MBA Peregrinations

End of MBA Peregrinations

2007-06-17T21:50:00.000-05:00

I graduated a week ago and am now in the freshly-minted MBA camp. I'm not going to start working until September, but its going to be a busy summer of travel and looking for a place to live in San Francisco. So this is my last post on this blog. This doesn't mark the end of my peregrinations, just those while an MBA student at Chicago GSB. It is time, you see, to start the rest of my life.

The past 2 years at the GSB have been a helluva ride, both up-and-down, and totally worth it. I'm ready to hit the real world and excited about the new job, the new city, and what the future holds. Thanks to my readers for the support and commentary. I hope to keep in touch with many of you through non-blog channels.

Cheers,
Le Voyageur

Tans and Tequilas

2007-03-23T20:51:00.000-05:00

After getting back from sunny Israel and warm India, the still chilly Chicago weather drove me to Mexico for Spring Break. Had a relaxing trip and enjoyed lounging by the pool, snorkeling, lounging on the beach, sailing, and lounging by the bar. Sense a theme here? The only thing that really distracted from the lounging was the liquid consumption - only fitting for an all-alcohol-inclusive trip. Tropical, tiki, and especially tequila... isn't that right Josekin? I also managed to work on the tan and am now ready for springtime in Chicago. If only it would show up already!

Scary thought, but I'll only be taking trips within the US for the next three months. My spring (and final!) quarter at the GSB starts on Monday. Oh how the time flies...

Lehitra'ot Israel

2007-02-17T01:08:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is a wrap-up on my time in Israel. All said and done, I'm very glad that I came here. It was a learning experience - culturally, socially, politically, and educationally. I'm going to preface this post by pointing out that the following are my opinions based on my limited time in Israel, and I do not claim to be an expert on Israel in particular or the Middle East in general. I haven't set out with the purpose of writing anything incendiary, but I'm writing about a place and region that is bound to elicit emotion any which way anyone writes about it. Feel free to take everything with a grain of Dead Sea salt.

Overall, my impressions of Israel and its place in the Middle East are mixed. The Israelis have worked really hard to establish the nation and are developing new infrastructure quickly, especially here in Tel Aviv. Given that a lot of modern-day Israel was essentially a desert 50-60 years ago, the rate of development and growth is impressive. They have also worked to forge a presence for themselves in the business world, with strength in industries such as high tech/software, biotech/med device. More recently, Israel has developed a strong reputation in wine and fashion. It is apparent that the Israeli population for the last 50 years has been hard-working and driven to create a successful state, and I've met several Israelis that are smart, diligent, and passionate about the future of Israel.

It has been less obvious to me as an outsider what exactly defines Israeli culture. The Israel I've seen is an amalgamation of various cultures - the laid back and mostly secular living in central Tel Aviv along with the business-driven Ramat Gan (financial district), the juxtaposition of the ultra-orthodox religious Jews and tourism-driven commerce in East Jerusalem, the primarily Muslim and majority Palestinian West Jerusalem that marks the east end of the West Bank, the socialistic qibbutz-dwellers scattered all over the country, the Bedouin that sleep in tents in the barren desert in contrast to the individuals in the north that enjoy a relatively high standard of living and the lush vegetation, and those that host many an Israeli and foreign tourist in Vegas-style resorts in Eilat. Israel is culturally a mix of European and Middle-Eastern, not surprising given the background of those that have immigrated and made aliyah (become citizens of Israel) or been residents for many years here. Many French and Russian immigrants, along with those that lived in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Overall, the salient point that these very different groups had in common was their love of the Holy Land.

And at the center of this Holy Land is Jerusalem. Socially and politically, Jerusalem is the hot potato that will act as a lynchpin for any large movements. It represents what is so incredible about the state of Israel. In Jerusalem's Old City, you have the ultra-orthodox Jewish Israeli reading the Torah at the Western Wall. A few hundred meters away, you have (what I assume because I was never physically inside) the ultra-conservative Muslim Palestinian reading the Quran in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. And then you have everyone in between in the same places - devout Jews and Muslims living in Israel that practice their faith in peace and want to build a life for themselves and their children. The similarities between the two moderate entities exist, but they aren't often recognized as much as the differences - what is heard are the louder voices of the fringe.

I was in the company of secular and moderate Jews, whose often covert and occasionally overt dislike of their Arab neighbors and orthodox brethren is not only for religious and political reasons, but also economic ones. In Jerusalem, about 1/3 of the population is ultra-orthodox Jewish, another 1/3 is NUO-Jewish (not an official term but just easier than writing out non-ultra-orthodox, ranging from secular to religious, with the majority falling in the moderate category), and the last 1/3 is Arab and Muslim. Economically, the existence of the ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel is basically state-funded. The men study in the seminary, the women work, and they receive a stipend from the state per child. They don't pay taxes. And neither does the majority of the Arab Muslim community in Jerusalem on a macro scale. There may be a few exceptions to this, but I think that many of the Arabs have chosen not to become citizens of Israel and I'm not sure about the non-obvious [anti-Zionist] reasons behind this. Only the NUO-Jewish in Jerusalem pay taxes, which means that about 35% of the population of Jerusalem is supporting the economic infrastructure and development of the city. This blows my mind. (Granted, I am from the States and Chicago GSB at that.) The economics at work here is so incredible, and something that is terribly wrong with the state of Israel -- state-funded welfare for the religious fringe (that typically have more children and likely pass on this level of expectation to their offspring much more so than the secular and economically productive population) and no economic incentives to become productive members of society. The Arabs and especially Palestinians are another deal altogether because of the political enmity.

Educationally, I believe that Israel has some catching up to do. I only took classes in English and perhaps the ones in Hebrew are much better. But I was not particularly impressed with the caliber of teaching nor the rigour of the education. And I've heard murmurings from other Israelis in their 20s that the educational system here isn't all that great. Let me be quite clear here - I'm not talking about primary schooling here, but higher general business education. The literacy rate here in Israel is outstanding and the country, for its small size, has been successful in technical innovation and feeds plenty of people into technical programs and positions abroad. But the impression I got was that many of the business ventures in Israel are innovation-driven rather than market-driven, which underscores the need for general business training. Additionally, because many Israelis work full-time and go to school part-time, the level of involvement was less than I would have expected from one of the premier universities in Israel. People were smart, but the communications were primarily through email, which made things extremely time-efficient and left little room for building relationships or a network. Additionally, the state-funded nature of the higher education system struck me as problematic. Continual protests and backing down to hikes in fees means that wages for human capital and other resources will eventually not be high enough to clear the market. Eventually, something will give - either higher taxes or reduction in tuition subsidies are the most likely. An increase in fees and/or reduction in subsidies may hurt the pocketbooks of Israelis, but paying more for it may drive individuals to demand improvement in education, which is beneficial in the long run.

