Even though BYU–Hawaii graduate Amy Joy Nichols (at right) had never thought of going to Cambodia for an internship, she had the opportunity to go to Phnom Phen and; she had a life-changing cultural experience.
"I was able to write a great paper on cultural understanding based off of this experience," said Nichols. "These experiences combined have impacted me by blessing me to learn how to apply cultural studies directly to development and to realize that cultural understanding is the missing piece to business."
Her experience at BYU–Hawaii and her internship have helped her realize several things: "Cultural understanding is about understanding cultural motivations and reasons for not acting in the exact same manner as you would in a situation. It's about understanding the history, values, and traditions that affect decisions and lifestyles; and all aspects I have been able to learn about through International Cultural Studies."
She hails from two places: Richmond, Virginia, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nichols received her bachelor's in ICS with an emphasis in communications focusing on international development. While doing her undergraduate studies at BYU–Hawaii, she was an ethics campaign leader, youth business competition leader, a square-foot Gardening Project leader for SIFE, and a communications director for SID.
"It's interesting that I went to Cambodia because I would have never picked that country out on the map," said Nichols. "My focus was always Africa. However, I had three professors successively and individually suggesting to me to try for this study abroad/internship to Cambodia," said Nichols.
The internship/study abroad lasted two months, and she studied non-profit organizations and how they worked with the people in Cambodia. "I met a lot of people and made friends. I learned a lot about development and the difference between international development and humanitarian aid," said Nichols.
During her time at Cambodia, she also visited LDS Charities, which was carrying out a rice field project that involved using a different method of growing rice that was unfamiliar to the Cambodians. The Cambodian initially refused the method, but during the period Nichols was in Cambodian, they had started accepting the method for the project. Nichols was curious as to why people resisted changing the way they grow rice. "It had a lot to do with culture. Being cultural studies major, I was interested in understanding the difference."
What brought about the change, she said, was "LDS Charities partnered with the non-profit CEDAC and CEDAC approached the farming leaders, who have a collectivist culture, and sold them on the idea. Once they were successful, the rest of the communities have slowly begun to believe in the technology." BYU–Hawaii has not only given Nichols the opportunity to go on an internship but also to become more knowledgeable about international development.
Her internship abroad also provided her with the contacts she needed in Cambodia that allowed her to do more effective research. While in the country, she was able to stay with the Va family; Sopheap and Sothea Va are students at BYU–Hawaii. The Va family kept Nichols safe and helped her find an interpreter and the transportation she needed to complete her research. They also introduced her to traditional foods like ants and curry, and allowed her to learn more about life from the Cambodian perspective.
"Do whatever you can to add to your education. Don't get an internship to just get a job. Begin in the fall of your junior year and choose at least three areas of your major that you really enjoy and would like to know more about. Then work with Career Services to locate a company that will help you learn about your interests and also gain skills in your chosen field," she summed.
--Photos courtesy of Amy Joy Nichols