Top three things I learned

 

1. The importance of adaptability was something I learned this summer. For a large portion of our fieldwork in the Philippines we didn’t have a finalized business framework, then suddenly we did and we had to roll with it. Being willing to recognize better ideas and immediately run with them is important in essentially any field if you want to make lasting change. I will continue to work on Plastech with both a more discerning and more critical mind.
2. I learned how important networking is to starting up a venture. We had many one on one interviews with potential stakeholders that have set us up with an extensive network in the Philippines. This kind of network is invaluable for a business just getting its feet wet. In the future, I intend to view most interactions in the lens of networking which should allow me to develop a larger amount of relationships that I can leverage in the future.
3. I better learned how to handle team dynamics. As our team split up into smaller elements, friction naturally developed. Learning to straddle the line between two opposing groups and help bring them together was an experience I won’t forget. I hope to continue serving as a sort of mediator between opposing groups in the future.

 

Professional Development

 

1. The realization of simply how important networking is to any professional development warrants a second mention. The people we met, from Presidents of Plastics companies to Nanays, all had something valuable to offer us, from insights to connections and more. I’ll certainly continue to develop this skill in the future and utilize it to my advantage.
2. Our group was fortunate enough to have a paper accepted for the GHTC conference. In helping to write and edit this paper, I gained an understanding of how academic papers should be structured. We also submitted a Venturewell grant application for the qualifications phase. Developing that grant similarly broadened my skills in writing grant applications, Specifically for grant writing, I hope to translate those skills to my work at the UN where I’d like to help the organization I represent, Center for Public Health, gain more funding for the work they’re doing.
3. Learning to balance respectful conversation with pleasant conversation was an interesting takeaway for me as well. When you meet with important people, it’s important to remember they’re still people while also remembering they deserve your respect. That certainly sounds basic, and I don’t mean to imply you shouldn’t respect certain people, I’m merely referring to when people are faced with the opportunity to meet the Mr. Co’s of the world and the balance conversation should have in those situations. I believe I’ve grasped that balance well and that should hopefully serve me well in the future in any pivotal meeting I may have.

 

Personal Growth

 

1. In the Philippines, I grew better at hitting the ground running with a project, in addition to working in high stress environments. When you only have two and a half weeks in a country to make as much progress as possible, you can’t lollygag and try to wait until you’re over your jetlag to start work. The high stress, ten thousand tasks thrown at you every day type of environment always appeared daunting. Yet when you’re in it, you learn to adjust and even enjoy it quite quickly. Having that experience will ensure I don’t shirk away from those types of environments in the future.
2. Working together in such a high stress environment served to bring the whole Plastech team much closer together. Although there was certainly tension at a variety of times, coming out the other side of that tension strengthened our bonds and friendships. Working on projects with friends, when there is mutual respect and a commitment to a final goal can be an extremely enjoyable and productive endeavor, and I hope that’s what this project continues to be for a long time to come.
3. In addition to strengthening bonds with people I already knew, I also had the opportunity to meet a new group of people who I quickly grew to know and love. The Filipino students and faculty from UPD we had a chance to work with were some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met anywhere. I believe I made truly long lasting bonds with several of the students and I hope we stay in touch for years down the line.