Howdy!
Being a Texas A&M student, you become familiarized in an all too comfortable environment filled with rich tradition and friendly Aggies. So when the travel opportunity to do service work with a brigade in Panama presented itself, I knew I would regret the decision if I passed on it. Reflecting now, I can confidently say that the experience has helped further my interpersonal development skills and international perspective.
Our fourteen-person brigade team was divided into three subgroups, each being responsible for a distinct business need of the local Panamanian community bank and its members. Every day, we would wake early, have breakfast together, and get ready for the bus ride that would take us to where the community members met. It was in this communal routine that I felt a serendipitous way of living, where people are perpetually joined in a shared purpose to help others. With this clear sense of drive, I found that working with my fellow Aggies and our client, Noriel Vel?squez, the owner of a hand-made furniture business, was an unforgettable feeling of reward. Seeing the gratitude on Noriel?s face as we developed advertising for his business and created a product catalog was a moment that helped me recognize the significance of why it is important to take the chance on trips such as Global Business Brigade of Panama.
If you have the opportunity to go on a similar trip such as this program, I would take action in a heartbeat. You will develop friendships with fellow aggies and indigenous people, while working on your consulting and cross-cultural communication skills. To this day, I am thankful for the philanthropic opportunity provided by GBB.
