Silver Moon

Some main takeaways I learned from her presentation was:

Rejection is redirection. Meaning that even if someone doesn't like you or you don't get the job you want that is OK. Rejection only leads us to search for other opportunities. People like to think it is a negative thing, but in reality it can actually turn into something great if you let it.

Failure isn't a dead end, its a doorway. I think this really got my gears turning. I never want to feel like I am disappointing anyone in my life, especially in the sense of failing. I think she made me realize that failure, like rejection, is OK and it happens to everyone. It is unavoidable. You are going to fail. What matters more is if you can pick yourself back up and keep going. It is a good thing that I am a very motivated person, but I will try harder to not take failure so personally.

Purpose stems from pain. Our experiences, more specifically our negative experiences, can lead to purpose. She mentioned how something bad happened to her, but lead her to doing what she does today. Things happen for a reason! The good, the bad, and the ugly. It is in our deepest darkest experiences that we can find purpose or light at the end of the tunnel. I personally feel like being in a military family I lost a lot of experiences I could have had. This lead to a lot of resentment and depression because I lost a lot of friends along the way as well. I had to rebuild a life time and time again. Looking at it from a positive angle, this lead me to being able to talk to people easier, put myself out there, and try new things. I think it is what lead me to wanting to work with people. My purpose is to meet new people and help them.

I learned that it is important to figure out or think about what "my mission is" often. She taught me that missions change. Peoples reasoning for doing things can change as well.

I really liked when she shared that "it is not about what people say when you're in a room, its about what they say when you're not even in the room." Thinking about perception vs reality can be daunting. People that don't know me often view me as mean. If they got to know me they would realize that I am just reserved and shy and have a major RBF (which I cannot control). As for people who do know me I am often curious about what they say about me behind closed doors. I think about it often. I hope they see me as organized, empathetic, and caring because that is how I try to carry myself.

This semester has taught me a lot about all the different avenues that the Hospitality and Tourism Management students can take. While I am not a HTM major, I do some of what we have learned was very interesting and appealing. The units that sparked most of my interest included:

Adventure Travel (aka spiritual pilgrimages)

The Cruising Industry

The Hotel Industry

Meeting and Events

Food and Beverage

I learned how spiritual pilgrimages can be incredibly eye opening for many people and how they view the world. During the discussion for this unit I discussed how my mother made a point to take me abroad to Italy after my high school graduation and how I always appreciated the experiences that trip gave me. Italy has such rich culture and food, especially in Rome. I was so amazed by all the monuments and history there is just so much to see. Any time we would walk down an alley we would happen upon something so unique and interesting. I would go back in a heartbeat if I could. I never knew that adventure travel was such a big thing in HTM, but now that I know it is definitely something to consider. I think everyone needs to take one journey abroad in their lifetime. Going someplace you have never been and experiencing a different culture can give so you so many different views on life and can improve a persons mental state and wellbeing.

The cruising industry was an intense unit to learn about. I have been on many different cruise lines in my lifetime with my family and we have always had such an amazing time, but I never really took a step back to think about how much work and time goes into each cruise. There are so many workers, working day in and day out, even once a ship offloads its patrons a whole new set comes right on and they are out of the dock within a couple hours. This industry is incredibly fast paced. I think it would be stressful at times, but highly rewarding to be able to reap the benefits of traveling and seeing the world.

As for the hotel industry, they are quiet similar to the cruising industry in the fast paced and long hours criteria. I think what appeals to me most about the industry is the aspect of constantly meeting new people and tending to their needs. Hotels bring in all different kinds of people from different backgrounds, cultures, ages, ethnicities, etc. I can't say that I would ever own or run a hotel on my own- as that sounds incredibly stressful to me. But, after watching the Marigold Hotel movies I definitely think that hotel management is a very respectable field and can allow many to attain a great livelihood. I learned that it requires soft skills and hard skills — art and science. In order to become great in this craft, you would need years of experience, the right tools, stellar organization systems, and an even better team under your belt to adjust to ongoing consumer wants and needs.

The meetings and events unit sparked my interest the MOST out of everything I have learned in HTM 101. I even discussed the possibility of going into this field with my mom the other day. She agrees that I am very organized and love to plan. My own friends tell me that they want me to decorate or organize their weddings because they love my style and taste. I think if I ever went into event planning I would have be a wedding planner. Weddings would be so much fun for me to plan because creating special moments for others seems very rewarding. Not to mention a lot of people don't want to do it themselves nor have the time to do so. There is so much work that goes into wedding planning, but overall I think I would be able to handle it and make something great!

