Learning Business Abroad

• Study abroad opportunities help students build essential communication and teamwork skills across cultures.
• Formal education in the classroom offers important cultural insights, but through informal education, like personal interactions and impromptu experiences, students gain a deeper appreciation of other people, places, and practices.
• Facing challenges abroad, such as language barriers and unfamiliar environments, fosters personal growth and adaptability skills.

Transcript

Allegra Baumanns: [00:16] My international experience, so far, has helped me in many ways in my working environment. For some jobs, it’s even a requirement, like mandatory, that you have some experience.

[00:29] But it’s also working in teams. Being exposed to maybe clients, maybe suppliers, maybe agencies in other countries and being able to communicate effectively with them is super important, and something I learned when I was abroad, spending time abroad.

[00:49] What surprised me the most when I was abroad—so I just, two weeks ago, I spent three weeks in China for a short-term exchange visit. It was really hard to communicate sometimes because they don’t speak English, I don’t speak Chinese.

[01:07] It’s the moments where you struggle to find a way or to, I don’t know, use the metro, where people who are not able to communicate with you properly will still help you in some ways and spend a lot of time and invest in you to help you to find your way.

Without being present in a country, I wouldn’t have the same experience I had.

[01:24] And in those situations, you really experience the other culture and are exposed to those situations, which helped.

[01:32] I think, without being present in a country, I wouldn’t have the same experience I had. Just because there are two parts of education: it’s the formal part and the informal part of education. The formal part of being in the classroom, present, is valuable, but something you could probably also transfer in a virtual setting.

[01:53] But the informal parts, staying on campus after class and discussing politics or the most random topics, is something you cannot convey in a virtual setting and something that really helps to understand differences, learn about new perspectives, and maybe change your perspective.

[02:16] I did my undergrad in Germany, but for my master’s, I moved to Portugal. And the system we have in Germany is pretty—you learn, you study during the semester, and then have one last exam, which accounts for the whole module.

[02:35] In Portugal, and also here in the U.S., the system is completely different. You have more assignments, group work, and presentations within the semester, and then you might have a final exam or not.

[02:47] And, like, the way of teaching is completely different. It emphasizes group work more than in Germany, where it’s more individual.

The informal part [of education] is something you cannot convey in a virtual setting and really helps to understand differences, learn about new perspectives, and maybe change your perspective.

[03:00] Both systems have advantages and disadvantages. But if I had to choose, I would probably choose the system here in the U.S. or in Portugal, where you have more group work and more assignments within the semester, because I think that’s what really prepares you for the working environment.

[03:18] Because then you will work on projects, and you will probably work on projects with other people and not alone. So it’s really important to have this team experience.

[03:28] The first time I was abroad, I was super scared because it’s scary to go to another country alone, and maybe having language barriers or financial barriers—it is definitely hard.

[03:43] What I did, basically, was try to use every opportunity I got to just do it, and sometimes less thinking and just trying and seeing. Most of the time, at least for me, it was better than I even expected it to be.

[04:03] I just try to stay curious and try it out and see how it works. And preparation is key.