Israel is a place that has some seemingly insurmountable problems, and I can see why the Israelis and Palestinians (and Syria and Egypt to certain areas) want to lay claim to the region. It has an amazing landscape and rich history, and it was well worth the visit. Toda raba to all of my friends here that educated me about life in Israel.

Okay, its now time for me to finish packing. Peace out from Israel y'all. Next stop, New Delhi, India.

Done and Done

2007-02-16T19:46:00.000-06:00

Done with my final exam, done with my final HW assignment, and done with my contribution for the group final paper, which means that I'm officially done with my academic responsibilities for the winter quarter!

Earlier in the week, R. flew in and we went to Jerusalem to meet some friends including a GSB alum, and check out the Old City. There were clashes last week between Palestinians and the Israeli police - the Palestinian were protesting construction going on near the Al Aqsa mosque. The mayor of Jerusalem actually went against the government's decision (in local opinion, an idiotic move) and decided to halt the construction, so I was able to go to the Old City without problem. Except that I wasn't able to visit Haram al-Sharif or the Temple Mount area - only Muslims were allowed in for prayer.

From there, we went down to the desert (via a freeway that cuts through the West Bank) to visit Masada (pics now posted) and then stayed at a hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea. It was the strangest feeling floating in the Dead Sea. The water felt oily on the skin, and I was ridiculously buoyant. Once the water gets waist-deep, its hard to stand but impossible to sink. I also had a spa treatment - got slathered in hot Dead Sea mud and wrapped in human-sized saran wrap. I'm not sure how healing it was, but it was certainly fun and a bit weird to lie in a pile of mud, squishing it between my fingers and toes.

I'm now back in Tel Aviv and leaving for the airport in the wee hours tonight. I've heard that you get plenty of grief from immigration when you leave Israel (just like when you come in), so the plan is to get to the airport early. After spending way too much time in a plane, I'll be in Delhi. It will be too short of a stay there, but no complaints. The GSB is sponsoring my trip to interview candidates for the class of 2009. After finishing up my interviews in Delhi with another GSBer C., I fly down to Bangalore and conduct more interviews along with Sloop.

After that, I'm going back to Chicago! I've had an amazing experience here and will give wrap-up thoughts soon, but I'm also looking forward to going back and seeing all of my peeps in Chi-town. WoOt.

Update

2007-02-10T00:28:00.000-06:00

Plenty has happened in the past few days, and plenty has to happen in the next few days. I won't have much time to post, so here's the skinny.

I've been done with classes for weeks now, but there are still assignments to be done. The schedule for classes is different here. You may finish with lectures, but most projects, term papers, and final exams are turned in or taken 2-3 weeks after lectures are complete. So in the next couple of days, I need to crank out a homework set, term paper, and take a final exam.

Next week, I'll check out Jerusalem once more and then head back to the desert to float in the Dead Sea. It will be my last week in Israel, but I'm not going back to the States just yet.

I will be flying out to India in less than 2 weeks. This is a last-minute thing, so I'm not sure if I'll have much time to update while there. It will most certainly be a whirlwind of a trip, but I'm looking forward to it.

Wine and Hummus

2007-02-09T00:59:00.000-06:00

At the end of last week, I went to some more wineries in the region between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We visited two boutique wineries and although the tours and discussions were enjoyable and more personal given the smaller group size, I didn't really like any of the wines. I was disappointed that we were unable to go to Castel, but it was still a great experience chatting with friends while driving around the hills.

After the strenuous winery visits, we went to Abu Ghosh, an Arab Israeli village not too far from Jerusalem. After driving around a bit, we found Abu Shukri and got what is apparently the best hummus in Israel. It was pretty tasty, though I have to admit that the best hummus I've ever had was made by the wife of a former Palestinian co-worker of mine. There are three Abu Shukri establishments all within feet of each other. This seems to be pretty common here. A place gets famous, and people open up a knockoff that has the same name and serves the same type of food to cash in on the original brand. I guess its not so unusual to try to capitalize upon someone else's brand name, but it takes chutzpah to do it right next door to the original.

Anyways, great day overall - pics are here.

Speaking of wine, I had drinks and dinner with a GSB alum several nights ago. He is originally from France, but graduated a few years ago and works just outside of Tel Aviv. We chatted for a while on a variety of topics ranging from learning languages to the future of medical technology to career goals to travel. Fueled by too much wine, I came home loopy and full of energy, and got into a wrestling match with the puppy. I think she was confused by my hyperactivity at 1am. The next day, I spent a lot of time rehydrating and picking the dog hair off of my jacket.

Yafo on a Rainy Day

2007-02-07T17:07:00.000-06:00

It has been stormy in Tel Aviv off and on for the past week. The day after returning from the crazy jaunt all over the country, I took a leisurely walk around Yafo. It was pretty deserted given the "cold" weather, but good for grabbing a hot sandwich from Abu Lafia and taking some pictures of the main square.

I was walking along the beach several days ago and saw some surfers in the water. Although you can barely make them out in the pics, I took a few anyways - KV would appreciate them.

The Galilee & Golan Heights

2007-02-07T03:51:00.000-06:00

The day after leaving the southernmost point of Israel that borders the Red Sea, Jordan, and Egypt, I visited the northernmost point that borders Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea. Rosh Haniqra wasn't all that exciting to me, perhaps because it seemed like small fries compared to other water-molded "grottoes" in the world. The film about Rosh Haniqra was yet another cheesy production, replete with overly dramatic storytelling and ineffective sensory experiences (we got sprinkled with water during the film to demonstrate that the caves were carved by the ocean... great, thanks). Given the Israeli-Lebanon strife that went on several months ago and the riots that went on in Beirut a few weeks ago, I didn't go into Lebanon. Its unfortunate - Lebanon is supposedly beautiful and Beirut used to be called the "Paris of the Middle East".

