by Tarn Suwarat, Class of 2018
Almost one year ago, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. I quit my job, a dream job to any newly graduated student like myself. I then decided to leave my family, my friends, my country and everything I knew behind to come to Taiwan. I came to pursue my own path, enrolling in the Global Masters of Business Administration (GMBA) program at the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU). This plan would help me more positively answer the question “Who am I, exactly?”
Although it has been more than a semester since I joined GMBA, I have not yet been able to answer this question. But, I know that I am more open to different view thanks to the GMBA program and I am one step closer to finding my answer. First, through joining GMBA, I have improved my interpersonal and presentation skills. Most courses in GMBA require students to present, discuss and work with other students in a group. To be honest, I am a rather shy person, especially in public, but now I feel more confident and comfortable presenting in front of the class.
The GMBA program is also currently in cooperation with NCTU's Center for Academic and Industry Collaboration, which has extensive connections with entrepreneurs and start-up companies. Through this cooperation and comprehensive coursework, I have received rich exposure and diverse learning environments. For example, this semester I am taking Entrepreneurship and New Product Development.
For this course, we took a field trip to meet technology start-up companies in IASP- an incubator at NCTU. On a second trip, we did a business model building exercise with real products, technologies and teams at the “Smart Living Shaping the Future” exposition in Taipei. These useful experiences allowed us to apply knowledge in the real world and real business situations.
More importantly, GMBA has become a bridge connecting people from many different countries. I am very fortunate to have made friends with many people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. I have learned so much from them, not only in the classroom, but also in our personal discussions about our lives. Besides discussing homework, assignments, and exams, we also share with each other background experiences, both positive and negative, from our home countries which allows us to better understand different cultures. It is a shortcut for me to explore the world. I remember the first trip we took through the GMBA program. It was a trip not only for discovering Taiwan but also for discovering ourselves and fellow classmates. Even though it rained the whole day, we had a great time sitting together, having BBQ, singing and playing games. It is a wonderful first memory of GMBA student life and one I will always cherish. I know I still have many difficulties to face in the future, but I will never give up. I am learning how to pursue my dreams, step by step, thanks to the GMBA program.
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