If I had to characterize my life journey in one word it would be “unexpected”. At the many forks in the road we each face in our lives, I have learned that the more daunting and the more risky the path is, the greater the rewards. Even 6 months ago, I would have never expected to be an MBA candidate –  in Vancouver of all places – yet here I am today and enjoying every minute of it!

I suppose my life journey has been somewhat atypical. Although born and raised in Canada, I had the privilege of living around the globe ‐ from Brazil to Japan ‐ which exposed me from a young age to a plethora of cultures and customs. Having studied in French and learning Czech and Slovak through my parents, I am fluent in four languages, with working knowledge of Russian and Spanish as well. This has allowed me to become a well rounded individual capable of empathizing and thriving in a wide array of environments worldwide.

Right after high school, I decided to leave my hometown of Ottawa to pursue an undergrad at the University of Montreal, where I experimented with different education paths. My focus shifted from pure Mathematics to Anthropology and finally Economics. As my interest in international affairs and business matured in my final years, I was ripe for a career in finance and management, despite facing a period of soul searching in my life.

After graduation, I decided to take a leap of faith into the tough European labour market. Being a polyglot with economics credentials, I was offered an excellent Credit Analyst position at the world’s largest public company and renowned oil major Exxon Mobil Corporation in Prague, Czech Republic. Working three years in an office with 60+ nationalities, having access to the unlimited resources of an integrated top down company, and strengthening confidence and drive to succeed in a competitive business environment were all very empowering facets of my development. Exposure to large scale projects such as divestment in Japan, migration of financial activities from Asia to Prague, and extensive cooperation with partners across the globe have given me vast and diverse credentials within the Treasury department of the company. This experience has proven to be a trove of invaluable information.

I had for a long time considered furthering my studies with a master’s degree, and when I was casually informed about the prospect of an MBA, I simply decided that this is what I wanted, and as soon as possible. I wanted exposure to a large pool of world class educators and fellow driven professionals to help me manifest my vision of bringing creative solutions to a dynamic world. I expect my experience here at Sauder to be eye opening and give me many new forks in the road to choose from, and I can’t wait!