Archive for July, 2008

I’m writing this post from Amsterdam where I’m waiting for my connecting flight to San Francisco. I was just informed that the two cats traveling with me arrived to the connecting flight and seem to be in good condition. Now that’s a relief.

It’s rather strange to fly without a return ticket. Makes the entire experience more dramatic, and although I assume we will visit home quite often, it still feels like a whole different story.

Such long flights always required delicate planning in order to maximize battery life of entertainment devices (laptop, phone, MP3 player), and combining them with non-digital entertainment (books and magazines, for those of you who never heard of such media) so that there is no dull moment during this horrible commute. however, in this 24 hour trip, with my mind occupied with the cats’ safety, I completely lost track of when to do what and found myself with a full laptop battery at the end of the trip (which is inexcusable under regular conditions).

Next step - getting used to a new country.

It’s my first time moving to a new country, and the hassle is so great that it can sometimes make you forget why you’ve started on the first place.

At the beginning, it seems just like moving an apartment, only that at some point you realize that there is no “we’ll put it aside and figure out what to do with it later”. Each item has to be debated - is it coming along or stays here, and for those who stay, and appropriate arrangement has to be found.

Not to mention the bureaucracy. People who enjoy regulations, forms and clerks (and surprising as it may sound, I personally know a few) should definitely arrange themselves with an immigration every now and then. It’s simply all over the place, and I bet that a similar amount of regulations, forms and clerks awaits on the other side of the ocean.

To name just a few:

• Visa arrangements
• Figuring out how to pay for these two years
• Finding a substitute to our current apartment’s lease
• Finding a place to live in Berkeley
• Flight arrangements for our pets
• Social security and health services arrangements on both countries
• Cancel all registrations (magazines, TV, Internet etc.)
• Pack and send what’s coming with us
• Pack and store what’s staying here
• Hold a lottery for desired household items among interested family members
• …

With all that said, I still find it hard to think of something more exciting. My flight is in 26 hours, and it’s almost unbelievable that the moment has arrived. This meal that started over a year ago is now rapidly moving towards its main course, and I have no doubts it is going to be just tasty as it seemed on the menu.

Every university presents this question in its application essays in one way or another. Sometimes it is accompanied by “why now?” and always by “why at our school?”

Actually, it is a good question. Why MBA? Why now? Why in the USA?

Well, as always with good questions, there is no one simple answer, but if I have to sum it all into one word I would choose “opportunities”. It’s an opportunity to learn from the best teachers in this field; an opportunity to sit for two years in a class that is comprised of amazingly talented and unique people, who have done a thing or two (or twelve) in their lives; an opportunity to brainstorm innovative ideas with students of other faculties (let’s say, computer science for example), and when talking about top 10 schools, it usually means that these other faculties are also among the top in their field globally; an opportunity to reach out to alumni of your school who are on assuming leading position in every industry one can imagine; an opportunity to meet with some of the world’s leading managers as they come on campus to lecture, present or participate in conferences; an opportunity to open up to global ventures and mindset; and the list goes on and on…

Sounds quite promising, doesn’t it? I’m still at a point where this list is theoretical, but from many talks I’ve had with current students, I get the impression that is their daily realty. Worst case, I’m going to learn in a place that is REALLY good in marketing. I guess that’s not a bad thing when you’re majoring in business.

Personally, I can’t wait to start.

Next week it’s happening. I’m traveling to Berkeley to pursue an MBA degree from the Haas School of business at UC Berkeley.

I guess that saying that I’m excited would be somewhat of an understatement, but hey, we love understatements, don’t we?

I’m traveling with our two cats, and my wife will join me with our dog during September. The house here is almost packed, housing in Berkeley is arranged, I registered to the necessary pre-school courses, flight arrangements are done, and yet, somehow tons of bureaucracies are still to be covered before departing. I guess changing continents is not that simple (not that it seemed so at any point, but still…)

In this blog I will share my personal MBA experience, which promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime one, along with my impressions on the culture shock which is bound to happen with such a move. You’re all more than welcome to read and comment.

Yours,

Elad