The rest of the day was spent driving around the Galilee, which is a lovely region. Its quite opposite to the Negev, fertile and green. We visited an old synagogue at Bar'am and walked around Tsfat, which is located on a mountain and is the center for Kabbalah. Madonna has apparently spent a good amount of time there. Many artists set up shop in the windy streets of this old city to sell religious art and judaica. Virtually all of the non-tourists in the city were Haredim (the ultra-orthodox Jews with the black hats and long curls on each side of the head). We then got dinner at a French inn in swanky Rosh Pinna.

We had planned to stay in a Qibbuz that evening, but it was closed for no apparent reason. Damn those socialist communes and their lackadaisical schedules. So we ended up at a hotel, and then spent the next day exploring the Golan Heights, which is the region bordering Syria. Israel captured Golan from Syria during the six-day war, and Syria wants it back with good reason. It is a beautiful region, filled with waterfalls, springs, and lush in vegetation fed by the rainfall and melting snow from Mt. Hermon. We started the day early by taking a morning walk through Tel Dan nature reserve and then checking out Banias waterfall, and many Roman ruins.

Took a pit stop in the middle to buy a tasty Druze pita and tea flavored with fresh lemon verbena leaves. Here's the guy that made the pita for us. He kicks ass not only for making an awesome snack, but because he's got a killer mustache.

We then carried on to see Nimrod's Fortress. Again, opposite of the desert - it was cold up there during the height of the afternoon with the sun shining.

Once we finished with the nature and culture portion of the program, we raced south to get to the Golan Heights Winery for our appointment (winery tours and tastings here are by appointment only). There were only a total of 5 of us when we got there, and the tourguide mentioned that the remaining group was running late. We would start without them, so I was looking forward to a personalized experience. Unfortunately, the remaining group showed up a few minutes into the tour, and it turned out to be tourbus full of people. *sigh*

The tour started out with yet another cheesy film about the history of the winery. What cracked me up most was the portrayal of the American in the film. There was a genie flying around the world (don't ask), and he gets to the States and encounters a white guy from New York that dressed and talked like Ali G (seriously, he had a fat gold chain around his neck and his sole line in this masterpiece of a film was "Yo yo - respect!"). The tour pretty much sucked - we only saw the automated barrel mover/washer/whateverer and the steel fermentation tanks from a distance, and the automated equipment used to bottle the wine.

I was also extremely disappointed with the selection of wines that we tasted - three lackluster wines. Depressing. But then my two travel mates and I started talking and thought hmm... maybe we can ask to try more of the wines once the behemoth group of tourists have finished buying the mass-produced swill and leave. So that's what we did, and it certainly paid off. We were able to taste everything that we asked for - 8 to 10 samples that were mostly reds and dessert wines. And I was delighted to come away with the knowledge that the wines produced in Israel are world-class. I practiced severe restraint given the luggage space restrictions and bought 3 bottles, one of which was a Cabernet Sauvignon. To get me to buy a Cab is a feat, so the wine has gotta be good. By the end of the tasting, I had to cut myself off as the designated driver. The other two took on the difficult task of finishing the samples, and below is the photographic evidence. More pics of the north here.

Metzada

2007-02-06T14:44:00.000-06:00

After too little time visiting southern Israel and Jordan, we drove back north through the desert, listening to Arabic music and marveling at the landscape. And the road signs.

We made our way to Metzada, which has an absolutely fascinating history and is a spot that every Israeli (and probably most tourists) visits at least once.

As the story goes, the Roman king Herod the Great used Metzada as one of his abodes during the Roman rule of Judea. Located on top of a cliff overlooking the Dead Sea, its an amazing complex that contained a palace for the king and separate dwelling for his guests, bathhouses, storage for sustenance, and fortifications. At the onset of the Jewish-Roman War, the Romans began to enslave and massacre the Jews. A group of Jewish rebels took Metzada from the garrison that was guarding it and lived up there while the Romans systematically razed Judea. Eventually, a Roman legion came to conquer the fortress and built a ramp to get to the cliff. When the dwellers realized that they would not be able to protect themselves much longer, they set fire to most of the buildings and committed mass suicide to prevent themselves from being enslaved or executed by the Romans. The storerooms, that still contained plenty of food and liquid, were left standing to show that the defenders retained the ability to live and chose death over slavery.

Despite the cheesy film shown in the visitors' center with the overly-dramatic announcer (are we sensing a theme here?) and the hordes of tourists (I was amazed at the number of large Korean tourist groups there) that crammed into the cable cars, Metzada was fantastic. I decided to hike up the Snake Path to get to the top. Even though the air is oxygen-rich at Dead Sea level, I was winded and it took me about an hour to reach the top - an elevation change of about 300 meters. All throughout the hike and atop the cliff, the views of the desert and the Dead Sea were beautiful. And the drama - the story of the Jews that protected their stronghold until the end and chose death over slavery - certainly added to the experience. Many soldiers in the IDF have hiked to the top of Metzada, carrying torches and swearing the oath that "Masada shall never fall again."

I didn't get through the entire complex, so I plan to return to Metzada once more. I'll post pictures of the complex after my next visit, but here is the view of the Negev and Dead Sea from my hike on the Snake Path to the top.

Eilat, Israel & Petra, Jordan

2007-02-04T01:47:00.000-06:00

We checked into a swish resort hotel in Eilat after a long day of driving, and got up early the next morning to go to Jordan. I was able to take a few shots of the view from our balcony at sunrise before we left.

Picked up in the morning in an open-aired truck, we were dropped off to the border by the Israeli driver. After a lengthy wait at the Israeli side of the border, we crossed over to Jordan and were greeted by our Jordanian guide - Ali. We gave him our passports (reluctantly, its a bit weird to hand over your passport to someone that you just met) and stood around for another long wait at the Jordanian side of passport control. We then met Wael, our driver, and hopped into a small van to get a quick driving tour of Aqaba before heading to Petra.

