Blog Entry 4

Compare your observations and experiences in Belize to your chosen major or discipline and career aspirations. Include at least two of your favorite photos from the trip.

-To begin, I am a business and economics major at Bellarmine which has taught me a lot about how a company operates and how to plan for the future. I observed numerous new techniques and ideas of how the non profit organization B.E.S.T. runs their business. BEST really tailors their business practices to the small time client that receives their loan. Whether it's making the application forms illiterate friendly, knowing the loan recipients through first hand experience, screening for the best possible clients, or deciding how to raise more capital, BEST knows the business. These techniques proved to me that there is no definite answer of how to run a company because it always depends on the situation. When our group got to experience how a client is interviewed for a loan, it made me feel like I was finally getting to use some of the skills I have been taught in college. For example, my business trained mind immediately started to weigh out risks of whether or not I believe a pig farm would be a good idea or not. My heart wanted me to give the family a loan for the obvious reason of helping someone in need but the business side of my mind said to analyze the situation more deeply. Unfortunately, the pig farming setup was not as planned out as I had hoped, but suggestions of having a more thought out financial plan made me believe that it had potential for success.

For myself, I would like to be an entrepreneur in the future which has its postives and negatives. On the positive side, owning a business gives you the power to control your own destiny which appeals to me. On the negative side, failure of the company is your responsibility which can make it risky. The Microfinace project is an excellent way to prepare myself for the future and get a first hand look at how a small business can be successful if the correct resources are in order. In fact, being involved with the group over the past few years has helped me decide on what type of job would fit me best. I would like to pursue a career in business consulting because I like to support small businesses, always have a changing venue, and I enjoy helping people help themselves. With all of these ideas in the back of my mind, my favorite pictures from the trip are when I operated the dangerous power saw, the Rotary lunch, and being on top of Xunantunich. Operating a saw reminds me of lending a physical hand to people in need, the Rotary reminds me to always think of people who need financial help, and being on top of Xunantunich reminds me that possibilities are endless when you work hard for something. Go Team Belize!