A chance to discover, explore and soar

Victor Lu first joined Deloitte as a new graduate and later earned a full-time position within corporate strategy. Three years later, Victor was actively looking for a unique opportunity to expand his experience when Deloitte’s IDF program caught his attention. What originally attracted Victor to the IDF program were the stories from his colleagues who had worked in places like Nepal, Costa Rica and various parts of Africa. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this opportunity would be a great fit for him, so he took a chance and submitted an IDF application before the end-of-January deadline. By March, Victor had received the exciting news that he had been selected and placed in Bolivia. He started training in April and was off on his new adventure by May.

“Once I discovered I would be working in Bolivia, I got a little nervous,” said Lu. “I would be working in Spanish and hadn’t taken any classes since high school, but my team was really supportive and excited for me. Everyone said it was going to be a great life experience and they were right.” 

Get off the beaten path

One of Victor’s most memorable experiences in Bolivia took place in Uyuni, a tiny village where his team had trouble tracking down their contact due to limited cellphone reception.  Here, Victor had the unique opportunity to explore the town, experience the culture and interact with locals on a level that most people never experience in their lifetime.

“There were no paved roads and I could have jogged around the whole village in 20 minutes. We tried calling our contact, but when we couldn’t reach her we decided to just grab something to eat and chat with one of the local street vendors.”

As luck would have it, that street vendor knew the organization Victor and his team were looking for and pointed them in the right direction. With the help of more locals along the way, they finally found their contact and a place to stay.

For Victor, the entire IDF experience was eye-opening. “Living in a foreign place with a local family and not knowing the language or customs is a unique experience that is very hard to come by,” he stated. “The program gave me international skills and insight into doing business in another country. I learned that there are cultural things you have to be open-minded about and that you are much more adaptable than you might think”.

Victor Lu is a prime example of how our people can reach new heights if given extraordinary opportunities. By taking on the challenge of being a truly global citizen and business professional, Victor has opened more doors for his future and career. Now it’s your turn. Are you ready to seize the opportunity of a lifetime?

To learn more about Victor’s life-changing IDF experience, check out his blog. 

Written by: Holland Philpott & Rehanna Thompson