Although still developing, Aqaba is quickly becoming the Jordanian version of Eilat. Located directly across from Eilat on the Jordanian side of the Red Sea, many investors including those from the U.A.E., Europe, and the States are pouring money into developing resorts in Aqaba. It most certainly helps that the Western-educated ruler of Jordan, King Abdullah II, has maintained positive foreign relations with the Western world, Israel, and other Arab countries, mitigating the political risk associated with being in the most volatile region of the world.

On our long drive to Petra, we stopped off in the middle to take a quick restroom break. We also got some freshly made Turkish coffee (with cardamom, mmmm), which I was very much in need of given my lack of sleep the previous night due to the snoring roommate (I thought I was bad, but he was worse!). There was a group of Arab tourists that stopped off at the same place, and we were treated to a group of men singing and drumming at the rest stop. I really like Arabic music, with its energetic and infectious beats.

So once we get to Petra, Ali starts to tell us about the history of the place as we walk through al-Siq. And we were pretty much paying attention, until we got to the main part of the city and saw the amazing edifices carved into the stone.

This building, although known as the Treasury, was more likely a burial ground for royalty, evidenced by the urn shown at the top. The little divets on the side were used to climb up the side of the mountain to carve and touch up the building. Petra was the capital city of the extensive Nabatean empire, built on trade and the transport of incense from southern Arabia into Europe. We only brushed the surface with our tour - one day is definitely not enough to explore Petra fully. But we made the most of our day and were able to climb up onto some of the mountains and get stellar views during our walk.

Oh, and there were camels. Because no trip to the Middle East is complete without them.

The grandeur and scale of this place was truly amazing - hopefully some more pictures will help to relay that. We got back to Israel pretty late in the day, and woke up the next morning to indulge ourselves in the massive breakfast at the hotel before taking off to go back north.

p.s. We missed the suicide bombing in Eilat by 2 days.

Negev & Dead Sea

2007-02-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

So after a debilitatingly large meal, we hopped into the car and started the long drive into the Negev. The desert is not sandy at all, more craggy and with plenty of interesting topography. On our way down, we gave a couple of German backpackers a lift from a lookout point down to the sea. As a side note, most of the backpackers I've met during my travels (not just here) have been Aussies, Brits, or Germans - rarely do I meet American or Asian backpackers.

On our way to the Dead Sea, I marveled at how much the topography of the area reminded me of my drive through Utah. And then I realized that Utah also has the Great Salt Lake, which I suspect is very similar to the Dead Sea. So if any of you have ever driven through Utah, that's similar to what the Negev around the Dead Sea looks like... with a few palm trees and wild animals thrown in.

Once we reached the shore, we decided to check out the water. You can read more about it here, but the highlights of the Dead Sea are:

- The shore is the lowest (dry) place on Earth.
- It is the saltiest body of water on Earth.
- Because of the high salinity, objects are unusually buoyant - so people float easily.
- Its called the Dead Sea because nothing can live it - no fish can survive the salinity.
- There are many spas and treatment facilities around the area because the high mineral content of the water and high oxygen environment of the area are supposed to have health benefits. People come from all over the world to experience these benefits.

I didn't have my swim gear on me, so we just rolled up our jeans and stood in the water. We were in a public beach, so there were other people around. It was wild to see a guy just floating in the water.

I can't swim and have a tough time staying afloat in water, so I may have to go back to test out the buoyancy. We also tasted the water - it was crazy, salty to the point of being bitter. Once we got out, the water felt strange on my skin, almost oily. We let the water air dry instead of wiping it off, and were left with streaks of salty residue. Luckily, there were showers close by, so we could rinse off before getting back into the car. We did stick around long enough, though, to enjoy my favorite time of the day - dusk. Here are a few more pictures.

I've heard that there are all sorts of therapies given at the spas, including a mineral mud bath that is supposed to feel very strange. My curiosity has been peaked, so I'm hoping to return to test out the buoyancy effect and be slathered in mud. Awesome.

Next up, the resort town of Eilat and a day trip to Jordan.

Say Cheese!

2007-01-31T02:00:00.000-06:00

The day after Jerusalem, we planned to head south to the desert. But before the long drive, a big brunch was in order at a dairy farm/restaurant. This place is very charming and serene, with a tiny fish pond and a patio just steps away from where the sheep hang out, so you can pet the sheep that provide the milk for your cheese. It was just the environment to have a long and lazy meal. The selection of cheeses is extensive - soft to firm, mild to sharp, and really interesting ones flavored with various ingredients like peppers, mushrooms, and bay leaves. We tasted 7 or 8 different cheeses and decided which ones we wanted, and then took a seat on the patio. After starting on our cappuccinos, we were quite pleased when presented with our meal.

I do like cheese, but usually don't eat it in large quantities - a taste or sprinkle is usually adequate. Israel has really tasty cheeses - dairy here is high quality. So I've been eating more than usual. The stuff that we got for brunch was the real McCoy - all fresh and delicious. I ate more cheese that morning than I have in the past month. Ecstatic for the tastebuds, brutal for the waistline. But it was certainly enough to tide me over for the long drive into the desert, which I'll post on next.

Job and Life After Chicago GSB

2007-01-30T14:06:00.000-06:00

I just got back yesterday from a week-long jaunt from all over the country. I have to upload a bunch of pictures before I can post on my recent travels. So I thought it an appropriate time to update you all on my job situation. Despite the mental flip I had before deciding to come to Israel, I became pretty calm about my job situation when I came out here. Being removed from the GSB, recruitment activities, and no longer having the ubiquity of the job search looming over my head gave me a bit of time to relax and regain perspective. I suppose that some people are really good at shutting out all of the white noise, but getting away from it was a good thing for me.

Right before leaving for Israel, I ended up getting another couple of job offers. One came about a week before I left, the other one literally on the day of my flight. I was very pleased about the opportunities, but had little time to think or feel good about them since I had to deal with traveling and settling in here. After a few weeks, I started to think about what I had on my plate, and did due diligence on the opportunities that were available to me, those that I was still pursuing, and those that may come up in the future. I had many conversations with people at the various firms, long chats with those people in my life that matter the most and whose opinions I trust, as well as some quiet time away from everyone just thinking on my own. I decided to take one of my offers, based on some of these conclusions:

1. I didn't come to business school with the plan to do this afterwards. But I've changed a great deal in the past 2 years, as have my perspectives, goals, and priorities. To stick to the original plan would be taking a path that no longer suits me.

