The Southeast Asia study abroad program has been nothing short of amazing. In Malaysia we had the pleasure of meeting with two finance companies and participated in a lot of culture sightings. Some of the culture sightings included visiting temples and the Chinese street markets. I’m not going to say which establishment, but for one of the tower visits we got stuck on the elevator on the 83rd floor. Talk about being a nervous wreck! The most rewarding part of the Malaysian experience was visiting the Batu caves. Not only was it a beautiful sight to see, but I reached personal fitness milestones climbing 272 steps!

Singapore was as beautiful as pictures on Instagram and Google show. I wasn’t prepared for the humidity though. During this time we had more free time than planned group trips and I checked everything off my bucket list. That ranged from seeing the Super Tree light show and the Gardens of the Bay to experiencing Lavo on the 57th floor of Mariana Bay Sands and having delicious food no matter where I went. One thing to note about visiting Asia as a black person, you should be prepared to be thought of as a unicorn. Most of the people there were in complete shock to have seen a black person, and on multiple occasions, asked to take a picture with me as if I was a pop star. Outside of that I didn’t experience racism, however that is just from my personal experience and while traveling internationally you should always be aware of everything around you. If you ever feel unsafe, leave. I’m so grateful to have been able to attend this trip and it is definitely one of the best experiences I have had thus far.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Business SE Asia