Lastly I wanted to go over the food and beverage unit because I learned a lot about it. My own parents created their own coffee shops back in the day and looking back so much has changed in terms of what people expect from the food and beverage industry. (Especially once COVID hit).

Some suggestions I would offer to those entering the F&B industry include:

Increase health conscious options

Decrease unhealthy fast food services

Stock more organic food products

Stock more plant based food products

Create products with simple ingredients (NO LONG LISTS)... we want to understand what is going into our bodies

Source food that is locally grown and produced

Buy food at farmers markets

I think that my major being marketing can go hand in hand with a lot of these HTM careers. After all the experience that I gained from my degree would apply and be very useful for future employers even if I didn't go into a marketing specific field. I would definitely consider some of these HTM options in the future and if you have any suggestions on which avenue to take definitely let me know!

I initially wanted to purchase McDonalds as a franchise, but after looking into it further it seemed difficult for myself to maintain. The fast food and restaurant industry is very very fast paced and so I don't think it is for everyone. I thought it would be interesting mostly because I thought McDonalds would always be a profitable business, but it also depends on the location of the franchise and whether it is bought out or a new franchise building.

In my discussion I chose UPS as the franchise I would want to purchase. I made this decision because the benefits really outweighed the cons of the business. For example, a wide range of products and services are available to The UPS Store franchisees, including shipping and packing, mailbox and postal services, copying, finishing, and printing, packing and moving supplies, as well as business services including fax, notary, and office supplies. Not to mention there is opportunity for growth and scale of the business, the UPS Store is a well-known company with an excellent reputation and positive customer feedback, customers are already familiar with its brand and the services it provides. AND franchisees are supported by regional field representatives.

Traditional UPS locations cost about $240,000 (in comparison to McDonalds at $500,000 this is a STEAL of a DEAL). Royalties are as follows: "The UPS Store, Inc. collects a total of 8.5 percent of franchise owners' adjusted gross monthly sales, which is applied as follows: 5 percent of that fee covers royalties; and. 3.5 percent of that fee goes to local and national marketing and advertising efforts." Which doesn't seem all that bad to me. The UPS Store, Inc.provides a comprehensive, four-phase training program to give new franchise owners the tools, strategies and knowledge they'll need to launch and grow their businesses. Franchise Ownership​​ It grants the franchisee the right to use the franchisor's trademark, logo, service mark, system of operation, etc. One of the qualifications that The UPS Store, Inc. requires of prospective franchisees is to have at least $75,000 in liquid assets. 

Reviews are mixed. I think that with any business there will be a number of positive and negative reviews, but as a franchise owner it is their duty to make the business better. So... I would take all of those negative consumer comments and take them into consideration when taking over the business so that I could make it better.

I think the changes taking place in the Food and Beverage industry are necessary improvements for those who truly care about their health and the food that goes into their body. I can not believe how much processed foods can affect our bodies and minds. "Buying processed foods can lead to people eating more than the recommended amounts of sugar, salt and fat as they may not be aware of how much has been added to the food they are buying and eating. These foods can also be higher in calories due to the high amounts of added sugar or fat in them."

People like to think that the reason for obesity in America has no definite answer as to why it is occurring. America's chronic weight problem and health related illnesses are often blamed on the consumption of too much food and not enough exercise. But why is it that no one questions what is in the food we are eating? Isn't that the underlying cause of it all? Foods such as sugary soft drinks, baked goods, chips, burgers, and fries trigger a compulsive consumption, can have mood-altering effects, and create addictive urges to continue to buy the products/continue eating (binging). We need to investigate the food industry and why these addictive properties are in our food. We need to care less about profits and more about our wellbeing and health in America.

I tend to go for restaurants that have a wide variety of options. Whether that be healthy or not. The most important factor to me would be the transparency aspect of ingredients and freshness of the food being presented to me. I also love a good photo opp so if the environment is cool that is a bonus.

I have tried a Farm to Fork restaurant and found that even when I had a greasy fried chicken sandwich it didn't leave me feeling heavy and gross like some other restaurants do. It is all due to the ingredients and process in which it is made. I appreciate that more restaurants are focusing their efforts on delivering products like these.

