Joy Agyepong is one of our MBA students who had decided to spend one term at our partner university - City University of Seattle. She is also a social entrepreneur and Cofounder of an environmental and youth oriented NGO.
During her time in Seattle, Joy excelled in her studies and dealed with the challenges of living abroad. We believe that the experience was transformative, not just in terms of her academic studies but also in terms of her personal growth. Today, Joy is back in Prague, so we have an opportunity to talk to her about her mobility experience.
Joy, could you please describe why did you decide to spend a part of your studies in Seattle?
My decision was based on my desire to broaden my horizon in terms of meeting and sharing experiences with other cultures.
What were your expectations?
I wanted to meet students from different cultural settings and practically understand how the US educational system operates. Also I was interested in exploring opportunities therein.
Were your expectations fulfilled?
Yes.
That's great to hear! Is there anything that surprised you (life in the US, university life in the US, culture specifics, etc.?)
In general, I would say that life in US is a great experience, just walk in twos when its late "as I was informed by many other US citizens. But the truth is pick an Uber when necessary. Also, there are so many seafoods to eat and fish is very common at the Pike market.
That's a good tip for anyone planning to visit Seattle! Was there anything you were worried about before moving to the US?
Well looking at how peaceful and the ease of transport system is in Prague, I was quite nervous about my stay in terms of safety, cultural shocks and high cost of living.
What is your best and the worst experience?
Best experiences were the teachers I met, their wealth of knowledge shared, their experiences, meeting students in a large class size unlike online with few people. My worst experience however was mainly about the inability to get a part-time job/Internship in school to have some learning and unlearning experiences. Also very few student conferences, tour or workshop opportunities.
Would you recommend this experience to other students?
Yes I would because this is an opportunity that is very scarce yet impactful and fruitful both on ones personal development and exposure. You are able to have realtime experiences of US unlike when you are given examples from the textbook or online. You get to meet and interact with US business owners to learn about culture and management systems.
Do you have any suggestions for some cool places to visit in Seattle?
I visited the Bainbridge Island, water front, Pop Art Culture Museum, Pike Place Market and Seattle Arts Museum.
It sounds like you had an amazing time! Can you tell us something about your acommodation?
I stayed in a hostel although CityU had an ultra modern facility because I preferred to meet people outside campus. This experience was worthwhile for me.
Were there any events organized for students?
There is an Enactus Student Club on campus which is a very good place to join in your free time. It helped with collaborations, idea sharing and project planning/ participation in national and international competitions. It helps students get practical and spurs them on to take big challenges with tight deadlines.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
Not really, but i would add that there is a lot to know about Washington state in general, the people are nice and their city is beautiful. When taking the program, try to have a 200% budget and make your own research don't limit yourself so as to avoid any shocks or disappointments.
Well said, Joy. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us today. It sounds like you had a fantastic term in Seattle!