2. I'm going into a completely different industry. Perhaps I won't like it at all, but there's only one way to find out. The variety will add some breadth to my resume, and give me the opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to the field. Plus the nature of the job allows me to experience various functional roles.

3. I was worried that it wouldn't be the best short-term step for my long-term career. But in this day where the economy and jobs are evolving so quickly, there are no guarantees that the long-term picture won't be obsolete in a few years. Remaining flexible and adapting are worth more effort than planning the future out in great detail.

4. I was confident that I would be able to get another offer if I chose not to take any of the ones I had. This isn't due to an inflated sense of self-worth on my part - I do believe that I have saleability, but its also a good market and a great year to graduate from a well-respected MBA program. But I was very excited by the offer that I took and thought it provided certain advantages that were not a guarantee in future offers.

5. I may not be doing what I thought I would, but I'm going into a job that I think will give me the opportunity to gain both hard and soft skills, interact with smart and senior people at the firm, and provide continuous learning. I should be able to leverage many of these skills and the ability to learn no matter what the next role or where I end up.

So I will be working for a company in San Francisco. I am very excited about reconnecting with my family and friends out there, though I think that based on the transformation I've undergone in the past 2 years, it will be a totally different experience upon my return. I didn't expect to move back there after school, but I suppose that donating a kidney to pay for a house is something that I can live with... you only need one kidney to live, right?

Jerusalem

2007-01-27T19:04:00.000-06:00

Last Wednesday I went to Jerusalem, and it was pretty amazing. Its a major source of conflict among the Israelis and Palestinians - both of whom want to lay claim to it. Right now, Western Jerusalem is inhabited by Jews, and Eastern Jerusalem is inhabited by Palestinians. Called Yerushalayim in Hebrew and Al-Quds in Arabic, Jerusalem houses the intriguing old city. It has a complex history, and holds significance in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It was also conquered multiple times and had many rulers - Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Turks to name a few - which was demonstrated by the various influences in different parts of the city. Old City had many nooks and crannies, and I'll probably go back at least one more time so that I can find a few more. Here is a picture of the beautiful Dome of the Rock located in Temple Mount, or Haram es Sharif as the Muslims call it.

We explored the Jewish quarter, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Muslim quarter. You can see more pictures here.

The last few days were spent traveling to the Negev - the desert in southern Isarel, the Dead Sea, Eilat, and a brief jaunt into Jordan. More to come on this!

Mul-Yam

2007-01-24T22:04:00.000-06:00

Dinner on Tuesday night was at Mul-Yam, which is the Mul-YUM. From the garlic aioli spread offered alongside the butter for our bread, to the sommelier who did well in recommending a light Chardonnay from a winery in the Golan, to the cuisine that was delicious and artistically presented, the meal was a pleasure. The restaurant is known for excellent seafood, which is just what we ordered in a variety of forms.

Starting out with 2 dozen oysters, and moving onto dishes that incorporated crab, langustin, lobster, shrimp, scallops, and fish.

And then there was dessert...

Anee Lo Medaberet Eevreet...

2007-01-23T18:19:00.000-06:00

is the phrase I have used most since coming to Israel (okay, maybe 2nd to Shalom). Which is kind of silly since I'm saying "I don't speak Hebrew" in Hebrew. I got sick last week and then the internet was on the fritz, so this post will have to sum up several days worth. All in all, Sloop and Faisal have been putting everyone to shame with the regularity of their posting. I suppose I could step up and post more regularly, but I know better than to make empty promises, so I'll just settle for posting today.

I had dinner at a great resto last week with a fellow GSBer. He told me that on his way over, he saw someone in a cafe that looked exactly like me, but with shorter hair. I've already met one Doppelgänger in the States, so imagine my surprise to find that I have another one here in Israel. The Ashkenazi look is more coveted here than the Mizrahi because its less common. Individuals with (naturally) blond hair and fair complexions are not as common as the ones with darker hair and olive skin, which just goes to show that everyone can be exotic in some region of the planet. During her visit to a resort area, the tall, blond Czech exchange student in our program was offered a proposal of marriage along with 1600 camels. No joke.

In general, I've eaten really well over the past several weeks. Dinner at Pastis with a GSB alum working just outside of Tel Aviv, and another dinner at Beni Hadayag in the Herzliya marina with a new Israeli friend N., who will be coming to the States next year for b-school. Beni Hadayag translates to "Beni the Fisherman". Nice! I like! The dinner was, for lack of a better term, ridiculous. For two of us, we were served 15 different salads along with our meal. As I may have mentioned before, the definition of a salad here is broader. It can mean mixed greens with chopped tomato, cheese with herbs, roasted eggplant, or fish in a spicy sauce as long as it is served during the meal and in a small dish. I think the closest analogy is that of Korean side dishes - many different ingredients, flavors, and textures, but all in small portions.

N. was gracious enough to pick me up and show me around the Herzliya marina, which has a swish new mall (with a mariner's theme a la Vegas). Apparently, even though Tel Aviv is where much of the action is, all of the really affluent Israelis live in Herzliya. And park their yachts in Herzliya marina - duh. We saw some beautiful boats there, one can only imagine how they looked during the daytime. We also had some interesting discussion over dinner. According to N., who travels to Europe often for work, many Europeans and particularly the French are rather weary of Israelis. This is pretty amazing to me because I figured that given the riots last year in the suburbs of Paris, the French would be more weary of Arabs (even though I believe that the rioters, though Muslim, were mostly of African descent). Not to mention the fact that everywhere I go in Tel Aviv, I hear people speaking French and there are several French exchange students in my classes. I'm rather curious to find out whether this falls under anti-Israeli sentiment or general xenophobic tendencies. The last time I was in France (about five years ago), I didn't really encounter much xenophobia, but then again I was able to speak reasonably coherent French (although I'm sure that this is subject to interpretation) and this was prior to the Freedom Fries debacle. Perhaps I'm missing some existing political tension - any of my Israeli or French readers (I know I have at least one of each) feel free to correct me.