Since the pandemic occurred I emphasized the importance of cooking homemade meals in my life. There are many benefits of cooking at home. Such as being able to know exactly what is going in your food and it can act as an outlet to stress relief as well. I try to make something that I haven't before or make changes to a recipe I use weekly. I like to switch it up and keep improving on my skills. That being said, I don't prefer to subscribe to the food box companies. While it is convenient and cost effective, I like to plan, prep, and shop for my own groceries and dinners.

Some things I could see changing in the F&B industry include:

An increase of health conscious consumers/businesses

Decrease of unhealthy fast food service

More people buying organic food products

More people buying plant based food products

More people reading the labels on food products BEFORE making a purchase

Buying foods that are locally grown, produced, and sourced

Buying foods at farmers markets

More people planting gardens

Cooking homemade meals/learning how to cook at home

I thought the "Get PAID to TRAVEL" video was super interesting and informative. I knew that Youtubers can get paid for their videos, but I always thought that you needed a lot of followers in order to get paid. After watching the video I learned that it is much more simple than that and all you need is 100 subscribers, to have an account for 30 days, and an profile picture/art. This kind of makes me want to start my own channel after realizing how small a channel can be in order to profit off of views. I didn't realize that people could profit on stock images as well. I think that is an awesome way to profit on traveling pictures (I would consider this as a potential side hussle). Another way to profit, based on the video, was to start a blog... WISH I was getting paid for some of these entries. A girl can dream...

The tourism industry is so massive and broad it doesn't surprise me that there are so many different avenues that someone can take in order to make a profit. This weeks content has taught me so much about how to start monetizing from travels.

If I ditched a traditional 9-5 job and became a digital creator I think I would focus my efforts on fashion and beauty OR home renovations and organization. These are two categories that I find myself watching the most on Youtube and Tiktok, so I think that is what I would be best suited for in creating my own content. I love shopping so I would review clothes and makeup or do tutorials reviewing those products live. I also think that creating organizational videos would be great for people to see and gain inspiration from while also being very productive in my own personal life at the same time. It is difficult to guess how much I would make, but I would hope anywhere from 50-100k. After doing research into the beauty creator industry creators vary from yearly earnings of 12k-200k.

After taking on this journey I think that I would also expand into my own line of products in order to continue to grow. I would also do partnerships with brands to promote their products and make a profit. I would only promote products that I truly love and use on a daily basis though. IT is incredibly annoying when you see creators online promoting something only for the profit of it. The product that is reviewed needs to work and actually be worth it for consumers. I would never want to put an opinion out there that I didn't whole heartedly believe in. I would never want my viewers to be distrustful of me.

I thought that the video regarding "the future of the events industry" was quite interesting. It discussed how the future of events are likely to be in small gatherings, venues are set up for social distancing, and there will be more virtual meetings/presentations. I'm very curious about how much social media and technology advancements are going to change the events industry. It is very clear that social media and technology are very useful in today's day and age so it is not surprising that it will change the events industry. With the help of social media word can get spread further about when different events are taking place. I think the videos, and COVID, made me realize the importance of events. Events educate us about people, places, values, etc. Not only that, but what I think is most important about events is that they create memories that stick with you forever.

Social events are incredibly necessary. During COVID we didn't have the opportunity to engage with other humans very much since we were told to prioritize social distancing. What we had been missing out on is our development of social skills and empathy. I think for a certain time period after things went "back to normal" after COVID I didn't feel normal. It was difficult for me to adjust back to being social when I had been so isolated for so long. It had felt like I was socially awkward and lost of my personable skills. Along with feeling like I wasn't as social, I now struggle with "FOMO" or fear of missing out. Due to being isolated for so long and not attending events or social gatherings, now whenever I am unable to make events I feel A) guilty and B) like I'm missing out and it makes me feel really bad about myself sometimes. Sometimes I have to push myself to go out because I know it's in my best interests to do so and that I'll end up having a good time. I know it is important to prioritize events with friends, family, or coworkers because it will build relationships with those individuals, or help me to better understand different perspectives and engage other cultures. I like that in the content you wrote "people were born to congregate and gather in celebration of life!" because it is so true! I mean we celebrate the day of our birth every single year with a party and gifts! This week has taught me the deeper meaning behind these events.

