I have finally crossed off one of my major bucket list items. It has always been a dream of mine to be able to to attend Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany because it is the worlds largest beer festival. The festival did not disappoint and exceeded my expectations.
I started thinking about this trip when I found out I had gotten into the study abroad program over the summer. I was hesitant on pulling the trigger because I was going to be attending the festival by myself at first. This is a huge social event where you sit at big tables with people you don't know. This can be bit nerve racking when you are in a foreign country and don't speak the language. I had been one week into my courses and wasn't sure if I should leave but I thought to myself "if not now, then never." I went ahead and booked my last minute plane ticket for the next morning and decided to stay in a hostel to get the maximum backpacking experience (also the cheapest option). The hostel room I stayed in housed 12 people dorm room style with bunk beds. The people who were in my room were all traveling from different locations such as Russia, Hungary, Africa, and Japan. The hostel was a fun experience within itself and a great chance to meet people that were also traveling for Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest was one for the books. The festival was filled with local German delicacies and staples. There was over 8 beer tents from different distributors, carnival rides and games to enjoy. I made my way through the tents and met a lot of people that were happy to have me at their tables. It was exciting to be apart of such a big event and meet so many new people. I stayed for a total of three nights, which was more than enough. I consider myself a seasoned beer enthusiast but by the third night of huge steins, chanting, and dancing I was ready to call it a night. One of my favorite highlights from the trip was when I stood on top of a table and chugged a stein as people cheered me on, this was a right of passage and needed to be done. If there is one thing I learned from this trip, it is; that being alone or with friends is always a great adventure. Taking chances on the unexpected can lead you to some of the funnest moments in life. Be ready, and always say YES to new adventures. "It feels good to be lost in the right direction." The classes at Roehampton have been very different from the University of Hawai'i. The classes are only once a week so their is much more independent studying to be done and they expect the readings to be done before class has started. You must be prepared and ready to discuss during class time. This is a great opportunity to improve time management and self starter skills throughout the semester. The three business classes I am enrolled in have real world application and analysis of the current market. For International Business and Emerging Markets class our main project is to choose a country that has an emerging market and then choose an area to analyze. For this class I have chosen to do the Philippines and the cultural understanding behind penetrating the market. For Business Organisations and Environments in a Global Context my main project is to open a national company in Australia and analyze the pros and cons of creating a business in that country. An example would be to open a Burger King in Australia. For Entrepreneurial Opportunity we must assess the different needs around campus and then create a business catering to that need. We have decided to open a food stand/truck because there is a lack of available hot food after 6pm on campus. Throughout the semester we will be creating a video to upload on Youtube that will create this company and asses the market, industry, and competition. I am enjoying these classes because it is teaching me to think on a much more international basis as well as giving my the opportunity to analyze the needs of different areas. It is interesting working with the international students because I get to see what the differences in our perception of importance.
It has been an amazing 2 week start to London. During our welcome week we had freshers week which is 6 days of activities throughout the day and night to help you meet students from around the college and get signed up for different programs throughout the University.
I decided to sign up for the University football team. We had 3 long days of trails as people were cut after each session. I was a bit nervous during the selection process because I hadn’t played or seen the other players from around the campus before. The trails consisted of scrimmaging the other potential players which was a bit brutal because I hadn’t played in about 6 months. On the last day of trails I found out I had made the Uni team. Being a huge football fan I was very excited and stoked to have the ability to say I am playing abroad in England! Definately putting that on my resume in the future. We have practice on Mondays and games on Wednesday’s every week so it will be fun being able to fill up some of time with a sport I really enjoy. Joining clubs and organizations is a good way to put yourself in a new environment where you can test yourself as well as make new life long connections with people from all over the world. I really enjoy that Roehampton has students from all over the world with very different cultures I’ve never experienced before. It’s very apparent during class seminars and talking to other students that they have very different lifestyles depending upon where they grew up. |
AuthorMy name is Micahl Nicolas Ong. I am addicted to traveling the world, meeting new people and getting lost with a snack in hand! I am studying abroad in London England and will be traveling the world for the next 4+ months. Archives
December 2018
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