Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My internship in Hanoi was a transformational experience. Past Review

By (Ivey Business School) - abroad from 05/13/2019 to 07/05/2019 with

Authentica: Virtual Internship eXperience

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
From an academic perspective, I learned a great deal about on-premise consulting, the Vietnamese business culture, and how to properly structure and execute a business project. On a personal note, I learned a lot about how I cope with drastic changes in my environment, and how to be resourceful to make the most out of an experience. Since my trip to Vietnam I've approached both academic and interpersonal challenges in a more informed way and I ultimately have my international internship to thank for that. As such, the trip was definitely worth while and I would recommend this experience to anyone looking to challenge themselves and grow.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was excellent. We stayed in a hotel-like complex within walking distance to several amenities like gyms, grocery stores, restaurants, cinemas, etc.

* Food:

Vietnam has a great culture around food. It can be an adjustment at first coming from North America, but it's worth discovering.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Authentica did a great job at prepping us for the Vietnam trip. I was able to apply a lot of the learnings from our pre-trip guide to my everyday interactions with Vietnamese people as soon as I touched down in Hanoi. Although it wasn't a seamless transition by any means, I was still equipped with the right knowledge going in that made integrating into the Vietnamese culture less of a daunting task.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't personally have any major health issues but some of my peers that did were supported very well by the Authentica team.

* Safety:

Safety was not an issue at all in Hanoi. I was told in the pre-trip to be on alert for petty theft, however, throughout my summer internship I didn't run into any trouble.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

From preparation to execution, Authentica did an incredible job of continuously supporting myself and my classmates throughout our journey in Vietnam. Additionally, they encouraged us to think beyond the transactional aspect of the internship and to integrate ourselves into the Vietnamese culture as much as possible. For myself, this meant joining a local soccer team through Vietnamese friends I made at the company where I completed my internship. I am incredibly thankful for my experience abroad and Authentica was a great facilitator.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I found Hanoi and Vietnam in general to be very affordable as a student. The food was inexpensive even with eating out, and travelling around Vietnam on the weekends was affordable.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Oddly enough, eating out is a great way to save money in Hanoi. I found buying food from grocery stores to be considerably more expensive.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The support/resources
  • Building newfound relationships with my classmates and company mentors
  • Learning how to structure a business project and deliver/generate appropriate recommendations
* What could be improved?
  • There are no improvements I can think of
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I realized how short-lived the program would end up being. Even though i was satisfied with my Vietnamese experience at the time, when I look back at it now 8 weeks was such a short amount of time to be there. Perhaps I would have travelled more on the weekends and explored outside of Hanoi.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.