An Experience of a Life Time

Anm. d. Red.: In der Kategorie „Studierende berichten“ haben Studierende die Möglichkeit, ihre Erfahrungen zum Studium und zur Jade Hochschule frei und unzensiert zu äußern. Um die Authentizität der Beiträge zu erhalten, nimmt die Redaktion keinerlei Änderungen vor.

A chance to study…

… here in Germany is a once and life-time opportunity that seemed to real to be true. Not knowing the language didn’t worry me one bit, although it was a challenge I had to deal with. The best opportunity for me was to take International Business, which here in Germany it’s called International Management. Taking a course like this in a different country would really give a better perspective on how business run internationally. Being a Business Management student in America, you don’t really get a chance to really understand how things work internationally.

Taking International Management…

… I had no idea what to expect but, at the end of the class I got to meet nice people and learn about two different companies in two different countries. During the semester for this class, there were two excursions that took place, one in the Netherlands and the other right here in Wilhelmshaven. I was thankful I was able to participate in both. Being in both excursion seminars were great experiences that I will always remember.

My other American friend Keziah…

… and I represented Jade Hochschule in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. For this seminar we had to make a poster of a local food producer and learn about how they market their products before we went there. Our poster was on Fisch Kalter, which started out as a one stand fisch market in Wilhelmshaven. Keziah and I are very proud to say we won for the best poster out of the others that were presented. During the seminar we made friends with the other students that were involved in this excursion. There were French, Belgian, and some Dutch students that study at the University there.

That was just the beginning of the seminar…

… the next task was visiting a company in northern Friesland area of Holland. The company we visited was called Greydanus, a leading distributer of potatoes in the Friesland area. As a group, we took a tour of the facility and how it operates to distribute the potatoes to certain retailers and such. It was a great experience to learn about such places, when learning we never really think about such places, so it was nice to learn some new things. A task was given to us to solve a certain problem the company had regarding marketing to new customers and expansion outside of the Friesland area. Unfortunately the team I was on didn’t win but, every team presented some good idea and the best team won. Taking a chance to come to Leeuwarden was the best decision I could make. I made some really good friends from Belgium, France and Netherlands. During the last night, some of the Dutch took us around for some drinks and made our last night really exceptional.

Taking an excursion to the Netherland was awesome…

… but now I have an opportunity to be part of another excursion right here in good ole Wilhelmshaven. One of the main criteria for International Management was to prepare this seminar that will take place right here. Our job was to organize the stay of the Dutch students, the Dutch Coach and the Croatian Coach, cater food for everyone for snacks and lunch and communicate with the Dutch and the Coaches on when they will arrive in Wilhelmshaven. Once again I got to meet some nice people during this excursion seminar. Just like the Leeuwarden excursion, everyone had to do a poster, but this time it had to be about a local fashion group and their marketing strategies. That was a challenge for me because I have no idea about any local fashion group, but luckily I formed a group with some Germans and the rest was Alles Gut.

For the company visit…

… we visited Ulla Popken. It was a huge factory with lots of different sections within it. For me the most memorable moment in this seminar was the mud-flat tour we did. Personally I have never done anything like this mostly because I don’t think there is an area like it in the United States. Anyways, there is nothing better than going on a mud-flat tour when it’s rainy and cold. It’s a recipe for success and it was, maybe 12 out of the 36 made it all the way. Your truly (me) was one of them that made it all the way, but that wasn’t why it was memorable. My shoes and jeans were covered in mud, walking back to shore my shoes were squeaking with mud water, from my knee’s down there was mud all over my jean. I had the best look out of everyone there.

Being involved with such great people…

… and being able meet them is a blessing and I’m very happy with how everything turned out. From my decision to study here in Germany and being able to take International Management, the best decision ever. Don’t get me wrong, the lifestyle here is so different than the U.S. I love being here and the all the international friends I’ve met. I’ve gained a new famly filled with different backgrounds who are culturally diversified. One of my biggest goal in life was to meet other people and gain the proper knowledge of how the culture is and also gain an ever-lasting friendship. I can say now I have achieved that goal but, haven’t fulfilled it as a whole yet. Germany has been great and I hope to return here to study and reunite with all my friends who are now I consider family. One Love!!

Ken Kempadoo

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