There were two milestones I needed to achieve in order to complete my MBA — a new venture capstone project and a study abroad trip to compare and contrast cultures, business practices, and management styles. In the spring semester of 2012, I enrolled in a six-week course entitled Engaging Diaspora Communities for International Business and …
Category Archives: Overseas
Meskerem
When Meskerem opened on March 15, 1985, there wasn’t much of Ethiopia in D.C. Its owners were amongst the first wave of immigrants who fled their homeland after a Marxist military junta overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974.1 That coup triggered the civil war between Ethiopia and Eritrea that lasted until 2000 with the final …
Building Bridges
The next day, I hopped on a train to Northern Ireland to see Mark and Lee, my folklife fest friends who I had not seen since 2007. They took the entire day off from work to give me a grand tour of the Antrim Coast showcasing the scenic, untouched Northern Ireland coastline — one of the most …
Patriots’ Day
We were conducting routine flight operations off the balmy coast of Southern California — in the distance stood the coastal mountain range of Santa Ana where the blistery, dry winds blew from deep within. On that gray September day, I woke up like any other, and switched on the remote to see whether the Atlanta Braves still …
Europe on a Whim
The tall white fir draped with multi-colored lights shined bright and festive in front of the U.S. Capitol. A mile and a half to the west, the nation’s most iconic monument was bathed in a spotlight embodying the history and culture of the nation’s capital. On December 18, 2010, I was on my routine run …
Mmm Sumah’s
In the summer of 1990, a half dozen U.S. Navy 2nd class midshipmen from different parts of the U.S. were excited to be spending their summer in the Mediterranean. They would be embarking aboard USS Peterson (DD 969) which was scheduled to visit Italy, Spain, France, and Israel. Then suddenly civil war broke out in …