Zoom Zoom!

One of the toughest things about leaving any place is the distance you inevitably create between the people you have grown to love in the life you've built in whichever city you're currently in.

Throughout my life, however, I've constantly been away from my closest family and friends to the point that physical distance is just a fact of my life so much so that it no longer overwhelms me. Instead, I welcome it as a chance to visit yet another new city! (and if you know me even remotely well, you'll know that I love to travel :)

INSEAD's 1 year program in France, Singapore, USA, Abu Dhabi... leaves very little room for people like myself to retain ties in our current city of residence. I was born in India but I grew up in Bangkok, Thailand where I attended Ruamrudee International School. I left Bangkok when I was 18 to move to New York where I attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Upon graduation I moved to Chicago where I've been living and working for the past 5 years... so as I pack my bags, I have to come to terms with the possibility that - depending on my job prospects - I may only return to the USA as a tourist from here on out!

My brother, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, cousins, god-daughter, nephews, nieces, grand uncle, and aunt (to name just a few close relatives) live here. My girlfriend and her family as well. Then there's obviously the extremely close friends (some of whom are like family) and the list goes on and on...

Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without my mentioning some of the THINGS that I've had to "leave" behind - i.e. sell, donate, recycle: the top 5 being:
1. ZoomZoom (Mazda3),
2. Schecter Electric bass
3. Ibanez Electric guitar
4. My first guitar - a Fender DG acoustic
5. My first TV ever - Samsung 42 in Flatscreen w/ DVR (that some might argue slowly deteriorated my ability to eat a meal w/o TV)

Mind you, these are not in chronological order of importance - just what I typed as I typed and reflected, fondly. Point being that, yes I was/am/have been attached to certain things. It is natural to become attached, but sometimes I think it is odd for me to feel that attachment since I've been leading this "peripatetic" life for as far as I can remember. Every few years I pack a few suitcases and I board a flight to some new place to settle down.

It is interesting because last year, when I moved into my apartment in Lakeview (the Briar residence you probably recognize), I thought: This is it. I'm in a serious relationship. I will apply to b-school here in Chicago (two of the best being in the city itself). I will setup my life here, in Chicago.

Approximately 12 months later, and not entirely shockingly either since I actually applied to a school halfway across the world, all that came to a grinding halt - and Chicago turned out to be yet another stop on my city & country hopping journey!

Chicago - A view from the North Sie

INSEAD on top!

A year ago today I walked out of an INSEAD information session at the W Hotel. I was impressed by the style in which the session was held - both because it was the W and their appetizers and drinks were exceptional, and because of the format of the session (see post from Nov 13 2009).

As I was reminiscing and cleaning out my gmailbox, I came across this: http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/nov2010/bs2010119_517831.htm

Promises to be a great year ahead!

One Way Ticket!

After taking into account work commitments - specifically a smooth transition to ensure my responsibilities were more than covered and balanced across the appropriate team members - I decided to pick December 11th 2010 as the date of departure.

And let me tell you, hitting "Purchase" on that Orbitz transaction was probably one of the toughest things I've had to do recently. It solidified, without a doubt, the finite nature of the rest of my time in Chicago and while I am not trying to be melodramatic, I challenge you to put yourself in a similar situation and buy a one-way ticket out of a city you've started setting down in :)

Bring on the EMAILS!

A few days after getting accepted into INSEAD one of the R1 (round 1) admits started a Google Group and an email chain with it.

And then came the emails.

First it was a few hey - how are you type emails. Introductions and so on.

Then came the questions about visas & financing - probably the two most-discussed questions for any students attending INSEAD - a lot of us are not eligible for good interest rates in our countries of residence or citizenship since our lives/travels have taken us elsewhere. (e.g. I was born in India, grew up in Thailand, and currently in USA -I hardly qualify for loans here in USA).

Then there's the banks to work with - BNP Paribas in Fontainebleau and HSBC France in Melun - the two top choices due to proximity to Fontainebleau. Both banks also offer great rates for INSEAD students.

Other emails were around laptops to purchase, renting cars versus bikes, pre-reading, and running groups.

But my favorite so far has been two of the following:

1. One student modified Google Maps to include all the living options in reference to INSEAD, banks, groceries, etc... I used this map to decide on where to live! Finding a place to live, securing it in time by placing deposits with your landlord, and meeting your future housemates is one of the most important things to get done when deciding to attend any school outside your country of residence! Remember that! And there are many tools to help INSEAD students (will list them here soon).

2. Travel blogs - where people were going around the world - I mean it - around the world between getting accepted and starting in January. No continent was left unexplored. In fact, if I could, I would like to create a world map (seriously thinking about this) for future classes in MBA Connect where students can list their locations from the date of acceptance until starting in Fontainebleau or Singapore so that, at any time, anyone visiting a particular city could look at the map and see dots indicating students - "hey - x,y,z is/will be there, then!"

In fact, if you could see that map now and play it, like a video graph, you would see a living organism.

Cells converging in certain locations, achieving critical mass during Open Days (or various meet-ups in cities with high density of accepted students), followed by erratic movements from consultants during their final months on the job, admits wanting to use up their vacation time, and many heading home to see respective families - then a convergence of all the dots forming two pulsing masses in Singapore & Fontainebleau - 11D buckling down for P1 and P2...

Meals I have Eaten...

This one is actually a shout-out to a friend who provided me with some much-needed assistance in the application process.

She was candid in her feedback, yet very friendly in the suggestions she left me to consider - And more than anything else, she was very diligent with my essays even with her own full time job to consider.

THANK YOU CC!!!