What inspired you to travel abroad?
I wanted to develop new experiences and expand my network and horizon. I traveled abroad before this experience for my first Master's degree. Another opportunity to live, work, and study in NYC was something that seemed too good to pass off.
Another inspiration was the program itself. I had researched the Mountbatten Program extensively before applying, read reviews, and explored what alumni were able to do after they had completed the program. I observed that a large percentage of past participants had landed in very reputable roles and had career paths that looked like what I wanted to achieve. This inspired him to consider the program.
With my fellow Mountbattens at a Park showing of Macbeth in Bryant Park, Manhattan
Why did you choose the Mountbatten Program?
New York City has always been on top of my list to visit. The Mountbatten program was a rare and affordable opportunity to tick that off my list and also make the most of a respectable program that allows me to achieve my personal goal as well as experience the amazing opportunities that living in New York brought.
The MBA program did not only allow me to live in NYC, but I also got a chance to travel to Bangkok to complete my program. The value of the program compared to the cost was a giveaway being that I was able to complete a full MBA program and not have to worry about stipends or accommodation. It made the experience a lot better.
What was your favorite part about New York, USA?
The diversity in the city and the can-do-get things done attitude was intriguing for me and a huge learning curve. There are also a lot of things to do in and around the city. The restaurants, bars, and nightclubs were also a huge attraction for me.
NYC has some amazing restaurants, speakeasies, and rooftops, and getting through all of these was a huge experience, also getting to see some places I had only seen in some of my favorite movies made the experience even more amazing. The memory I would however cherish the most is getting to watch my favorite musician live in concerts.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The MB program is such a well-planned and delivered program where the focus is not only placed on the opportunity that was offered but additional efforts are made to ensure that interns experience a lot more than they signed up for.
The program officers put in a considerable effort to curate volunteer and entertainment experiences for interns which are then balloted to interns in the program. I also got to meet a lot of cool people, as well as achieved a lot of milestones I set for myself and some I didn't even anticipate I was going to achieve including ringing the closing bell at NASDAQ.
How did the Mountbatten Program staff support you throughout the program?
The Mountbatten staff are amazing providing you with all the tools and necessary information required to maximize your experience in the program. They are the perfect go-to people on a wide range of topics not limited to inquiries around the program alone.
They are always ready to be of assistance with all the resources available to them. The environment in the back office is so welcoming and often helps when you're feeling a little homesick to reach out to the staff and they'll be happy to provide a listening heart; at the end of it all, they feel more like distant relations or siblings and not staff as everyone is super friendly and down-to-earth.
What's one thing he wished would have done differently during his time abroad?
I came on the program with the conviction to make the most of my time on the program and so I got to do a lot of things I intended to do and even a lot more. What I think I may do differently is to travel more out of NYC and see more of the east coast as well as the USA.
I was so focused on maximizing my NY/NJ experience and didn't prioritize other great places that I could have seen outside of NY/NJ. However, I believe there was a lot to do and it made more sense to make the most of my NY/NJ experience which I believe I was able to achieve.
When I met Robin Roberts
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I believe it's an effort in futility to try to define what a day in my life in NYC looked like as each day was different. Depending on the day of the week and time of the year there are a lot of things to do in one day alone.
If I was to attempt answering this question it would either be the first half of the day spent at work during the week, happy hour after work in one of NYC's favorite rooftop or speakeasy bars, then commute from the 33rd street station to the apartments in Newport on the weekends a day party in the city, or a day visit to a tourist site in and around the city evening walks in central park or sightseeing in manhattan.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
As I mentioned earlier there is a lot to do in NYC for me. I like to enjoy the nightlife and party life that New York has to offer. There are a lot of cool stores for some of my favorite designer brands and so I spent some of my free time shopping.
Another thing I enjoyed doing in my free time was sightseeing within and around the city, exploring some sites I had seen in a movie, day parties, carnivals, hanging out with fellow members of the program, or networking. This would be through meetups, volunteering, music festivals, concerts, restaurant/bar hopping, and visiting NY/NJ famous and less famous parks.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
The MB Accommodations are in a prime area in the Newport area of New Jersey. It's about 30-45 mins away from Manhattan either by train, bus, taxi, or ferry. It’s also only a five-minute walk from the Path Station to take a direct train into New York City. The apartment is in a cool apartment building overlooking the Hudson.
I lived in a 3-bedroom shared flat in Newport with four housemates from very diverse backgrounds. My favorite part of the accommodation was the view from my apartment. There's nothing as good as waking up to a pristine view of the Manhattan Midtown Skyline made the experience worth every waking morning.
What is one thing every future participant should know about the Mountbatten Program before their program begins?
While the program is for a year, it goes by really quickly and it helps to have a solid plan going into the program. This plan should be centered on how the participant would like to make the most out of the program.
I found that those who come into the program without having a real plan end up going through the year barely scratching the surface of all the amazing opportunities the program offers. There is a lot to learn from the experience with a lot of noise from colleagues and fellow participants, it is important to make a conscious decision to make the most of the program and maximize each experience available to the participant. A good plan will hinder you from getting derailed.
Would you recommend the Mountbatten Program to others? Why?
Yes, absolutely! -The Mountbatten program has been existing for over 30 years and boasts of an Alumni network that is as great as some top-tier universities with a global footprint across all the continents and a host of countries. There's a reason why the program has been on for so long and why people keep coming back every year.
The program delivers the value as promised as a matter of fact the program doesn't just only offer the opportunity to live and work in an amazing city but curates other very rare opportunities to volunteer and experience the city through events and tickets for activities as well as access to some exclusive venues including the UN Secretariat in Manhattan.
At a fave rooftop bar overlooking the empire state building
What do you think is the biggest benefit of traveling abroad?
I always believe in the importance of seeing new places and experiencing new cultures, nothing he had done up to the moment. I decided to join the program and prepared him for what he experienced in the program. One major benefit was the opportunity to experience new perspectives that come with living outside of your primary country of origin.
I was exposed to people from very diverse cultures and backgrounds and at different positions in their careers, all of whom were very willing to share their experiences with me. This greatly shaped my mindset on the program as well as after the program. I left the program with an assurance that I could only succeed because of the experience I gathered from the program. I had no doubts.
Now back home, how did your time abroad impact your life?
Coming out of the NYC program I got another rare opportunity to spend a few months completing my MBA classes and research in Bangkok which made for the perfect icing on the metaphorical cake. Over the past few years being off the program I can see how my mindset has been greatly shaped by my experience in the program.
I now find myself considering a wide spectrum of scenarios and options when making major work or life decisions calling on experiences and perspectives I ordinarily wouldn't have gotten without my time abroad. The program also improved my professional profile and gave me the edge to excel in my profession.
What does travel mean to you?
Traveling is something I have always loved to do, as I believe traveling to new places provides renewal in perspectives in ways that books, videos or images could never. This is why I believe that any opportunity to travel abroad must be cherished and maximized.
Travel essentially must always be meaningful and so If I have to define meaningful travel I would define it as traveling not only for personal gratification, rest or relaxation; while these are all important I believe that meaningful travel must add value to your body, mind, and spirit as well as provide strong opportunities for you to develop yourself or make new experiences to last a lifetime.