GRIP: Entrepreneurship in Montevideo, Uruguay Of the many stories I carry from my years in Spanish classes, one that has stayed with me and has proven to be surprisingly relevant during my time in Montevideo, was told by my sixth grade Spanish teacher. She had been living abroad in Spain and was recounting her day…
GRIP: Nursing Research at Trinity College Dublin Being abroad has surprised me in many ways, but one of my main takeaways so far is the amount of growth that can happen in an international setting. Penn’s Global Research and Internship program has taught me so many things, even in the first few weeks of being…
GRIP: Power Up Gambia The first two weeks of my internship have been an incredible journey, and I have learned so much in just the past few days. Between hands-on learning and navigating a completely new place, it’s been a very exciting time. On my first few days working at Bwiam General Hospital, I felt…
GRIP: KK FundTaipei, Taiwan When I first landed in Taiwan for my internship at the KK Fund, I had no idea what my day-to-day would look like. Venture capital was something I had only studied from the outside — pitch decks, public profiles, theoretical models. But within the first week, I realized VC is anything…
Global experiences like my summer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, are essential because they challenge us to step outside of our comfort zones, adapt to unfamiliar environments, and gain a deeper understanding of different cultures. Living and working in a foreign country provides a unique opportunity to develop skills that are increasingly important in today’s interconnected…
By: Amanda Qu A flower display at Gardens at the Bay As I reflect on my time in Singapore, I realized how important being surrounded by people who looked like me was to my personal development. I grew up in a white suburban neighborhood where I could count the number of Asian people I knew…
By: Natalia Klosowska During my internship in Singapore, I made a conscious effort to immerse myself in the local culture, which greatly enhanced my overall experience. One of the first things I did was dive into the city’s renowned food scene. Singapore is famous for its hawker centers, where a dizzying array of dishes from…
By: Xiyuan Lin My fellow GRIP intern, Donna, and I visited Starfish Bay, a beach near my apartment. We didn’t see any starfish—only small crabs. “Nei hou…(Hi)?” I gave an awkward smile in front of Milksha, a boba shop near The OPEN Classroom, “WeChat Pay da mu da(Is WeChat Pay ok)?” It was lunch break…
By: Xiyuan Lin “Help me!” “I lost my cane!” “Miss Dora, I’m scared!” A cacophony of screams echoed in the dark. It was my class field trip to the Dialogue in the Dark exhibit, an immersive tour in which we got to experience complete darkness while being led by a blind tour guide. Along with…
By: Ricardo Yamin Dinner with dorm receptionist and fellow GRIP student Alex Chinea Reflecting on my experience as an intern at the Kopke Port house in Porto, Portugal, I’m struck by how integral my colleagues have been in shaping this unforgettable experience. From the moment I arrived, they welcomed me into a professional, friendly, and…