Hilary Hambrick Taft
2013 - 2014
Chimaltenango, Guatemala
International Business in Guatemala
I am a graduate of the Belmont University International Business program with emphasis in Entrepreneurship and French. My prior international travel experiences include three short-term study abroad trips to Guatemala, a week-long SIFE due-diligence trip to Haiti, and a semester studying abroad in Marseille, France.
My short-term trips to Guatemala most strongly prepared me for this Lumos experience because they introduced me to the culture, ignited a passion in me for the Guatemalan people, and connected me with Centro Monte Cristo. Haiti prepared me for working in community development. Through the training I received from Professor Blackledge, I learned how to objectively evaluate community development and decide whether or not an organization was truly making sustainable change or ultimately hurting the people they intended to help. Lastly, France prepared me for being out of my comfort zone for an extended period of time. My five months spent in France also taught me the importance of language and how crucial it is to quickly pick up a new language.
Being the project leader of SIFE (Enactus) international projects, project manager of Be a Blessing, and Vice-President of the 2012-2013 World Champion Enactus team has taught me tremendously about leadership, service, and working across borders. Specifically through Be a Blessing, I have encountered the difficulties of doing work with a Guatemalan social entrepreneur. Often times she operates on her own timetable and with different expectations than the American mindset. I am grateful for the experience I have had working intimately with a Guatemalan for almost two years because it prepares for volunteering at Monte Cristo. I know now never to assume that my expectations are perfectly translated into a new culture. As well I have learned to accept the patience that goes along with making transformational change long lasting.
My educational experiences through study abroad, SIFE (Enactus), and my International Business classes have peaked my interest in micro-loans and social enterprise. I am interested to see how I may contribute to Monte Cristo by assisting with their micro-loan funds for farmers as well as with outlining social entrepreneurial ventures that could help the center be one hundred percent internally sustainable. These possibilities are part of why I wish to undertake my proposed project. I believe that by equipping others with the tools I have learned in my Belmont classrooms they can truly change their own lives through the application of new knowledge.
More about me....
Major(s): International Business
My Stories
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Home is 6 Days Away!
Loose ends are such trouble to tie up… The end of the school year is in full swing here at Monte Cristo and
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One Year Ago
I’ve been in Guatemala for almost one year now. When I reflect on all that’s taken place, I am amazed at the changes
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Queen Bee is in Stores Now!
We had an amazing event last week launching Queen Bee here in our local community of Chimaltenango. We advertised all the products Monte
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The Tears of the Mother
I come from a different world. I went to the same private Christian school for 13 years of my life. My world set
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La Abuelita
There’s a woman that I’ve never met, but she’s all I’ve heard about since I arrived here in Guatemala. She’s Abuelita Lipa. She’s
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Social Enterprise in the Developing World
As we embark on the adventure of finally selling our first Queen Bee products, I feel obligated to stop for a moment and
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Day Against Smoking
Last Friday we had an awesome day walking more than 6 kilometers with our students from Monte Cristo in a march against smoking.
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Updates on Queen Bee
We’re super excited because last week we ordered over 700 metal containers for our first major run of Queen Bee products. This week
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To Belong
Being a volunteer is hard. When you show up to an organization that’s running perfectly fine without you and say “Hi! I’m here!
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Expression Week
You know all those special activities you had in Middle School? Like talent shows, science fairs, and field day? Well, here in Guatemala
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Belmont Came to Visit!
Two weeks ago, Belmont Study Abroad came to study fair-trade coffee farming and international business here in Guatemala. This trip has special meaning
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Surprised by Generosity
This past week I’ve been reminded of the generosity of my Belmont community. We’ve been preparing for the study abroad group that’s coming
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I’ll let the photos talk.
To pick just one story about the last two weeks would be too hard… so I’ll just let the photos do the talking.
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Between 7 and 4
We start school together at 7am every morning. We eat the first of several meals together and proceed to clean the campus grounds
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Responsibility
I’m sure that compared to some of my peers, I don’t appear to have a ton of responsibility. My expenses have graciously been
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My First Navidad
I’m typically not a huge fan of Christmas. I often find it more focused on materialism than the family time and spiritual reflection
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ABC’s
In November, the administration of CEMOC came to Eric and I with some news. The students of the incoming class of 7th graders
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Seedlings
I’ve been doing a lot of planting lately. My first endeavor was tutoring Vilma in English. A demonstrative young lady in the seventh
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Las Fiestas!
It’s fiesta season here in Guatemala and I’m learning more than I ever thought I would about Mayan culture and community. Starting last
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Update on Our New Reality
The past two weeks have felt like the fog has lifted off our dream-like experience and the reality of our adventure here has
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What We’re Doing Here, Pt. 2
Part Two As you can see from part one, the perilous history of most Guatemalan Mayan communities sets the stage for generational poverty
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What We’re Doing Here, Pt. 1
The past month, we have learned an exponential amount about how Centro Educativo Monte Cristo (or CEMOC) operates. (The courtyard of CEMOC). In
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Volcanoes & Coffee Trees
The last week has felt like 100 days, 100 days of new words, people, foods, and complexity. The language barrier has been significant,
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The Last Whirlwind
Since mid-April life has been a whirlwind, filled with deadlines, parties, moving, competitions, moving, traveling, weddings, and more moving. The moments of respite
