Study Abroad

After three amazing days of China, we are finally getting settled in! The weather, slightly musty, is great – not too hot, not too cold! Hengrui, the Chinese generic drug manufacturer that we are consulting with in Lianyungang, has been a great host!

For most of us, the journey began on Friday morning (Indiana time), and ended on Sunday Morning (China time). There were a few bumps along the way, but we all made it in one piece and with most of our belongings – I left my newly purchased iPod on the third flight of our trip.

After the Emerging Economy class trip to Liberia wrapped up, many of us sat on our trans-Atlantic flight trying to process everything we saw and accomplished while in Africa. There are few words which can accurately describe the experiences, but the lessons will stick with us for some time now.

Quietly, life in Monrovia has become a routine as a week has come and gone. The team unconsciously acquired the customs and habits in Liberia, from their food to their signature handshake.

Yesterday, a group of twelve MBA and Nursing doctorate students landed in Monrovia, Liberia to work on a project with the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, where my team’s goal is to create a short- and long-term strategic plan for the hospital that allows them to deliver more health care services to more Liberians.

I am in my final semester in the Evening MBA program and wanted to always take a class on Emerging Economies with Prof. Lyles, which I always thought would be a great experience to have and learn more about management consulting in developing countries.

Today was our first up-close look at the JFK Medical Center (JFKMC). We received a tour of the facilities from two of the head administrators (Mona and Dr. McDonald). Both Mona and Dr. McDonald continued to be gracious and welcoming – something that our group has experienced throughout our brief stay in Liberia.