29 September: Ups and Downs

On Satuaday night night, I went to a Salsa Club first time in Barcelona. It was a huge stress releaver, especially after the hectic new life with the Business School. On Fryday, I had my computer drained by spilling over coffee and unfunctioned. My consentration level was low, and that that led to the accident consequently. I know that I want to do good for every thing. But, am I too perfectionistic? Can´t I be little more easy to myself? I would be burnout. I need balance in my life.

26 September: A Balance Sheet of the Earth

"Can you write a balance sheet of the Earth?"  Professor asked us in the economics class today.  We are totally freaked out.

A balance sheet is a financial statement that usually shows a companies performance, but it can be technically applied to assess a country in macro economics.  A country's asset side will be such as natural resources, human capital,  infrastructure, technology and government.  Liability side will be such Environmental risk and profit earned by foreign residence living in the country.

However, except environment and human, all of the other activities are held between countries.  So, practically, we will not be able to write Earth's balance sheet, the professor explained.

Well, then what our economical activities for?  This was definitely a food for thought.

22 September: Self Awareness

In ESADE's Full-time MBA course, in addition to ordinal business subjects such as economics and finance, we are provided a unique subject called the LEAD (Leadership and Development) once in every couple of weeks in the first couple of months.

LEAD takes you through an experiential and self reflective journey of personal leadership development by feedback from faculty and classmates.  True leadership starts with a firm self awareness.  It is only through this self awareness that one can be realistic about one's leadership strengths and developmental needs.

I like this LEAD course.  It requires to ask a lot of questions about myself, such as "What kind person am I?", and "Where am I going?", in a structured manner.

In the first introductory session, which was held in last week, the professor asked us to imagine that you are in a airplane that are going to crush and you are going to die.  You are reflecting back your life.  Usually, we don't put ourselves one of these extreme situation often, but it would be very useful, in this way, to screen your priority once in every couple of years.

The more you know your core values clearly, the more confidently and comfortably you can make decisions.  I am excited about where this course 'leads' me.

8 September

On a quiet Sunday morning, I went to a run with my friends to the mount Tibidabo, which is located in the west of Barcelona.

After a modest 90 minutes jogging up to the summit, we are given a panorama view of Barcelona under the feet.  I like to see the city from a hill.  Up from there, I can feel that the activities of human beings are so tiny.

I was sort of scared to start my new life in this city where I don't no anybody.  So what.  All I can do is do the best I can at this very moment.

3 September

It was a long day with full of event to start officially my MBA course with ESADE.

I arrived in the campus in Sant Cugat, which is about 45 minute from my home in Barcelona, well ahead of the meeting time at 10am.  Then I was sitting in a sofa in the cafeteria of the MBA building, looking at the lights with purple covers hanged from the ceiling and looked so significant against black walls.  As it is significant in Spain, the interior design was so unique and elegant.  After contemplating for a whole, people waring business suites started to appear in the cafeteria, and greeted each other.  They were the fellow students who I am working with for the coming months.  There are about 150 students from some 40 countries and it was like I am in the United Nation. 

The orientation started with a couple of welcome speech by significant people, followed by networking lunch.  We got a lots of materials in a bag and completed a group photo and a photo for the CV book.  We were taken  finger print images from each of our thumbs, which I think will be used for identification for security.  I also consulted to the lawyer for visa issue.

Well, I was already sweating.  I am sure that I will get used to, but for tonight I need good sleep.

Day 10 (1 Sept): Felt like a local

"Do you know how to get to this hotel?"  A lady asked me.

I was about to go for my regular early morning jogging around my house and bumped into the lady and two kids with two big suitcases each of their both hands.  They apparently didn't speak Spanish and were lost and looked exhausted.

"All right, count on me," I said in my heart.

They said they are American.  I was waring a T-shirt with big "California Soccer," which I bought when I visited the University of California Berkeley, and that probably let them feel a bit familiar with.  I asked people at a bakery and a taxi driver on their behalf in my tiny Spanish but couldn't find out where the hotel was.

Eventually, I took them to my home and looked for the hotel by the internet and escorted to them to the hotel, which was about 10 minutes' walk.

Somehow, I felt very at home when I spoke to people who were native in English.  Even, English is not my first language, it is a language that I can speak well.  And I was interpreting to my third language - Spanish.

Through this experience, I could raise my confidence a bit here in Barcelona.  As a new citizen, it wasn't always smooth last few weeks.  I needed a lot of help from many people.  Finally, now I could be a bit of help for someone else.