If I was to choose a career in the industry I would have to be a wedding planner. I am a very Type A planner. I always plan out my weeks and my plans for weekends very EARLY... Or whenever I go on vacation I always plan each day out so I definitely think that being an event planner would be right up my alley. I think weddings could be fun to plan because a lot of people don't want to do it themselves and its a lot of work since there is so much that goes into weddings. BUT I would absolutely love to help out couples in planning their special day and see everything get put together. I think it would be stressful to make sure that everything goes according to plan, but that it would be worth it in the end to see how happy the couple was in the result of the event.

Some of my favorite links as it relates to this weeks content:

Lollapalooza Festival- https://youtu.be/XKe106WAyYg

Wedding Video- https://youtu.be/73VO2tox1mw

GVSU Campus Life Night Promo Clip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCA7uFm1WFc

Corporate Event Clip Example- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD3e6avEOKc

I think in order to start a hotel as a business it is important to follow these steps: 1) find a market need 2) create strategic goals 3) run the numbers 4) review financing options 5) do your paperwork 6) hire and train employees 7) create a marketing plan 8) launch the hotel.

The idea of owning a hotel sounds incredibly stressful to me. After watching the movies I definitely think that "hotel management isn't easy." It requires soft skills and hard skills — art and science. And to become great in this craft, I feel like you would need years of experience, the right tools, stellar organization systems, and an even better team under your belt.

While I can't say that I would want to own and run a hotel I appreciate that I now have a better understanding of how people accomplish this and I now have a high level of respect for those who work in the industry.

I think what appeals to me most about the industry is the aspect of constantly meeting new people and tending to their needs. Hotels bring in all different kinds of people from different backgrounds, cultures, ages, ethnicities, etc.

If I had ALL the resources in the world I would want to build a set of Air B&B's across the U.S. ranging from different National Park areas. The Air B&B would be built according to the theme of the National Park is resides by. These residences would be built for travelers visiting the area and scenery (or even locals coming for staycations). I think what would make it different than all the others would be the promotions and discounts that we would offer to go on an excursion to the National Park. Basically the Air B&B would only be a stepping stone to their destination which is the Park.

The aviation industry reminded me of last weeks content about the cruise industry in the sense that the turn around time is insane. Once they land the plane they are cleaning and prepping for take off once again to another destination. There is little time to do anything else besides prep the plane for take off, landing, and take off again. I commend anyone in this industry for all the work they do. I can only imagine how stressful it can be. Not to mention how motivated and energized you'd have to be to keep up with patrons and the takes that each of the jobs in the industry entail.

Before this weeks content I hadn't realized how many job opportunities there are in the aviation industry. I am a marketing major and now that I know all the benefits of this industry I am considering looking into what may be available for me and my future career. I feel like a career in aviation would allow for job flexibility which is a great perk to have in a job. Those who work in the industry have the luxury of working from various cities or wherever their jobs take them. I think that the lifestyle aspect of the job might get a little tiring at times, especially since you have to work long hours and often be on standby, but overall theres a lot of benefits to working in the industry. I would be more encouraged to work for this industry after knowing what I know now if the salary was also beneficial to my lifestyle. The most attractive part of the job would have to be the ease of traveling and meeting new people, but I also think it might be difficult to maintain relationships outside of work. I would also imagine a lot of airline workers experience burnout and disrupted sleep cycles.

As for the risks airline workers face I don't have much of an opinion. I have never feared airplanes I have always felt safe on the flights I've taken. I think it is a rare occasion that an airplane has complications or has immediate threats. It just isn't something you hear about a lot, but I do think it is important to consider because you just never know what might happen. I don't think the risks would deter me from the experience, though, because I just don't see a point in being afraid.

I have been on cruises ever since I was little, so after watching the documentary about the cruise industry it reaffirmed how I understood how the industry works. The cruise industry is a controlled choas business as they discussed. It is crazy to me that the cruise workers are working all day every day. When the cruise docks they turn it around and go again with a new set of customers. It is insane how nonstop it is and how they continue to just "go, go, go." My favorite part of cruises is all the activities and the FOOD. There is so much to explore on a cruise and there are so many different options when it comes to dining. In my personal experiences there is usually a buffet that is 24 hours depending on the type of food and then there are specialty restaurants. My family tended to do a mix of both. We loved having special dinner nights every now and then so we would book reservations to one of our favorite specialty restaurants on the ship.

