As part of my CAS activity, I took part in the Global Odyssey Event which was organized by the Economy and the Business Management teams and since it is what I do for my HL subjects, I was more than willing to attend this event. I with my 4 other friends organised a stall in the food category of this event and we provided the attendees with a number of menu items ranging from dometic spicy hot peri peri french fries to cooling jelly.

LO1 – Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth sector.

Through my involvement in Global Odyssey, I gained a better understanding of my strengths and areas where I could grow. One of my key strengths that became apparent was my organizational skills. From the initial planning stages, I took the lead in creating the food menu, organizing the necessary resources, and coordinating the logistics of running the food booth. I realized I am skilled at breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps, which helped our team meet all the deadlines for preparing the stall. While I was confident in handling the operational aspects of the booth, I found that my financial management skills could use improvement. For instance, I had to learn more about budgeting for a large-scale event, as maximizing profits was difficult. I plan to work on developing better financial planning skills in the future, as this experience taught me the importance of managing expenses while delivering quality products.

LO2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, Developing New Skills in process
The Global Odyssey Event posed several challenges, which helped me develop new skills in the process. One of the biggest challenges was the scale of the event, as it involved catering to a large number of attendees while ensuring the quality and timeliness of the food. Sourcing the ingredients, setting up the food booth, and preparing everything on time required a high level of coordination and adaptability. Initially, it was overwhelming, but I embraced the challenge and quickly learned how to manage my time effectively. Another challenge was dealing with unforeseen issues during the event, such as inventory shortages as at one point, we ran out of key ingredients, which had derailed our service. However, we quickly adapted by sourcing alternative ingredients and making quick decisions on how to modify the menu without compromising the quality of our offerings.

LO3: Initiating and Planning a CAS Experience
My involvement in Global Odyssey was an evidence of my ability to manage and plan a CAS experience as I was working as a manager in my food stall where I planned and managed the finances also collecting materials and making the payments were handled by me. We prepared a food booth and served guests with hot momos and mint mojitos . This experience taught me valuable lessons in networking, business, and event planning. I coordinated with different vendors, negotiated prices for ingredients, and ensured that we had everything we needed for the stall. Through this, I developed a deeper understanding of the complexities of managing a business, and I learned how to work effectively under tight deadlines and high pressure.

LO4: Showing Commitment and Perseverance
Throughout the entirety of the preparation and execution of our food booth at the Global Odyssey, I remained committed and consistent. In searching for the best components and painstaking creating our meals, there were experiences that challenged our resolve. People with foreseeable challenges, for instance, schedule conflicts and inventory concerns, did not stop us from our main goal of giving an exceptional culinary feeling. There was a collective will power and internal enthusiasm amongst ourselves to take part in the event and this was boosted by our will to excel against all odds.

LO5: Demonstrating Collaborative Skills
The success of Global Odyssey’s food stall stemmed from none than the members of the team. Through collaboration with friends of mine, we maximized our different strengths to ensure that the guests experienced an enjoyable and seamless process. Effective running of our booth calls for teamwork in role assignments, shift allocation and management and customer service provision. Each member brought in unique skill and knowledge that served its purpose. As we covered all parts of our stand – food prep and customer service level of efficiency in teamwork was noticeable. Apart from serving mouth watering food, we enhanced our team building skills and formed long lasting bonds.

Conclusion

In conclusion, participating in the Global Odyssey Event as part of my CAS activity was an invaluable experience. I learned important lessons in planning, teamwork, and problem-solving, all while developing new skills in business management and event coordination. This experience not only helped me grow as an individual but also allowed me to contribute to the school community by providing a memorable culinary experience for all attendees.