In other news, last Sunday marked the 2nd time this month that there was a strike at Tel Aviv University. Apparently, every time the University tries to increase the fees, students go on strike. This is surprising because the students here pay peanuts to attend the top universities in the country. Apparently, loans to pay for school here are uncommon - while education is an investment, few choose to get into debt to pay for it. Perhaps the job prospects after graduation are not as rosy unless you go into a high-tech or biotech role? Or maybe the mandatory military service makes the student population older and more risk-averse?

Several of you have asked to see more pictures. Honestly, its been a quiet week here - I had class assignments to work on and my roommate is off in Ethiopia for a vacation. The dog is currently spending time in the country at a doggie resort. But I took a picture of her before she went off to the Doggie Hamptons. Her name is Toobab, and she is the princess of the apartment.

I thought I'd share an anecdote about how social transactions (and perhaps business transactions as well) are carried out here. The exchange student coordinator, a lovely woman named Sharon, suggested a get-together for us to have dessert at Max Brenner last week.

Sharon sends out an email saying something to the effect of "Max Brenner is a great place. Interested? Let me know if you want to come so that I can make reservations - how about meeting at 20:00?" I respond with "I'm interested, and that time works for me." So time passes and I hear nothing back. On the day of, I call Sharon and finally reach her at 19:00 -

Le V: "Sharon, are we meeting at Max Brenner tonight?"

Sharon: "Of course! Didn't you get my email?"

Le V: "Well, yeah. But you never confirmed that it was on. Or the time."

Sharon: "I did, I said in the email that we are meeting at Max Brenner at 8 in the evening! Are you coming?"

Le V: "Erm, ok. Yeah. I'll be a bit late though..."

Note to self: When in Israel, unless you speak up and say you have a problem or that the "suggestion" doesn't work, there is no confirmation. ITS ON, SO BE THERE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Over the weekend, I explored much of the city by foot and found some new neighborhoods with bars, cafes, and shopping. Sunday night was drinks with the exchange student program crowd - vodka shots and martinis. To be honest, the vodka shots were way better. I have not been impressed with the ability of bartenders here in Tel Aviv to mix drinks, so stick with the beer and shots unless you know who's mixing.

Drinks with the exchange students is like drinks at the UN - reps from Israel, France, Italy, Finland, Norway, Czech, Germany, Latvia, and the US. Hmm. Okay maybe more like drinks at the EU with Israel and the States crashing the party. ;)

This week, I am wrapping up my classes and taking final exams. But this won't stop me from hitting the best restaurant in Israel tonight. WoOt.

Aubergine Dream

2007-01-08T23:58:00.000-06:00

After living in the San Francisco Bay Area for 20+ years, I could never go anywhere without running into someone that I knew. I'm not just talking San Francisco here, literally the entire region between San Francisco and San Jose, both on the peninsula and the East Bay. Its a pretty extensive plot of land, but somehow I managed to see someone or the other during nearly every jaunt to a restaurant here or a bar there.

After living almost 1 month in Tel Aviv, its already happened here. Granted, central Tel Aviv is not expansive, but this will definitely not occur regularly given that I know very few peeps here. It felt weird and kinda nice. Despite my thirst for the unknown, it felt comforting to see familiar faces, even those of fellow students that I barely know.

I went loafing about last night. It was a rainy weekend in Tel Aviv, with blustery winds not at all conducive to venturing outdoors. I decided to take a little walk and head over to a falafel stand that is known for a particular dish called sabich. The thing is, there are no actual falafel in it. After getting it wrapped up for take away (to go), I ran into a fellow student, an Israeli gal that praised my willingness to try it but then chastised me for not having the true experience by eating it standing up in the cramped establishment. I have to admit that she's right - that really is the way to enjoy fast food here. Standing up, with an all-you-can-stuff-into-your-pita-before-it-explodes selection of pickled vegetables, eggplant, and sauces at your fingertips. Eggplant is so underrated in the States. Not only is it ubiquitous here, they sometimes call it by the much cooler moniker of aubergine. Granted, I've never been to Italy so I can't compare, but the aubergine lasagna and coffee I had for lunch on campus today were damn tasty. Woot on the Israeli versions.

I met up with the Round 1 Israeli Chicago GSB admits last week. We all gathered at the house of one of the admits, located in the suburb of Ramat Yishay. Luckily, some of them were kind enough to give me a lift out there - public transit wasn't really an option. It was great to meet the admits and their families, and its fantastic that they have already started to get to know each other. Later this week, I'm planning to meet a GSB alum working out here.

My project group presented in our Organizational Behaviour class last week about Online Reputation, and it was well-received by the professor and other students. With plenty of real-life examples like eBay, bloggers, and MySpace, who wouldn't be into it? The classes so far have definitely been less rigorous than those at Chicago, but I'm not complaining. I anticipated that the majority of my education from this experience would not come from the classroom.

That being said, I was initially surprised by the forthright nature of the professors and students in my classes. One professor in particular is very abrupt in telling students to wait until he is done with his thoughts before he will answer their questions. And the students themselves will often speak out whenever they wish. I've certainly been privy to heated debate in a classroom, but people here seem to be consistently more vocal and at times bordering on aggressive. However, the level of aggression in discourse is certainly relative and I've been told that the Hebrew language tends toward being direct. Its actually fun, because I tend to get engaged in this atmosphere. But it took a few interactions for me to adjust my frame of reference from "aggressive" to "direct". :)

I also find that the students are less deferential in the classroom. Along with speaking out often, many will be checking email on their laptops, getting text messages on their mobiles, have a side conversation while the professor is lecturing, or simply walk in late or out early. The professors here take this in stride and I suppose that each of these happens every once in a while during my classes in the States, but the consistency and number of occurrences is what surprised me. But by now, I've learned to tune out the distractions and focus on the important things in class, like the animation on the prof's powerpoint slides.

Tel Aviv and University aside, its time for me to get out of dodge and explore the rest of the country. Hopefully, I'll be able to figure out how to get around and then take off soon enough. Smile y'all. Monday is done with, so the week can only get better.

p.s. Okay Miz Megha and Sloop Doggy Dogg. I've posted. Tag, you're it.

