I think I’m… quite ready for another adventure!
– Bilbo Baggins
I’m wondering if any of my classmates expected 10 years ago where would they find themselves on 23rd of August 2013. Perhaps some of us plan in details that much ahead and knew they would study MBA at Sauder School of Business one day, but for me it was a long chain of coincidences which ultimately took me where I am.
When I was 19 year old boy living in a small town in Southwest Poland, I applied to one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Remember one of my friends saying people over there are somehow weird, they wear fleas jackets and sign up for students organizations which even the names are impossible to pronounce.
Few months later, on my way home those words came back to be while passing by the office of AIESEC – world’s largest youth led organization. I decided to knock on to find out what is it all about.
Years later, around the end of my education I have performed leadership roles at the national level of AIESEC and thanks to the network I built, I had secured an internship with Tata Consultancy Services in New Delhi, India.
After a year spent mostly on learning and executing local projects, I was ready to go back home. During one of last meetings with my supervisor, he asked if I was interested in staying with the company. It was a tough call – on one hand, I really enjoyed the job and the country, on the other, I was missing Europe and wanted to try something else. Asked for some time to think about it.
Next day, when all my stuff were pretty much packed, my manager informed me that there is a vacancy at a project in Frankfurt, Germany and if I was interested in taking it. Considering this new circumstance, my choice was limited to either going back to Europe and looking for a job, or going back to Europe with a job. I thought only for the sake of professional experience, it made sense to execute that ‘one last project’.
One last project turned into another and another and over the next 5 years I worked as a Management Consultant delivering and then leading assignments around the world. From New Delhi to New York, from London to Singapore.
Let’s move forward to 2011. My project manager was Canadian and as we had a very good rapport, we spoke about plans and ambitions. I mentioned about my intention of applying for MBA studies. He was kind enough to give me a brief perspective of various schools, also got me in touch with Sauder Alumni.
Months passed by, I shortlisted Sauder as one of the few Business Schools to apply to, finally compared all the ones I have been admitted to and this way in the afternoon of August 6th I landed at YVR airport, excited and anxious to start another fascinating experience.
Could my life take a completely different turn? Definitely.
A better one? It’s hard to say.
Would I change it, if I could? Not a single thing!