University of Wisconsin–Madison

Vietnam: Yi Lu Lo

Four people give the "peace" sign with their fingers as they sit around a table with several bowls of food, surrounded by racks of clothing.
Yi Lu (left) with coworkers from the Zó Project

Yi Lu Lo graduated from UW-Madison in August 2023 with a degree in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies, and certificates in Entrepreneurship and Chinese Professional Communication. In Summer 2023, Yi Lu interned at the Zó Project in Vietnam, an organization that preserves, supports and expands Vietnamese traditional papermaking techniques. 

How did the Zó Project internship fit into your academic and career plans?

My international internship program in Vietnam helped kickstart my career in the creative space as a design & marketing intern by giving me a glimpse of the versatility of content creation and by leveraging my capability. I have always been interested in creating art that aligns with my personal identity and unique imagination. Through Zó Project, I had an opportunity to film and direct a brief documentary on the process of traditional papermaking and how this has become a driving force for the organization to come up with new product designs that not only positively impact ethnic communities but also the people we have encountered along the way. In terms of academic plans, this internship was the perfect opportunity to wrap up my college journey as an undergraduate student. I took an internship course along with it, showing me the complexities of intercultural communication and some of the privileges that I carried as a foreigner living abroad which didn’t cross my mind at first.

Four people sit in chairs and smile at the camera in front of a concrete wall covered in grass.

What was the most challenging moment of your internship or time abroad? Most memorable moment?

When I was collecting footage and interviews for my marketing project, I came across the most challenging part of my internship. I was told to produce a film script and an engaging story featuring new product designs and the painstaking process of papermaking with ambiguity. I didn’t know how to approach this when it came to directing a film, but I knew I was excited to take on this challenge and build something that aligned with the company’s mission and what I visualized in my head. Fortunately, one of my colleagues had experience in content creation so I was able to grapple with fresh insights and come up with new ideas. My most memorable moment was traveling to rural villages and interacting with the locals including the Dao and Hmong ethnic groups.

What surprised or interested you about Vietnamese culture?

One of the things that I found interesting about Vietnamese people is that they like to take 2-hour naps in the afternoon as a part of their daily routine. My colleagues told me that they usually take these long naps to recuperate from the hot, humid weather regardless of whether you’re at work or school, and I was flabbergasted when I found out about this. Aside from this cool phenomenon, I love how hospitable and friendly Vietnamese people are towards foreigners. They’re so willing to help you if you get lost and they ensure you feel as comfortable as you can in a new environment.

This UW Signature Internship was developed exclusively for UW-Madison undergraduate students by the International Internship team at International Academic Programs. Learn more about opportunities to intern abroad.