Ethical Issues in My Profession:
Business extend their facilities to Vietnam primarily for cheaper labor. A company may offer a "competitive" salary in Vietnam that would be far less than what it would be in the United States. The economy is inflated enough so that employees can earn their living on these salaries that would not be acceptable in the United States. As shown when visiting II-VI, the work was tedious and labor intensive, and people will accept these jobs in a market with limited options. Working conditions are becoming better in Vietnam, although the nation is still a far way off from American standards. With the "western" companies we visited, they conditions were favorable and employees seemed to be comfortable with their status. The companies we visited were primarily expat run with Vietnamese employees working at lower levels; this goes against the American ideology that if one works hard, they can make their way higher. Of course everyone wants to be successful, though I am unaware what level of satisfaction this working society can have. Overall, United States industries can expand globally in order to save money and thus offer competitive prices on a global market. Although this money saving occurs by paying lower wages, it is relatively comparable to those of the rest of the nation. These companies are also providing jobs for the Vietnamese working class and offer what seem to be decent working conditions. Although simple or menial jobs are leaving the United States, the management, design, and other education-required careers remain.
Educational Breadth as Professional Development:
Cross-cultural education is a must when working on an international level. The majority of management and leadership roles in companies were filled by Americans or other expats. The Chief Engineer at II-VI gave a prime example of not understanding Vietnamese culture; he lost a majority of his employees after the first Tet holiday in country. This is common in Vietnamese working culture, and he had to learn how to adapt the company to address this issue. Companies expanding into Vietnam, as well as other countries, also need to assess government interaction with industry. Communist, Capitalist, and every other philosophy in between has a different degree of regulation which companies need to factor into their business strategies. Students should take general courses in world history to understand global culture and interaction. Specialization in a particular continent or region could be helpful and can be done by taking classes related to that desired area of specialty. Classes in world politics or political theory can also be helpful when larger corporations are working with the foreign governments. To work in a specific country for a long period of time, learning the language would be extremely helpful and would break down gaps between business partners and investors from that nation. Although these classes are not required to be successful in an industry, they can be beneficial when working and performing on a global scale.
Lifelong Learning, Continuing Education as Professional Development:
Technology is always advancing, society is always evolving, and public need is always changing. Companies and their employees must grow and change with their environments to meet these demands and develop more and more. Glass Egg Digital Media was a prime example changing their company to meet new demands. The company started by only producing animations of cars for video games, which they became very good at. As the years passed and new markets opened, the company began to spread into objects, environments, and characters. The only way for the company to be competitive in these fields was to train their artists and allow employees to continue their education in different areas. Those in management roles also needed to learn more design areas they were entering and the companies to which they can accommodate. Mr. Wall from the US Commercial Service also had to continue his education as he worked in several different countries. He needed to not only learn about the countries and their culture, but then had to learn about their business practicing and how to be successful in these countries. Lifelong learning allows for change and expansion, and is a natural part of personal growth and professional development.
The Social Environment of Professional Life:
In Vietnam, there seemed to be strong connection between peoples' social life and their professional life. Miss Loan's entire life was effected by her father and his connection with the South Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. Because her family was on the "wrong side," she was not offered the same opportunities for success as some of her peers. Business culture is also very personal and about not only about working, but about relationships as well. Members of Glass Egg and the Chief Engineer from II-VI recommended establishments to us that were unrelated to their industries, but were just for the sake of fun and enjoyment. During our visit to the American Center, a striking question came up when a student asked, "What is racism like in American schools?" This was a shocking question, though looking back, makes a lot of sense. In a relatively ethnic homogeneous nation, racism is limited and does not have the same history as it does in the United States. The current issues in Vietnam are more related to working conditions, government interaction, and media censorship. These controversial topics were not discussed while in country due to careful consideration. As an engineer entering other countries, it is important to understand these topics and to know when some things need to be left unsaid.
Functioning on Multi-Disciplinary Teams:
Our group of students from the university was highly diverse not only in field of study, but in race, religion, and background as well. People have differences and it is very important to accept them and to appreciate their variety. Engineering and business students also have different strengths and perceptions on a lot of topics. An engineer may look at the manufacturing and specifications of a product, while a businessperson may look at how to market or sell the product. We had to acknowledge these strengths and utilize them when they were needed and to overcome weaknesses from others. I believe we were a successful team and managed to work effectively as a group. Touring both finance-related and engineering-based companies offered both types of students exposure to the real world application to the concepts taught in the classroom. It is also interesting that business student can learn from engineering companies and engineering students can learn from business companies. Students also needed to bridge gaps for peers that were lost or did not fully understand concepts by helping to explain or elaborate on practices. Challenges were minimal in the team and only limited to some lack of background knowledge and having to overcome that. It is important to consider all levels of knowledge and to make information understandable to a wide array of individuals.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Final Day
So... I went back to see my blog and realized this final post never uploaded, nor was it saved. Fortunately, it was a memorable day (and I can steal some events from other blogs) so I should be able to piece a final blog back together.
