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An intern story from Asia Internship ProgramFinance Intern in Bangkok
in their own words
Phil, a Cornell University student, spent a summer as a finance intern at a large sugar producer in Bangkok, Thailand. His research project looked at how macroeconomic trends affect global sugar prices.
Phil: Finance Intern in Bangkok
Cornell University
Finance
Bangkok
The internship in 30 seconds
Day to day
Right when I got off the plane I really felt like I was part of a community.
Intern
Phil’s finance internship in Bangkok was built around one research project for a large sugar-producing company: studying how macroeconomic trends affect global sugar prices. Every morning started with tea, then meetings to discuss the project, and there was a gym on site for a quick workout after work.
“The best part about being here is the inclusiveness of the people.”
On AIP: he calls the accommodation “outstanding”, but says the people made the difference. “Right when I got off the plane I really felt like I was part of a community.” Through networking events and dinners he met many other interns, and “I really felt like I was at home.”
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The hard parts
Things nobody mentions
Life in the city
Through work, Phil traveled to parts of Thailand he wouldn’t have seen otherwise, including the northeast and the south, and was “really exposed to different cultural aspects of the country”. He also built friendships with people who live in Thailand, who showed him sides of the country he doesn’t think he’d have found on his own.
New to the city?
What to know before you land
Get out of your comfort zone. I think it’s important to say yes to as many things as you can. For example, a co-worker of mine offered to drive me to a beach town nearby, and I said yes, and he showed me the town in a way that I would never be able to experience if I’d gone by myself.
Full video transcript
Read the full transcript
Hi, my name is Phil. I’m from New York, and I’m currently studying at Cornell University, where I’m majoring in Applied Economics and Management, concentrating on finance and strategy.
I’m working for a major sugar-producing company in Bangkok, Thailand, where I’m doing a research project as a finance intern, studying how macroeconomic trends affect global sugar prices.
How would I describe the office culture and working environment here? I don’t think words can really do this environment justice, so how about I show you. Every morning I come in and I get tea right here, and after that I usually have meetings in some of these rooms to discuss my project. Then after work, if I ever want to be active, I can get a quick workout right here in the gym. All in all, I would say the best part about being here is the inclusiveness of the people. But at the end of the day, it’s always nice to take a quick break.
My experience in Thailand has been absolutely incredible. Through work I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to different parts of Thailand I wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. I’ve been able to see northeast and southern Thailand and really been exposed to different cultural aspects of the country. I’ve also built a few relationships along the way with people that live in Thailand, which has been incredible, because they showed me different aspects of the country that I don’t think I’d be able to see otherwise.
My experience with AIP has been great. Aside from the accommodations, which have been outstanding, I think the people have made the difference. Right when I got off the plane I really felt like I was part of a community, and through networking events and dinners I was able to meet so many new people and so many interns. I really felt like I was at home.
My advice to future interns is to get out of your comfort zone. I think it’s important to say yes to as many things as you can. For example, a co-worker of mine offered to drive me to a beach town nearby, and I said yes, and he showed me the town in a way that I would never be able to experience if I’d gone by myself. I think that’s just a testament to getting out of your comfort zone.
Transcript from YouTube’s automatic captions, lightly edited. Company name removed.
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