Shalom from Tel Aviv

2006-12-30T05:20:00.000-06:00

It has been about 3 weeks since I arrived in Tel Aviv, so an update is well overdue. The first week was a busy one, the biggest task was looking for a place to live and getting settled. Rent in Tel Aviv is actually paid in USD, not Shekels. I was told that this was done to stabilize the rental market because the Shekel has not always been the most stable of currencies (inflation was rampant a few years ago). The real estate market in Tel Aviv is a bit nuts right now. Its tough to find an apartment rental without knowing people, and even tougher when you're looking for a short-term rental. The b-school experience has taught me the value of a network, but the housing search in Tel Aviv underscored it. Not only was I lucky enough to crash with my Israeli friend A. that spoke Hebrew to get me through the process, I found my place through connections. Most of the advertised pads that I had seen were kind of dumpy, but my apartment is central, reasonably priced, and comes with a very naughty but lovable puppy and a bilingual roommate that is nice enough to tell me what the hell I blindly buy at the grocery store.

So, all settled into my place and having snagged a mobile phone, I was privy to my first ever Chanukah dinner. From the berakhot to the dreidels to the jelly donuts, its was great to observe the start of this Jewish celebration with an Israeli family - a very fitting introduction to my time in Israel. Here is a picture of my friend A. and his Mum, who were my very gracious hosts for dinner and my first week in Israel.

I also attended a reception held by the GSB for Israelis interested in the program. I, along with 4 Israelis that are currently GSB students, presented to a group of about 50 prospective students. It was interesting to see how my fellow GSBers tailored the presentation to the Israeli audience. From what I have gathered, Israelis in general tend to be pretty pragmatic and focused on the quality of classes and experiential learning during the MBA, and how the degree will improve the job prospects in the future. This isn't particularly unusual, but it seems like they focus less on the MBA as an "exploratory" or "transformational" experience, but more of a way to secure the path that they have decided upon. This is due in part to the experience that Israelis go through before graduate school. Most Israelis serve in the army for several years before attending University. As a result, they are older students, definitely for their undergraduate education and likely also for their graduate education. Many of the students that are in the MBA program with me work while attending school. So it made sense that the prospectives were very focused on the practical aspects of the MBA experience. We spent plenty of time discussing the various aspects of the Chicago GSB program that would lend itself to these interests, such as the ability to tailor one's educational experience given the flexibility of the curriculum and the experiential learning opportunities like the various lab courses. All in all, I think that the presentation went very well and people were happy with the discussion. I also ended up meeting an Israeli guy in person that had contacted me months prior for some advice on the GSB, and had decided to attend the reception.

After the reception, A. and I went to get falafel at a joint on the way back to center. The falafel guys were great, and let me make my own falafel, which involves scooping the paste into a small hockey puck-shaped steel mold with a handle, and then dumping into hot oil.

Let's just say that after one try of tossing the falafel into hot oil, I handed the tools over to the experts!

The past several weeks have been spent in more subtle acclimatization. Figuring out the bus route to get to school since classes started the week that I arrived (school is located in Ramat Aviv - a suburb located about 10km outside of central Tel Aviv), meeting other students, and exploring the neighborhood. There have been more mundane activities, but no less important in helping me feel settled, like having drinks or coffee with folks, spending a few hours listening to a jazz guitarist in a cafe, and going shopping with a friend. I also spent my birthday having a cozy dinner with the other Israeli GSBers that were visiting family during the winter break.

Overall, first impressions of Tel Aviv are overwhelmingly positive. The weather, for the most part, has been beautiful (despite it being 10C and sunny, Israelis are walking about bundled up like I do in Chicago when its snowing and -10C). The city is very navigable, the beach and outdoor market are within 15 minutes by foot, the coffee here is phenomenal, the hummus, shawarma, and various vegetable salads rock, and the people are very friendly. My inability to speak Hebrew has not been a huge issue as most folks speak some English. I'm slowly starting to pick up a few phrases and think that learning the alphabet will be the best way to speed up the process.

Now that most of the GSBers have returned to Chicago, its time for me to get cracking on meeting some new folks. Last night, I went to a great bar in Yafo, which had a great atmosphere and played a Boney M. remix (which automatically gets huge points in my book). I managed to meet some new folks and get an invite to a New Year's Eve party being held here. Hmm. We'll see if I decide to attend.

Other than that, not much planned for this week outside of preparing for class. I have a presentation due for class on Tuesday and am meeting with my group this weekend. I went to get my groceries today at the mall (yes, the mall has a grocery store), which was chaotic. Fridays are generally very busy here because everything closes early. The work week is Sunday through Friday, but most shops close in the early afternoon on Fridays. Friday evening marks the start of Shabbat, and everything is closed on Friday evening and Saturday during the daytime. Plenty of stuff opens up on Saturday night, but I didn't think it was possible for me to survive the day without restocking the hummus in the fridge. ;) Shabbat Shalom y'all.

Its Official

2006-11-17T14:18:00.000-06:00

I have some exciting news. While I received this news many months ago, I wasn't sure if I would be moving forward with my plans given the ups and downs of the recruitment season. Though I haven't yet decided what to do post-MBA, I did a mental regroup last night and this morning.

Actually, last night I was just mental more than anything else. The little hamster in my head was racing way too fast on the wheel - worrying about job prospects and figuring out what to do with the rest of my life. So I decided to go out and have a nice dinner and drinks to relax. In fact, dinner was quite tasty and I ended up stunning the hamster and the rest of me senseless with too much to drink. Enter drunken lunatic phase, during which I decided that I wasn't going to move forward with my original plans and continue to evaluate job opps.

Fast forward to this morning. Frightening as it may sound, I was thinking more clearly this morning in my sober and slightly hungover state than I have in a while. And I realized several things:
1) I am an employable individual. I have been blessed with a good education, am passionate about what I want out of life and the impact I want to make on the world, and am able to work with others well. [Insert Stuart Smalley quote here]
2) The opportunities to find a dream job will still be here, they aren't running away just yet.
3) The opportunity cost of not living one's life to the fullest is too high, as I won't be able to take advantage of the same things should I get reincarnated as a snail.

So the news? I'm studying abroad next quarter. In Tel Aviv, Israel. The flight is booked. Downsides - not having Chicago GSB resources at my disposal to look for a job, and having to delay the search by several months. Upsides - not having to deal with the freezing cold and hanging out in gorgeous weather, getting the experience to spend a good chunk of time in a foreign country and learning about a fascinating region of the world, gaining a degree of experiential learning that I could never get from a book or article, and the list goes on...

