Category: How did this become my life?
My classmate and I asked ourselves that question as we are booking our tickets to India and Nepal. We are actually talking about seeing Mt. Everest, Taj Mahal, Kathmandu, and New Delhi. Just a year and a half ago I was stuck in the U.S. waiting on my citizenship status to materialize…for 19 years. Now I’m looking at the 3rd and 4th country to visit in the last 5 months.
That’s when it hit me…I’ve had a hell of a year. Probably the most interesting year of my life. The year began in Dubai as I was meeting my then girlfriend, and spending New Years Eve in a very unusual place. That was my first trip out of the country (official trip at least). A few weeks later, my friends and I hiked an 80-mile section of the Appalachian Trail in the dead of winter. That trip challenged my will more than anything I’ve ever done. But it was rewarded with a trip to the Caribbean for a friend’s wedding a few months later. I must say that I left a small piece of me there, and I must go back to find it. The year progressed with another trip to Dubai, this time to get engaged. When I came back I found out that I was accepted into Fuqua, I was absolutely ecstatic and felt on top of the world. I made the decision and rounded up my $5000 deposit. The next thing I know this amazingly heavy box of books and class materials to read prior to the first residency; a 20-minute freak out session ensued.
The next few weeks flew by as I prepared for the London residency. Once there, Duke’s Fuqua School of business put the smack down on us, and I felt at the bottom of the world. My stress levels were at an all time high. I remember being late to the first orientation, and sitting next to a person that turned out to be a professor and a speaker…embarrassing…but I got through it. Here is what is tough though; being in a foreign county, in a hotel, jet lagged, starting an MBA from a top tier school, network with new classmates, doing 3 cases of accounting, reading 2 cases for Global Markets and Institution, writing a paper for Managerial effectiveness, waking up at 7am and sleeping at 4am, and squeezing a couple of hours to see the girlfriend….all in the same night. The entire cohort was sleep deprived. In the beginning, I wanted to make sure that I understood what was going on in class. By midweek, my mission in life was to keep my eyes open. I couldn’t most of the time. I did, however, come back with a greater appreciation to the British culture, and a great love for the city of London.
Then came the Dubai residency, a trip that was truly enjoyed by the entire class. The smackdown that we all waited for never showed up. It was a more laid back week, if such a thing could exist when traveling 9 hours ahead. I never get used to the jet lag that fast. I ended the residency with a 2 hour trip to Abu Dhabi to get closure on the engagement breakup; tough, but just like being late to the first orientation, I got through it. The smack down showed up once we got back home; the assignments were relentless, and the tests were weeklong marathons. But things are finally coming to an end…which brings this weird feeling of “I’m bored, when is our next trip?” well, just a few short weeks from now we will descend on New Delhi. We will all look for the next type of smackdown from the program.
So how did I get here? How did this become my life? Some will probably argue with me on what is the best business school or best value for your dollar, but the undisputed truth is that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me (or most of you). I complain about the hassles of travel, the amount of projects, or marathon tests, but I can’t wait to start the next residency. I can’t wait to explore a new part of the world, and I can’t wait to see what Fuqua has in store for me.
Excellent first post!
I had the same sort of feeling over the holidays…when I was talking to all of my relatives, and guests at various parties, I couldn’t help but wonder ‘How did I get here?’ It seems like once a month, I’m on a plane to somewhere else. In 2010, I’ll visit at least 5 countries, and by the time my passport needs to be renewed, I will have quite a few stamps.
When I think back about what I was supposed to be learning as an undergraduate about history and culture, I’d have been better off in a program that focused on economics for a year and traveling abroad from another year. Would’ve spent a lot less money and learned a whole lot more…
no doubt. I thought coming from my background (born in Kuwait, Jordanian nationality, Palestinian blooded, and now an American) I wouldn’t be as surprised. But every time I think about the Taj or Mt. Everest I have to pinch myself.
As I was driving home, I kept thinking about this…if you’ve ever seen “That Thing You Do!” from Tom Hanks, there’s a scene at the end where the rag-tag garage band is playing on a national TV show. One guy asks the other, “How did we get here?”, recognizing that a series of small steps lead them to extraordinary places.
Of course, none of us were “rag-tag” candidates, as we all enjoyed/continue to enjoy success in our careers. But nevertheless, when writing the essays, it didn’t really hit me how amazing the experience could/will be.
The people, the classes, the whole experience has been quite amazing. I doubt anyone would deny the fact that this if a once in a life time opportunity. I will need a new booklet to attach to my passport since I will be running out of pages very soon!
Amen brother, Amen