Ghana Program January 2011

I haven't written a post for my blog in a while A. because I haven't had much time and B. because I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about. Well I realized that I have had the opportunity to go on this amazing trip with other Babson students and I want to be able to remember all the details. So writing posts about the preparation for this off-shore course, the trip itself, and the semester after, are perfect topics.

My Freshmen year at Babson I learned about this off-shore course that a group of students take with Dean Hanno. It is a 2 week trip to Ghana in January. During the trip the students are assigned a high school where they teach the students how to write business plans, act as consultants to the local business and individuals in the nearby towns, and to essentially learn about Ghana and it's culture. And from that.. I was sold.

I applied as a Freshmen, but was way to inexperienced and uneducated on entrepreneurial practices and consulting. At the time, I felt completely qualified. I knew that although I was only a Freshmen, I knew that I could handle it. And luckily, Dean Hanno felt differently.

Sophomore year rolled around, and I decided to remain persistent and apply again. That year I was very confident that I would get accepted. I had taken entrepreneurship and economics courses, done extensive research about Africa, and knew that that year would be the year that I would take this course. Well, yet again, I wasn't accepted. I was sad for a while, but knowing that I still had two more years to apply for the course made me feel better. And I won't lie, I held a grudge for a little while... but still decided not to give up. I wanted this and I was going to get it!

So..... 3 months ago, the time came when applications for the Ghana Program January 2011 were due. I emailed Dean Hanno and yet again expressed my interest. He told me "Harmony, you really think I would turn you down 3 years in a row?". That little email exchange got my hopes up , however I knew with all of the applicants there was still a big chance that I wouldn't be able to go. Well, lone behold, Dean Hanno emailed me 2 weeks later tell me that I had been one of the 45 students chosen for the course. I was ecstatic and could not wait to get started!!

Since that day. We have had 2 weekends of classes out of 3 and I have learned a lot about Africa, Ghana, and the program itself. I would tell you all about what is going to happened and what I have learned, however, my Macro class is about to start and I don't want to get it trouble typing away on my computer :).

I will post again soon!