Blog Archives

  • Blog

Independence Abroad

By: Belinda Kumi, Wharton ’25 Business in Sydney, Australia Independence. That’s the word that resonates with me and my summer experience in Sydney, Australia. I have always been a pretty independent person who likes to make her own decisions, but my experience abroad has truly shown me what it is like to live on my…

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Food: A Universal Language

By: Lynn Larabi, CAS ’24 International Development in Seoul It was a really hot day. Like, a REALLY hot day. It was sunny, it was 97 degrees, and there was no breeze nor cloud in sight. Now, this is a typical June day in Seoul. Everyone around you wears light fabrics and colors with hand-held…

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Steep Learning Curve

By: Cheryl Woon Yee Lim, SEAS ’25 Cheryl hiking at Macritchie Nature Trail. Engineering Research in Singapore After completing my first year at Penn, I was fresh from a Signal and Information Processing class. I enjoyed that class very much and the last part of the class that touched slightly on machine learning really intrigued me.…

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International Development Consulting in Seoul

By: Junfang Zhang, CAS ’25 First day of work! On the bus with a fellow intern from Penn, Lynn, on the company drop-off arranged by CRCC for our first day. International Development in Seoul  I’ve pondered various ways to begin this article, but perhaps a straightforward opening captures my sentiments best: the past two weeks…

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Sustainability in Seoul: My First Week

By: Joshua Yang, CAS ’23 Joshua sitting at his desk doing some work. International Development in Seoul  I initially applied to the GRIP International Development in Seoul program because I am passionate about sustainability and economic development, both of which were key sectors explored in this program. I really wanted to experience South Korea by immersing…

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Fika in Vietnam

By: Vidur Saigal, SEAS ’25 All GreenViet employees gather around a table of fruit and snacks during fika. Environmental Sustainability in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Fika /ˈfēkə/ noun (in Swedish custom) a break from activity during which people drink coffee, eat cakes or other light snacks, and relax with others. The fresh aroma of…

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The Surprising Power of Foosball

By: Rebecca Peng, SEAS ’25 Rebecca with her fellow interns and supervisors on her first day of work. Environmental Sustainability in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ever since the beginning of our time at Phenikaa MaaS, it’s been easy to see how close the team is, which has taught me that I think I really…

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Traveling vs Working Abroad

By: Anusha Mathur, CAS ’25 Anusha (bottom) with fellow cohort-member, Lizzie, hanging out in the streets of Palermo. Social Impact in Buenos Aires, Argentina As is true of many GRIP interns, one of my favorite things to do is travel! I love experiencing different cultures, trying new foods, and learning about the history of unfamiliar…

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Good Food AND it’s Cheap?? Say Less…

By: Brandon Lee, CAS ’25 International Development in Seoul I’ve always believed that a good meal is the key to anyone’s heart, and I think it’s safe to say that Seoul, South Korea has won me over with its impeccable cuisine. As a Korean American myself, Korean food is my source of comfort. From the…

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Cultural Perspectives in the Workplace

By: Stella Hung, CAS ’24 An area of the startup co-working hub where Stella is working this summer. Pictured are three other students who are interning with her as they all work on different projects. Business in Sydney, Australia Going into my internship as part of the Business in Sydney program, I didn’t know what…