And so, there I went, hopes and insecurities packed tightly, as I embarked on my self-explorative journey at IMD. Fortunately, the rendezvous with a fellow member of the cohort during the layover eased the tension a tad. The bustling Geneva airport received us well. Before we knew it, we were on our way to Lausanne. The glimpses of the lake with patches of green were my welcoming sight to Switzerland.
Upon entering Lausanne, I navigated the roads using my memory of Street View on maps (not to brag, but an act of curiosity). With our apartments across from each other, we were bound by the thread of familiarity in an otherwise unfamiliar place until we met others from the cohort in an unofficial get-together. We spent the next few days exploring what the city had to offer.
On a long-postponed evening walk, we came across this surreal view of the sky across the port of Lausanne. It felt like dawn was waiting for us to turn into a new tomorrow. The spiky winter breeze reminded us that we were here, in person, to unfold a new chapter in our lives in the upcoming days. (And, of course, it also reminded us to get back to the pending assignments.) Luckily, I had my camera with me to capture the moment, which I knew would become a core memory before I could even fully comprehend it.
The last few days before the start of the program passed by quickly with gatherings, lunches, and countless supermarket runs, and the snowy days in between gave us a peek into how beautiful the city could be. Nevertheless, with all the necessary preparations done, we ventured forth with an open mind and a fresh slate to inscribe our way into business studies.
One week into the program, we have already grown closer while tackling the fun challenges with our respective groups. As we geared up for our startup project and mountain experience, I felt an overwhelming sense of the journey ahead. Here’s to a great and bright year!