As for cruise rooms my family and I have always gotten two rooms since there are four of us. We split up into parents and kids. Us kids usually had the smaller room and my parents would sometimes upgrade. However, we never really saw much of a point in spending a lot of money on a room when the point of a cruise is the activities so we don't use the room too much.

Any time I'm on a cruise I can't believe just how big the ship is. There are bedrooms, restaurants, casinos, theatre, art, entertainment, shops and tour excursions. Not to mention food and drink packages. The cruise industry is no joke it is an insane industry with so much wrapped up into it. Last time my family was on a cruise my sister decided to go to an art auction and buy a work of art. It was a quirky piece, but she loves it! Those experiences are some of my favorite traveling memories. The shows as well as super entertaining. When thinking of all that the ships crew has to do on a daily basis makes me incredibly thankful for all that they do. I don't ever give it much thought when I am on vacation, but they have an insane amount of work to do. They have to clean rooms, clean the ship, prep the food, get shows ready, get itineraries ready, prep everyones excursions, etc.

The only impact on local communities that I can think of would be getting sick. My mom and grandmother went on a cruise together sometime last year and the two of them came back from it with COVID. They knew that being around that many people could lead to that, but none of the less is still a setback. But being that there are so may people on one ship it is so easy to spread disease an illness, so I think it's very important to keep that in mind before you take a trip. Especially if you have a weak immune system.

I tend to not think too much about safety and security at sea. I have noticed cameras placed throughout, but I have never seen security in action in any way.

One additional thing I love on cruises are the shops and the photo opportunities. On the cruises I have been on there are specific events throughout the term of the cruise where they do fun backdrops for photos or sales in the shops. I realized early on that if you want to do any shopping it is best to wait towards the end of the cruise because that is when the best deals happen and you can save a little money.

I think they do this to get rid of some of their stock and get more money out of people, which is smart considering that once that set of customers leave there will be new customers coming onboard.

I think spiritual pilgrimages are entirely necessary especially at a young age. My mother made it a point to take me abroad to Italy after my high school graduation and I always appreciated the experiences that trip gave me. Italy has such rich culture and food, especially in Rome. I was amazed by all the monuments and left the experience feeling more knowledgeable of the history in Italy and arts.

After watching Midnight in Paris if I was going to pick some place new to travel I would absolutely go to Paris. After doing a little digging and research on travel to Paris, I would plan to go during the off season (since it won't be as busy with tourism), I would book a hotel in a central location, I would try to learn some basic French phrases before visiting, and I would make some dinner reservations in advance. Some sights I would definitely plan to go would have to be: the Eiffel tower, the louvre, the arc de triomphe, the notre dame cathedral, and the Luxembourg gardens. The easiest and most efficient way to go sight seeing (in my opinion) is to book a tour guide, so I would plan on booking those in advance too. I know this because when my mom and I went to Italy we were told not only is it safer to travel in a group, but it's a lot more convenient and time efficient.

I chose this location because I have never been to France, but I'm a big coffee girl and I really want to try their coffee and croissants. I also don't know too much about the culture or cousine, so I think it would be enlightening to explore those things. I have also always heard that the French are very rude to tourists, especially if you don't know their language, and I don't know why, but that is a theory I want to test. I am hopeful that it would be a pleasant experience, and even if the locals aren't so nice, I would completely imerse myself in the sights.

Based on my experience in Italy I think I would learn to be careful with my belongings. I was told there are a lot of pit pockets in Europe and to watch your purse/not keep anything valuable in back pockets. Also on the tours I would take I would hope to learn more about the history of the buildings, art, language, and cuisine. Something I have always wanted to do is take a french cooking class. I think this would be the perfect way to get to know locals and learn about their food. (I am a big foodie).

My ideal time to go here would probably be Christmas. When researching the off season, Paris is not as crowded during the months of November and December. I would rather be cold than in a crowded, busy, tourist environment. Plus Christmas in Paris can't be bad. My motivator to travel ultimately is my curiosity. Travel always takes me outside my comfort zone. It inspires me to see, try, and taste new things (it would be disrespectful to the culture not to). Plus I believe that it is necessary to make the absolute most out of every travel experience. I am a picky eater, but I hope that if I went to Paris that I would return having enjoyed a new food.

