I cannot believe we are so close to the end of the semester, and thus to the end of this amazing semester-long experience. The memories we have made along this journey will never be forgotten, and neither will any of the great friends we made along the way. Going into this experience, I was unsure if I would really enjoy it but wanted step out of my comfort zone, particularly climate-wise, and I can say or certain now I am so happy to have had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This experience provided me with a chance to not only take in and immerse myself in an entirely different culture, but also allowed me to help, in some small way, an amazing organization that does amazing work.
There were many lessons I learned along this journey, not only while we were in-country, but also during our class discussions. One of the things I personally improved on substantially was my communication skills. This project is one of most lengthy I have ever participated in, and thus it requires a lot of collaborative effort and good communication abilities to ensure we are all on the same page, and working towards the same goal. I would definitely call myself an experiential learner, so the experience of working on this project has truly helped me to hone in the more professional side of my communication skills. Additionally, this project has helped me to be more globally aware and understand my role better. We have discussed this several times in class, but I couldn’t put these skills into action until we were having our in-country experience. Our discussions primarily based around what it means to be a global citizen, and our role with our client. The importance of understanding that we are going to a country so vastly different from our own, and that we are only interacting with the organization for a few days, while what we experience is their every day, all year long. So yes, it might be fulfilling to know we helped with beach patrol, painting of offices, etc., but it is also important to understand that we only played a very small role in the whole that makes up what Nature Seekers is, and represent ourselves as such. Going into this experience, I know my thoughts were different. I had considered it more of a personal experience for a good few lines on my resume, but this experience was so much more to me. Overall, this class, this experience, have given me not only memories that will last a lifetime, but also lessons I will always remember.
This project has also helped me to hone in some very important skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my professional life. Firstly, my collaboration skills have certainly improved, working in a group like this with such an important, specific goal. We were all willing to split up responsibilities and then put our plan into action to get our final deliverables to the client in a timely, professional manor. I am so excited to present to our client for the last time, and put on display one more time the great collaboration that our team has had with one another, and with Nature Seekers. Additionally, this project has honed in my Project Management skills, for the same reason. In my professional career, project management skills are crucial to your ability to see the whole picture, break down tasks, and stay on track throughout a project. For a CPA, this can look like prioritizing deadlines and being proactive about eventual problems. Having the experience using these skills will help me to be better prepared for my upcoming internship, and career after that.
Existing relationships with our client, Nature Seekers, were crucial to our success with this project. Past materials regarding previous projects as part of Pitt Business’ partnership with Nature Seekers served as valuable tools for our team to understand the level of professionalism and degree of specificity expected for this project. These resources were a major strength for our group, and we created our own new, original work with that standard of expectations. Additionally, the great relationship that Pitt Business has with Nature Seekers allowed us to plan pre-departure meetings with the client to best understand what we needed to provide them, and answer any relevant questions we had for the project. If it had not been for the great work of those who took on this experience before us, our project this year may have not been as successful. Continuing this relationship with Nature Seekers for years to come, bolstered by the assistance we provide them now, will set an even better footing for those who come after us.
Throughout this experience, I wondered how I might be able to capture what this experience has been, briefly, in answering an interview question in a professional setting. Of course, I’d talk about the project itself. Our diligence, hard work, agreement on deadlines, all lead us to a successful end product. However, the one thing that I draw from this experience is the overwhelming spirit of a love for what you do that I saw on full display while in-country. The people of Trinidad seem inherently happy, always smiling, getting the most out of life, but it was the palpable love that each and every person had for their vocation that really struck me. I hope to find that kind of love in my professional work in my future career. This truly has been a one-of-a-kind experience, and I hope to convince others that this kind of an experience is something they can truly enjoy and learn from.
In that spirit, I have some advice for those who choose to take on this experience and what it has to offer. Firstly, respect and appreciate the culture, don’t just observe it. Looking back, something that I really appreciated about our trip was the countless opportunities to culturally connect with the people of Trinidad. My favorite had to have been learning some of the many dances done at Carnival, a yearly festival held for a few weeks on Trinidad. Understanding the history behind the dancing, the importance of it, was a highlight for me. Additionally, be ready for things to not go as planned. What with a culture of flexible schedules, it is much more typical in Trinidad for things to get moved around. For example, our group had some delays at the airport that caused us to get into Matura a few hours later than expected, very early in the morning. Because we weren’t able to sleep until early morning, Nature Seekers kindly moved the time of our meeting and it switched our schedule around a little bit. Throughout our experience there were more things like that, another example being our spur-of-the-moment decision to go out for a second night of beach patrol. Live in the moment, especially while in-country, and get the most out of it. Finally, bring the experience back with you. Being in-country is the most unique part about this experience, and everything you learn there, both from the experience and the people, bring it back here with you. That positivity, and kindness, afforded by every stranger there, bring some of that back here. We need more of it.
As we close the curtain on this experience, and this semester, I can’t help but smile knowing that I was able to be a part of this small group that experienced something so unique. I am thankful, not only to our great professor for this class, but also for the many people that shared their knowledge with us throughout this experience. I will never forget that kindness that Nature Seekers afforded us, and the many friends we all made along this journey.