Another early start to our final day in HCMC and I began with a final breakfast (you'll notice a lot of "finals" in this post). We hopped on our bus and headed to a sports center for the annual UEF v. Pitt basketball and soccer match. Until this point, we thought this was going to be against the students we've spent time with over the course of these two weeks. We were in for quite a surprise when we saw the actual school team warming up on the court. We put together our ragtag team for basketball and got our butts kicked. They eased up pretty quickly, but our whole team was pretty terrible. The heat also got to us as we kept having to down water to keep going. Between the basketball and soccer matches, the UEF dance team took the court and showed off their awesome moves again, including bringing out the Pitt students at the end to show how terrible we are at dancing. Oh well! We continued with the soccer match, which went a little bit better. We had several actual soccer players on our team (and the UEF team went really easy on us), and we ended up winning. The girls ended by playing a quick game of soccer in which the Pitt girls completely dominated. Afterwards, all of the students exchanged gifts, a common custom in Vietnam. I gave away my Pitt hat and noticed the student photographer was just taking pictures. He had been with us the entire trip and felt bad so I gave a t-shirt to him, it was probably way to small, but hopefully it's the thought that counts. We went back to the bus and drove around looking for our restaurant for lunch. We stopped somewhere and got what I think was iced tea in massive plastic bottles. We waited to figure out where we were going, got back on the bus, and finally made it to our last lunch spot. This was more amazing food, this included another noodle and beef soup that was delicious, but a bit too hot after still coming off of the games. We had a gelatin, coconut milk, and ice desert which was pretty good, but not quite for me. I still had most of it because it was cold. We said some final goodbyes to some of the students, they've been amazing to us on this whole trip and I'll miss every one of them. We went back to the hotel and I took a quick, much needed shower. I went with a small group back to the market for a final time to finish buying some gifts and left on my own for the post office. I knew the general direction, but apparently not as well as I thought. I stopped at a café on the way to try to get directions. The man spoke zero English and did my best to pantomime catholic gestures so he would point me toward the Notre Dame Basilica, which is next to the post office. Thankfully, the café had decent enough wifi for me to pull up a picture of the Basilica and he could point me just two blocks over to where I was going. I walked into the post office and bought postcards and stamps to send to a few people, filled them out, and dropped them in a slot to be mailed back to the USA. I went back to the room and put on my suit for a quick photo-shoot. All of the Pitt students, plus a few of the UEF students, met in the lobby for pictures. Guys were wearing suits (with the UEF ties) and girls had on their ao dais (traditional Vietnamese dress). After the pictures, we changed and headed out for dinner. Our final meal was on a boat ride along the Saigon River. This was another delicious hotpot, though the food was quickly overshadowed by the ride and seeing the beautiful HCMC skyline. The skyline is still so young, as there's a defined street level of smaller buildings with just a few skyscraping pushing high up into the sky. We could even see one dark building under construction. It's interesting to think that this skyline will be drastically different in just five years. We took tons of pictures from the front of the boat to remember this view. A guitarist and flutist played some tunes (mostly recognizable) and were followed by a pair of what seemed like flamenco (yes flamenco) dancers. Kate brought out a cake that said "UEF and Pitt Friends Forever" and it suddenly became real how much this truly meant to them and how much it meant to all of us. After we got off the boat, we got back on the bus and had our final karaoke session of the UEF Song. We changed back into comfortable clothing at the hotel. Everyone took a short walk up the street to a small pedestrian pond, with winding paths and platforms above the water. We relaxed there for a bit and did some reflection and reminiscing over our time in Vietnam. We walked back to the hotel and I finally packed everything back into my suitcase and backpack, still underweight. We hung out and did everything we could do to stay awake before our trip to the airport at 3 am. It was a quiet bus ride, and when we got to the airport we had to say our final goodbyes to Vic, Bo, Ariel, Vy, and Kate. They've been with us the whole two weeks and have done so much for us. I'm always going to miss them and be grateful for everything they've given us. I sincerely hope to see them again someday, wherever we can meet in the world. We went through security and were quickly on our flight. HCMC: xin chao, hen gap lai. I was tired and out pretty quickly on this flight and before I knew it we were in Hong Kong. There, we said our first round of Pitt goodbyes as we went in a few different directions to get home. I was with the main group, and we quickly made it to our gate for our long flight to Newark. I really must've been tired, because I kept falling asleep. I tried watching several movies and made it through some, but not without a few winks. The food was pretty rough, so I just ate enough to keep me going. I was more tired than hungry anyway. We arrived in Newark, collected our bags (no issues), went through customs, said goodbye, and headed out to meet our awaiting parents. Finally back in the USA. I must say, it was nice to be back again. On the way home, I stopped at a rest stop and ate a nice stromboli, cheese had never tasted so good. We finally got home and I stayed awake for as long as I could. I crashed and slept like a rock that night, but what's jet lag without waking up 4:30 am full of energy?
This has been a truly amazing experience. I'm so grateful to have gotten this opportunity and to have met some incredible people. My horizons have been expanded and I know this won't be my last trip. The friends I've made on this trip with last a lifetime and the memories will never fade. Thank you everyone for making this trip so unbelievable. Xin chao!
