Winter in Paradise

Less than a week ago I was in Paradise. Literally. It was the scene that covers the walls of college dorm rooms all over the country…. A long wooden boat anchored in sparkling blue-green waters with rocky islands in the background. I rocked back and forth in a hammock over the white sand, a frozen drink with a tropical flower in my hand. Eighteen other students and I were at Paradise Resort, the finale of our three-week trip to Southeast Asia as part of a global immersion, marketing course.

And what a three weeks it had been. We had traversed across Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand – complete with a five-hour long boat ride along the Mekong from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc. 4am wake up calls were typical and falling asleep by 11pm was considered impressive.  Our days consisted of some sightseeing: winding through the crowded stalls of the markets, admiring the gold Buddhas at the Royal Palace and temples, and cruising through the floating market. But some of my favorite parts of the trip were, surprisingly, our business meetings.

We had met and consulted with companies and individuals ranging from the McCann World Wide Group to Sobbhana Silk Factory, a socially responsible organization run by Princess Marie and Ambassador Eng. We oversaw production at a garment factory and the manufacturing of trucks at the Toyota Company. We learned about working conditions, political environments, and marketing challenges of the different countries. The experience allowed new insights and perspectives which traveling alone would have never provided.

The last three days of our trip were spent kayaking in the Andaman Sea, exploring caves and mangroves and trying to avoid the wild monkeys that would occasionally hop on our boats. Having to leave Paradise and the warm weather was miserable but returning to William and Mary provided its own warmth; that of close friends and an accepting community, which I had deeply missed.