Global Odyssey is an event hosted by our school every year and students of Business Management, take part in this event by volunteering to be either in the decor team, food stalls, fun activities and much more. I volunteered to be in a food stall, and I had the opportunity to pair up with my fellow students and sell various edibles at our food stall. The main purpose of our stall was to sell our various products and gain profit so that we could donate portions of it to the underprivileged children.
LO 1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
We were 5 students in a group handling our food stall, and it was supposed to be a joint venture and hence all of us were supposed to give our contributions in one way or another. I had decided to bring 2 of our items from our menu. One of the items was Sev Puri, and this is a food item which required to be made on the spot and because of this, I had to use my cooking skills and make the best out of the resources available on the spot. This made me identify my strengths like chopping and sorting, and on the other hand, it also helped me in identifying some of my weaknesses like speed and efficiency. I worked on my weaknesses by implementing my critical thinking skills and understanding the process and was able to produce better results in less time.
LO 2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
Cooking is something which has been a familiar territory for me over the years. Cooking and preparing dishes is always something that has been natural for me and over the years, I have had a lot of experience and improvements in my culinary skills. My main task at the stall was to make and serve the sev puris and in order to do so, I had various challenges in the process. Firstly, I did not have a keen knife, which stood as a challenge for cutting the vegetables and to overcome this challenge, I had to use my communication skills to borrow a knife from my peers in order to complete my task. Other than this, I was also in charge of the accounting and I had to manage the cash we received. Another challenge which I knew would arise was the online payment which teachers would probably use and so I had brought a QR scanner of my online wallet so that our stall would accept all kinds of payments and this problem would be resolved.
LO 3: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience
As part of the Global Odyssey event for our school’s Business Management project, I actively demonstrated Learning Outcome 3 by initiating and planning my CAS experience around preparing and serving sev puri on the spot. I took the initiative to research simple yet popular Indian snacks that could be prepared live, keeping in mind the available resources, hygiene standards, and the less time we had in hand. I also coordinated with my team to ensure the ingredients were ready, and planned my preparation process in a way that would engage customers while ensuring efficiency. This experience required me to think ahead, manage time, and take responsibility, especially since a portion of our earnings was donated to a local charity, making this a meaningful and well-planned service activity.
LO 4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
During the Global Odyssey event, I demonstrated Learning Outcome 4 by showing commitment and perseverance throughout the planning and execution of my CAS experience. Preparing sev puri on the spot required me to stay fully engaged and focused for long hours, especially during busy periods when the demand for the product was high. Despite the challenges of maintaining quality, managing time, and working under pressure, I remained consistent in my efforts and ensured that each serving met our standards. I also dedicated time before the event to practice and refine my preparation technique. My dedication to the stall and willingness to take responsibility even during stressful moments reflected my perseverance and strong commitment to the success of both the event and our charitable goal.
LO 5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively
During the Global Odyssey event, I demonstrated Learning Outcome 5 by working collaboratively with my team of five members while sharing a limited space of just two tables and a small workspace. Effective communication and teamwork were essential, as we had to coordinate our tasks without getting in each other’s way. While I was primarily responsible for preparing sev puri, I also took on the role of managing and handling funds as the cashier, which required trust and cooperation from my teammates. We supported each other during busy times, adjusted our roles when needed, and made collective decisions to ensure the smooth running of the stall. This experience helped me develop important collaborative skills such as adaptability, responsibility, and mutual respect, and showed me the value of working efficiently as part of a team toward a shared goal.
LO 6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.
During the Global Odyssey event, I demonstrated Learning Outcome 6 by engaging with issues of global significance such as hunger, poverty, and access to basic needs. Our stall was not just a business initiative but also aimed at making a positive social impact, as we donated a portion of our earnings to a local charity supporting underprivileged communities. By using a culturally significant dish like sev puri, I also contributed to promoting cultural awareness and diversity within a global context. This experience helped me understand how small-scale actions, like running a food stall, can be connected to larger global issues and how service through entrepreneurship can contribute to meaningful change in society.