The 2004 Thailand Tsunami had a major effect on the housing and tourism industry. After doing a quick Google search I learned that over 400 villages were impacted, and 47 destroyed (including tourist destinations). It is absolutely insane to think about how families had to relocate, rebuild, and mourn their dead during such a tragic time.

It made me so devastated when the movies discussed missing children. As we saw in The Aftermath an entire family had been separated, but when the parents found one another again they suffered immense pain and suffering because of the loss of their child. It was heartbreaking when the mother couldn't process the grief of losing her daughter so when she found a little girl similar in age to her own she clung onto her and decided to keep her. If I was her I don't know if I would've been able to cope the death of a child either. No parent should ever have to experience that pain, let alone the trauma of experiencing an natural disaster such as the Thailand Tsunami.

When the monks in The Aftermath took the unidentified bodies and burned them to reduce the spread of disease at first I thought it is understandable to do so, but what about the families? I understand that there are differences in culture and religion and the protocol for an event like this is unimaginable, but I feel for the families that didn't get to say goodbye to their loved ones. It was interesting, however, that they mentioned that monks believe that the soul is laid to rest along with the body and that it is nothing more than a vessel. Typically, though, many like to have a farewell for their dead and so I believe this act was very damaging for those who lost someone in the event. It would have been very difficult to determine who was missing or who was dead. Rather than burning the bodies without identifying them first, I think that the monks or the press should have at least took a picture of the individuals face to be able to identify loved ones for the families.

In what seemed like such a short amount of time representatives from all over the globe came to assist families in trying to make sense of the disaster and the steps to follow. I thought that the British representative in The Aftermath was extremely overwhelmed (and rightfully so) by the amount of people needing assistance. I could not believe how the press was acting during this movie. They were so incredibly invasive and somewhat disrespectful at times. I understand that there is a need to update the world on current events as they happen, but the two guys in the movie were somewhat aggravating. One of them was Thai and didn't want to take a picture of the bodies being burned as it is disrespectful to the culture. The other wanted to profit on the story being published and that taking the picture was a key factor, so he did it himself. This can be seen as disrespectful or necessary. I think it is a mix of both. It is disrespectful to profit on the stories of the deceased, but I think that they should have taken pictures to inform the families.

As I watched the second movie, called The Impossible, I thought it was very sweet and helpful of such a young boy to make the most of things and try to set things right for some of the families missing their children. He took names of missing kids and searched for them in the hospital. I couldn't help but smile when he reunited the german boy and his father. Additionally it was very touching when the other little boy (that Lucas' mom helped save along the way) found his dad. These scenes gave a glimpse of happiness throughout the darkness of the story. What frustrated me the most during this movie was when Lucas and his ENTIRE family were in the hospital at the same time and no one knew for a few minutes. Lucas and his dad were wandering the halls, his mom in critical condition, and then the two other boys in the truck. When they all found each other it made me so happy, but also when they went to see their mom I couldn't help but cry when she said "I can rest now" and "I'm dying". It was like she wanted to wait until her husband was there to let go because she knew the boys would be taken care of.

I think natural disasters happen all the time, maybe not to the extent of the Tsunami, but they do happen so it was interesting to see the scope of it all and how it was "handled". I don't think it was handled amazingly, but in a situation as chaotic as this I don't know if it could have been handled any better. Everyone in the films were doing their best in helping out those hurt in the situation. I think that is the most that could have been done. It was organized chaos.

As a society, helping others creates social change. I believe that this event tested the waters for how a devastating event can turn the entire world upside down. Together, with the help of governments, religious organizations, and volunteers assistance a lot can be accomplished in a short amount of time. I thought this quote really sums up the effects of the event on tourism:

The two movies really opened my eyes to what can happen when a U.S citizen commits a crime in an international territory (whether it was intentional or unintentional). I learned that the way we handle crimes in the U.S. is nothing compared to how some countries handle crime and prison sentences. Let alone the fact that the US embassy can only really make sure you aren't abused or starved while in prison, but other than that they can't do much else.

