Did you study abroad? If so, where and what inspired you to go?
Moja: Yes I have studied abroad before and it is because of my study abroad experience that I am based in China right now. Initially I came to China for tertiary education; and ever since China made its mark on the global stage and received all that acclaim and recognition, I got curious and felt that if I got the opportunity to set foot in China then I would try by all means to make the most if my time here regardless of how long I would get to stay on.
The most important thing about studying abroad besides the language aspect is to broaden your horizons. With my experience abroad, I found that it has been quite useful to always have a plan or idea of how to use your time. Often many young people fall into the unfortunate path of just enjoying the traditional tourist aspect of going abroad. While that’s not bad, it becomes even more fulfilling and meaningful if there is a greater desire for learning and involvement.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Moja: There are so many aspects that you need to be aware of when running a successful business; it is not so easy to pick one! However above all else is how well you understand your customer/consumer. This is an important one, as it will lead you down the area of good customer care and service; in turn you get good feedback and the potential for deeper reaching networks.
Of course I have to mention that a business needs to understand its product as well. It is not possible to have a customer base without mastering your own product beforehand and knowing how to sell it.
Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?
Moja: I think for anyone looking to live abroad or have an international lifestyle, being flexible enough to learn a new language and being interested in different cultural practices is definitely a necessity. For me, learning a new language allows me to interact much better and deeper with other people and not feel left out in anything. Being in Beijing now, I cannot even imagine what life would be like if I hadn’t learned Mandarin Chinese and took steps to understand the Chinese culture.
What other language would you like to study and why?
Moja: Well coming from an African background and now living in Asia, my next aspiration would be to possibly study a European language. Spanish and French are clearly the most common ones, but I would go with French as I already have some introduction to it and have family members who already speak it. So for me, my decision would be more influenced by personal interest as opposed to whether or not it will create opportunities for me.