It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through September, it seems only a blink of an eye since my last post when I’d returned from Singapore and kicked off summer with my family. At once, we’re winding down our program while ramping up the stuff we’ve been preparing for all year: our job search and International Consulting Projects.
But the time in between has been some of the fullest yet.
Summer break
Over the summer break, my family had the unique opportunity to experience Denmark through Home Exchange. We spent a few days in Copenhagen, enjoying the overall vibe of the city, and headed for the countryside for a couple of weeks at a family home in a small village by the sea. We already had our eyes set on Denmark as a post-MBA target geography, and this experience helped seal the deal. The real value, however, was having the space and time to spend together as a family after seven intense months of the MBA.
We’re a go-go-go family (and Americans accustomed to very few vacation days), so it was a rare moment to slow down and really take stock of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed. It was restorative, clarifying, and hugely healing for all of us. We rested, we played, we ran through the yard, picnicked at the beach, basked in the breeze and golden glow of sunlight, and stayed up late, squeezing every drop of those long summer nights.
The power of friendships
As wonderfully rejuvenating as the break was, it was an abrupt pause after the rush of Singapore. I missed my friends! We had to make up for lost time, so one of the gals initiated what has become a weekly dinner (and sometimes sleepover!) rotation between a few of us. And thank goodness she did. My magical summer break energy was smashed to pieces when my two-year-old, previously a perfect sleeper, suddenly decided to start waking up through the night. Sleep deprivation is a form of torture, and it was happening right in the middle of one of our most intense integrative exercises.
Gratitude
On the first night of the exercise, I crawled into bed at 1:14 am; my daughter started wailing at 1:15. The next day, I had to be at IMD early and ready to present our work. “Struggle” is an understatement to describe the last few weeks. But my girlfriends came through. The next week, dinner and a sleepover were at my house. My friends were willing to show up, make space for my husband to get away for an overnight hiking adventure, support me through hourly wake-ups, and help me get the kids out the door for school the next morning. When I wrote my application for IMD, I spoke of the global family village I hoped for, and for sure, I know I’ve got it. I may not be well-rested for weeks on end, but I’ve at least got a belly full of laughter and a heart full of love at the end of these days.
When the job search pressure rises and the ICP intensity mounts, this is the strength that will take us through the finish line. This is the stuff to slow down and remember. No matter where we go from here, we will always have each other. And for that, I can be grateful for the gauntlet that got us here.