One thing that frustrated me during the Bangladesh episode was watching her fight for the roses because they were a gift. Had she thrown them out the drugs wouldn't have been strapped to her and she may have never gone to prison in the first place. The episode made me realize that if you get arrested in a different country you really have little to no say in what happens from the point of being arrested and so on. They take you from one facility to the next and don't fill you in on much otherwise. You don't even get as much as a phone call. I felt like as a U.S. citizen you would still be treated as such even in a different country, but I was very wrong after seeing these movies. It was interesting that the Bangladesh prison allowed the man from the US embassy to visit her every month, but it frustrated me that he wasn't the one to get her out of prison. How could he do so little for a US citizen? Especially when they kept insinuating that they have the death penalty and she could potentially get it. If I were her I would've felt so paranoid of getting the death penalty for one dumb mistake. The scene when the prison guards took coo-coo in the middle of the night for her execution was incredibly unsettling. Especially when they turned off the lights as well to essentially let everyone know what was going on. It was also very difficult to feel sorry for her because TSA in this instance was only doing their job in order to keep mass transit safe and arrest her for smuggling drugs. It was ultimately her fault although her situation and desperation for money was very sad. During the whole episode I though that it was interesting when she began to read/learn their language and appreciate the culture while in prison. I think this was an act to make the most of things and maintain her sanity, but it also gave her a different perspective on life that she wouldn't have had without going to prison. The films are similar in this aspect because both women wouldn't take what happened back because it changed them for the better.

In the "Brokedown Palace" what surprised me the most was that the girls were given a statement in Thai, which they couldn't read. It was like they wanted to trick them into a confession which isn't fair at all considering they didn't commit the crime they were accused for. I also could not believe that at the end of the movie she took her sentence and the length of her friends' sentence so that her friend would be free to go home. The entire movie felt as though they had no chance of redemption or glimpse of freedom in sight. How could they not find the guy responsible, who framed them for their crime? It was also very interesting how food had to be earned and that visits were very informal and outdoors. The conversations were not private. You basically had to yell over people just to hear what they were saying.

This weeks case on human trafficking was extremely riveting and disturbing. The two story lines that were intertwined opened my eyes to how human trafficking in the hospitality and tourism industry is a major issue that needs to be addressed and further looked into on a daily basis. I was appalled that at the end of the series a statistic read that "800,000 people are trafficked annually across the boarder". Additionally traffickers prey on people of all ages (starting at as young as 12), backgrounds, and nationalities, exploiting them for their own profit. They stalk younger women because they are easy targets to manipulate. The traffickers accomplish this through false promises and constant manipulation, as we saw in the series.

Watching the series made me feel extremely sad and angry at just how easy human trafficking appears especially in the hospitality and tourism industry. The mom and daughter, for example, was visiting a different country and doing some shopping when a boy around the daughters age began to flirt and flaunt gifts. Being that the boy was her age he seemed trustworthy and within seconds she was taken from her mother. There are so many risks in traveling, especially when to a different country, so it's imperative to be mindful and aware of your surroundings.

I also could not believe that something as simple as going on a date or wanting to model could lead to getting trafficked. It made me so sad when Helena was taken. She was so blind in thinking that this man had true intentions and feelings for her, but was very much mistaken. What kept her going was her daughter and the threats that were made against her daughter in the event she thought of escaping. The series made me think constantly of how on EARTH could this happen without anyone around them questioning them. The women were ushered through an airport (with fake identification) and shoved into a van and no one batted an eye.

Three major things that angered me during the series was 1) bribing of law enforcement. Officers are meant to protect, not work against its people or put them in danger. It made me sick that they helped the traffickers do business just for a payout. 2) The man in the brothel abroad who questioned that the child may be too young. How about question the practice as a WHOLE? The entire business is wrong. Paying for sex is wrong. Making people do things they don't want to is wrong. He said "it feels like I'm doing my daughter". So in that aspect you feel guilty, but still want to do business with the people that put children that are YOUR child's age to do sex work? I just cannot wrap my head around who on earth thinks that those kinds of people are the type of people to do business with. Let alone not turn them into the police. 3) Once the women were taken into custody they still didn't have a voice or feel free. They were consumed in shame and fear which I thought was just devastating. After everything they went through, after getting liberated, they still didn't feel safe enough to tell the officers the information they needed or testify against the person who enslaved them. They had no shred of hope to move on or have a better life. They didn't think they were safer to be with the police due to their trauma, PTSD, and threats made against their loved ones.