A quick update...still alive!

Ok so i know I've been missing for awhile but honestly so much is happening in the non INSEAD sphere (yes, it does exist, i admit) that blogging is one of the last things i can devote my time too....all waking hours were spent on Harry Potter just like the rest of the millions of muggles & I'm happy to say it's all over now...finally!
So a quick round up of what I've been doing (apart from practicing with my wand that is)
Went to the 1st farewell party - hosted by INSEAD alumni who to quote them wished to answer any questions we may have...oh yeah a couple- how soon do I get out of debt? how soon to the dream job?....nope but these are not the 'right ' questions so they were left unanswered. A few insights from the meet -
V few alumni showed up but the admits were so exuberant it didn't seem to matter.
Of the few who did most were recent grads on their visit back home before leaving for unknown lands...
Everyone insisted the toughest challenge was clearing the exit language requirement & advised whole heartedly to tackle this monster at the very onset
the quote of the night - "INSEAD will offer you a lot but finally its up to you to make what you can of it. Be greedy & grab every opportunity to network & party because the program is great but thats just the basics."

Ok then, we get the point

Apart from this v interesting night, life is filled with last minute prep to open a bank account - i shall most certainly post my recommendations once i've finally procured one.
The final payment (for moi... scholarship holder & all) has been made & now as a fully paid up student I fantasize about signing bonuses that cover everything I've spent...how gredy can I be?

Year of Possibility

It's that time of the year again. The change of guards is taking place & interestingly the mood on both sides of the border is rather similar albeit for different reasons.

The class of J07 have graduated & the bloggers are saying their goodbyes. May they all make tons of money & hold interesting positions in a variety of careers. May they always be available for the rest of us that follow for advice, networking and hopefully a drink or two over discussions on the alma mater.

I now feel the need to change status on hella's list from applicant to student. There are only 45 days to start of school now & "the one year to challenge our thinking, change our outlook" is about to start with a vehemence.

So whats the activity like 45 days before school? here's a round up-
I'm still struggling to become a Francophone - in a desperate bid to pass my exit language requirement
I still have not touched my pre reading material, emboldened by so many others who claim the same but may just be the best economists, finance gurus or account maverick. I'm none of the above but I took heart when a current D07 student put it simply - this is the time to enjoy with family & friends. Re charge the batteries & rest because the next 10 months are anything but an easy ride.
Socialising is paramount right now. There are a round of parties & almost all weekdays & weekends are filled with them. The parties are not being called 'farewell' just yet but interestingly thats all we talk about now a days. From friends, family, colleagues, boss the conversation runs the same ground - the new life... and like clockwork within 5 minutes of this conversation the Q comes up - are you coming back?
I don't know I say, i don't know anything...
What are you going to do? I don't really know
Where will you work post college? I don't really know
How will you cope away from home, away from your spouse? I don't really know


My reluctance to commit to any answers & hug all this uncertainty comes from simply realizing that this year is special. Special because its the year of possibilities & maybe thats the reason why for all those who passed out from INSEAD still call it the best year of their lives.


One year to challenge your thinking, change your outlook and choose your future

I intend to do that.

What makes a terrorist?

After the London & Glasgow terror attacks, terrorism is on the front pages again. Now WSJ reports a study by Princeton economists that shows there is no provable link between poverty & terrorism nor between illiteracy & terrorism.
The London attack was planned by doctors & a new book theorizes that its not your income level or education that determines if you become a potential terrorist but the curtailing of civil liberties.
So how come China is not suffering this epidemic?
Have terror attacks increased or decreased since India's growth rate exceeded its innate 'hindu' rate of growth?
How is that most of the foot soldiers for various 'jehad', 'separatists' movements come from the underbelly?
What drives doctors or LSE grads or pilots to

After much dithering about when, where and how the Bombay admits finally decided to meet up again...only to be rained in. Another point to the Bombay monsoon for playing the spoilsport. And again the heavens win this round too by finally making the municipal authorities confess that they can do no good & we must wait till 2011 for roads that wont become rivers.
So the weeks been gray, rainy, wet & v mucky. And how I'm going to miss it. Count down for departure has started, bought on very early by the rain clouds insisting on moments to be spent alone in introspection as the city drowns...again.