international business and, subsequently, communities in need. Already, I have had the opportunity to apply my new technical and quantitative skills to this project. As I am just finishing up my core classes, I have been living in the world of math, data and value propositions for the last 7 months. Reading a 10-K, understanding the macroeconomics of a country or even making sense out of data, has a lot more purpose when directed at real world solutions.
Our client has a very unique position to largely impact the health and sanitation of rural villages surrounding Rio. Because of this, my drive to do research and to create meaningful suggestions is much deeper than in previous projects. I feel that my team has a genuine opportunity to better the lives of rural Brazilians. Grades seem less significant when the true measure of success lies in implementing sustainable changes for real people.
In addition to the scope of the project, I am also excited to experience the culture in Brazil. From client phone calls and individual research, I can see the extroverted and generous nature of Brazilians. Every phone call starts with small talk, and it is clear that a large emphasis is placed on enjoyment. For instance, Carnival, an annual festival, recently occurred and our client mentioned that most national business halt for several days for people to go enjoy it. I am excited for the food, the music, the culture and the people. So far, the language barrier has not proved to be a substantial obstacle, but I am sure it will feel more present once there.
My project has also led me to learn a lot about the natural resources and environmental landscape of Brazil. The environment is rich and, therefore, heavily engulfed in Brazilian businesses and in daily life. There are many natural resources that dictate occupation, sanitation and production capabilities. I am thankful for the opportunity to experience it with my class in Manaus.
I am looking forward to the opportunity to make sense of the last 7 months of fast-paced learning in this unique and out-of-my-comfort-zone place. Not only do I hope to bring value to Brazil through my team’s project, I hope to gain a better understanding of international business and complex economies.