Another early start to our final day in HCMC and I began with a final breakfast (you'll notice a lot of "finals" in this post). We hopped on our bus and headed to a sports center for the annual UEF v. Pitt basketball and soccer match. Until this point, we thought this was going to be against the students we've spent time with over the course of these two weeks. We were in for quite a surprise when we saw the actual school team warming up on the court. We put together our ragtag team for basketball and got our butts kicked. They eased up pretty quickly, but our whole team was pretty terrible. The heat also got to us as we kept having to down water to keep going. Between the basketball and soccer matches, the UEF dance team took the court and showed off their awesome moves again, including bringing out the Pitt students at the end to show how terrible we are at dancing. Oh well! We continued with the soccer match, which went a little bit better. We had several actual soccer players on our team (and the UEF team went really easy on us), and we ended up winning. The girls ended by playing a quick game of soccer in which the Pitt girls completely dominated. Afterwards, all of the students exchanged gifts, a common custom in Vietnam. I gave away my Pitt hat and noticed the student photographer was just taking pictures. He had been with us the entire trip and felt bad so I gave a t-shirt to him, it was probably way to small, but hopefully it's the thought that counts. We went back to the bus and drove around looking for our restaurant for lunch. We stopped somewhere and got what I think was iced tea in massive plastic bottles. We waited to figure out where we were going, got back on the bus, and finally made it to our last lunch spot. This was more amazing food, this included another noodle and beef soup that was delicious, but a bit too hot after still coming off of the games. We had a gelatin, coconut milk, and ice desert which was pretty good, but not quite for me. I still had most of it because it was cold. We said some final goodbyes to some of the students, they've been amazing to us on this whole trip and I'll miss every one of them. We went back to the hotel and I took a quick, much needed shower. I went with a small group back to the market for a final time to finish buying some gifts and left on my own for the post office. I knew the general direction, but apparently not as well as I thought. I stopped at a café on the way to try to get directions. The man spoke zero English and did my best to pantomime catholic gestures so he would point me toward the Notre Dame Basilica, which is next to the post office. Thankfully, the café had decent enough wifi for me to pull up a picture of the Basilica and he could point me just two blocks over to where I was going. I walked into the post office and bought postcards and stamps to send to a few people, filled them out, and dropped them in a slot to be mailed back to the USA. I went back to the room and put on my suit for a quick photo-shoot. All of the Pitt students, plus a few of the UEF students, met in the lobby for pictures. Guys were wearing suits (with the UEF ties) and girls had on their ao dais (traditional Vietnamese dress). After the pictures, we changed and headed out for dinner. Our final meal was on a boat ride along the Saigon River. This was another delicious hotpot, though the food was quickly overshadowed by the ride and seeing the beautiful HCMC skyline. The skyline is still so young, as there's a defined street level of smaller buildings with just a few skyscraping pushing high up into the sky. We could even see one dark building under construction. It's interesting to think that this skyline will be drastically different in just five years. We took tons of pictures from the front of the boat to remember this view. A guitarist and flutist played some tunes (mostly recognizable) and were followed by a pair of what seemed like flamenco (yes flamenco) dancers. Kate brought out a cake that said "UEF and Pitt Friends Forever" and it suddenly became real how much this truly meant to them and how much it meant to all of us. After we got off the boat, we got back on the bus and had our final karaoke session of the UEF Song. We changed back into comfortable clothing at the hotel. Everyone took a short walk up the street to a small pedestrian pond, with winding paths and platforms above the water. We relaxed there for a bit and did some reflection and reminiscing over our time in Vietnam. We walked back to the hotel and I finally packed everything back into my suitcase and backpack, still underweight. We hung out and did everything we could do to stay awake before our trip to the airport at 3 am. It was a quiet bus ride, and when we got to the airport we had to say our final goodbyes to Vic, Bo, Ariel, Vy, and Kate. They've been with us the whole two weeks and have done so much for us. I'm always going to miss them and be grateful for everything they've given us. I sincerely hope to see them again someday, wherever we can meet in the world. We went through security and were quickly on our flight. HCMC: xin chao, hen gap lai. I was tired and out pretty quickly on this flight and before I knew it we were in Hong Kong. There, we said our first round of Pitt goodbyes as we went in a few different directions to get home. I was with the main group, and we quickly made it to our gate for our long flight to Newark. I really must've been tired, because I kept falling asleep. I tried watching several movies and made it through some, but not without a few winks. The food was pretty rough, so I just ate enough to keep me going. I was more tired than hungry anyway. We arrived in Newark, collected our bags (no issues), went through customs, said goodbye, and headed out to meet our awaiting parents. Finally back in the USA. I must say, it was nice to be back again. On the way home, I stopped at a rest stop and ate a nice stromboli, cheese had never tasted so good. We finally got home and I stayed awake for as long as I could. I crashed and slept like a rock that night, but what's jet lag without waking up 4:30 am full of energy?
This has been a truly amazing experience. I'm so grateful to have gotten this opportunity and to have met some incredible people. My horizons have been expanded and I know this won't be my last trip. The friends I've made on this trip with last a lifetime and the memories will never fade. Thank you everyone for making this trip so unbelievable. Xin chao!
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