Staff Interview with Sari Oswald

Describe a typical day at work.

There is no such thing as a typical day at my work! My working days can vary from one hour to around the clock, depending on at what stage the current or future projects are in. I may be working on several completely different projects, and I have to talk to suppliers and clients in New Zealand, Australia, and the USA. Or, I could just be putting manuals together for print and organising last-minute changes and/or details.  

What is your favorite part of your job?

There is no aspect in my position that I don't like. I thrive in the organisational work, pulling different strings at once, and then seeing it all coming together to a fantastic product that we get to deliver to our clients.

What inspired you to work for the Institute of Global Engagement New Zealand? 

The prospect of being part of a professional team with great knowledge of the industry, and the enthusiasm of co-workers wanting to deliver high-quality educational experiences was very appealing to me. I also liked that IGENZ offered opportunities for young people around the globe from diverse backgrounds to learn and to be educated in a friendly, professional manner, and that I would also have the chance to learn something new. 

How do you use your education and international background in your current role?

Having lived in another culture myself, I have a solid understanding of cultural differences, which makes working in a cross-cultural environment enjoyable and less challenging. With my hospitality management background, I acknowledge the importance of customer service and how essential good planning is.  

What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?

The initial plans put on paper may not always come to fruition as easily as you think, or they may not take place at all. So, to overcome these challenges, I source an alternative to work on, or consider resorting to another plan altogether. 

What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?

Be prepared, but if the plans change at the last minute or something unexpected happens, as it sometimes does, just enjoy it; take it as part of travel and as an experience that you can learn from. 

What makes IGENZ special?

The exceptional knowledge and vision of our founder is to lead and deliver, and the fantastic team works brilliantly together in an effort to deliver the best learning experiences.

What makes your organization easy to market to potential participants?  

Great feedback from returning customers and/or their referrals to other potential customers is the best marketing tool one can wish for. IGENZ not only offers fully professional and unique education programs in conjunction with best educational industry leaders and experts, but each program also has a personal touch thanks to a small, dedicated team.

Why should someone choose IGENZ over competitors?

You should choose IGENZ because of the dedication, enthusiasm, and experience of the whole team that understands the diverse educational objectives of each study tour, and how they deliver these in a manner that is both professional but also enjoyable and fun for the students.

What do you hope participants take away from your programs?

I hope participants fully immerse themselves in the learning experiences, the diverse culture and environment, and the connections that they make during the tour.  

If you could participate in one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?

I have been lucky to join a couple of programs here in New Zealand, but the ones that take students to learn about Australia's agriculture sound intriguing.  

Why do you think learning a new language is important?

The ability to converse in someone else’s mother tongue opens up their culture, habits, and ways of life to an extent that otherwise may get lost in translation. 

What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?

Take a positive attitude with you and make the most out of the unique opportunity. Embrace the culture, the people, and the learnings, even if they may not always be to your liking. They still make life-long, valuable experiences that you can learn from.

Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?   

We live in a world where you cannot escape the fact that monoculture societies hardly exist anymore, especially in work life, and that there are many who lack the privileges and opportunities others enjoy. Thus, it is vital to learn about different cultures in an effort to understand each other, to comprehend each other’s historical background, social and economic inequalities, way of thinking, and work ethics. Traveling abroad opens up new cultures in a way that cannot be learned in any other way; you need to be submerged into the culture at its origin to get a deep understanding of it and its people.

...it is vital to learn about different cultures in an effort to understand each other, to comprehend each other’s historical background, social and economic inequalities, way of thinking, and work ethics.

What does ethical global engagement mean to you?  

Ethical global engagement means that we acknowledge the global inequality, take responsibility to learn about the social and historical connections between each other, and that we don't intentionally or inadvertently reproduce those global inequalities and uneven benefits between different cultures. 

Thus, global experiential learning opportunities are very important to both the students and the host communities, and beneficial to both parties when they are executed in a respectful manner and are followed by engagement in reflective practice on the experiences. Through ethical global engagement, we enable mutually beneficial relationships and partnership-building.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

Meaningful travel is when you take time to look back and try to understand what you just experienced and have learned from travel, and how to best incorporate the experiences into your own life.