WoOt!

Are we there yet?

2006-10-29T14:03:00.000-06:00

My experience over the last several weeks has reminded me once again that despite the inherent advantages of going to a great school that opens up one's career possibilities, recruiting still blows. The path to enlightenment may be filled with many bumps, but the path to one's dream job (or the one that will pave the way to the future dream job) is filled with potholes, road rage, and jackasses all around you. And that's all I'd like to say on recruiting for today.

Last night, I had dinner and drinks with Poweryogi in Manhattan. It was a long day and drinks were in order. The buzz kicked in after the classic combination of a bloody mary-esque cocktail and too many tootsie rolls at PS450. We then hopped into a cab and went to Chinatown, and consumed way too much food. NY + PY + vodka buzz = good times. Chicago math nerd in action.

I discovered my new favorite brunch place today. It passed my poached egg test (soft but not runny) with flying colors, and the rest of the food on my plate was top notch for quality, flavor, and creativity. Ambience wasn't bad either. I'm looking forward to returning with more friends.

Desolée

2006-10-15T14:30:00.000-05:00

Had a long chat with someone last night that I don't talk to often enough. Business school can be extremely isolating at times - I sometimes yearn for the world that I lived in before the GSB, but realize that I no longer belong there. 'World' is loaded - it refers to not just the location, but also the time, many of the relationships and experiences, and my state of mind. So I can't go back because it would feel like I was taking a step backward in my progression through life, but I'm sometimes terrified of moving forward. It means I have to enter the real world, decide whether the choices I made during school were the right ones, and figure out the rest of my life. Heavy shit.

So I decided to spend some time yesterday and today avoiding the usual topics of discussion, and living a pseudo-normal life for a few hours. Last night I went to get some tasty Korean food with fellow students, and ended up having a real conversation with someone at dinner that I'd never really spoken to before. We'd had student-group related discussions in passing, but nothing terribly substantial. Given that I'm constantly surrounded by amazing people, its a shame that I don't have time to have a real chat with more of them.

Today I had brunch with some (non-GSB...!) people at this adorable place in Lakeview. Discovering a new resto and new people was such a refreshing way to start the week. Today, Autrefois is the song of choice.

You down with OPP?

2006-10-06T00:22:00.000-05:00

Other People's Posts. I am such a junkie when reading other blogs - is that an indication that I don't have anything better to do with my time? That I'm starved for any distraction from school? That I'm too busy, lazy, or antisocial to actually talk to people in person? ALL OF THE ABOVE?

This goes along with my previous rant about my computer, and how I get no work done when its on. With OPP, all of the distracting applications on the compy, and Wikipedia around, who actually gets anything accomplished anymore? Okay maybe you do because you're so perfect. [Insert emoticon of pppbbbfffttt here]

Apologies to Red, who is no longer linked but remains in spirit within my little blogosphere. I love reading about fellow GSBers that have a life outside of school, even if I don't. Not to mention tips on where to get a good bloody mary - bonus.

Supposably

2006-10-02T09:34:00.000-05:00

It is a word. But it shouldn't be. Because everyone I've ever met that says "supposably" never knew that the word "supposedly" exists. 'Nuff said.

Dancing Queens

2006-09-30T14:34:00.000-05:00

Literally, lots of them. Flashes of their heels and mascara-heavy eyes moving to the throbbing techno under the strobe light at Berlin. Which is where we went after dancing in the slightly more skizzy and frat-boy laden Big Shitty Crap. Skizzier perhaps, but I liked the music and space better at BSC, Berlin was like bumper cars with no room to maneuver. It felt great to get out and dance. Even better when both of the venues are within spitting distance of my place.

I'm so glad that the weekend has finally arrived. The past week felt too long and filled with recruiting events. It feels good to sit at home in my pj's after getting up in the pm hours. I've got plenty that needs to be accomplished over the next day and a half. Earlier in the week tends to be heavy hitting for classes, so I've got to haul on my homework and readings. And get organized for student group activities. But I just can't be bothered right now.

I have a love/hate relationship with my computer. Every time I boot up, I know I'll get a lot of information and be able to communicate with everyone, but its just a time sink. Compy on usually translates to no reading or homework getting done. The more applications I have open, the lower the chances. If I've got Mail, Firefox, iCal, and IM open, fuhggedaboutit. Nothin' doin'.

Kind of like right now.

I love the weekend.

Rainy Day in My Head

2006-09-23T13:56:00.000-05:00

Come Thursday, I felt energetic enough to go to campus for recruitment. Thursday night, I was exhausted and cursed myself for venturing out before my body was recuperated. Yesterday, I repeated the same stupidity. So today I am officially bailing on everything in the hopes that I can shake this thing off over the weekend. I had plans to go to campus, then meet up for coffee with a friend of a friend new to Chicago, and then go to the symphony with some GSB folks. *sigh* I suppose its a good thing that I bailed, its making me tired just thinking about it. But the irrationally social and "true to my word" part of me can't help feeling bad about not following through on commitments to other people, expense to my health be damned.

Life has become hectic once again. What's even more surprising is how the 1st years look upon us 2nd years as experts. I guess we are, relatively. But no more than an ant that has figured out the best way to the proverbial cookie jar by getting lost multiple times and then finally getting there through the collective knowledge of previous generations. I managed to end up with 4 mentees. Holy crap. Its a good thing that I made an effort to meet up with all of them well before school started because recruitment will make it tough to keep up.

Its a rainy and dreary day in Chicago today. Not a bad thing when you're sick and confined to the indoors, but what I wouldn't do go to take a walk in it right now. In fact, its one of the reasons I came to Chi in the first place - to escape the perpetual and pleasantly vacuous California sunshine, day in and day out. Seasons, didn't have 'em until now. They do require a bit more spending for the seasonal wardrobes, and the drive home yesterday was frustrating as all hell since everyone turns into a douchebag in the rain. But the cyclicality of seasons somehow makes me feel more alive, like there are days when Mother Nature feels just as depressed or crazy as I do instead of being little miss endless sunshine. I often craved rain in Cali, and one of the most poignant memories of my first few days in Chicago last summer was a night of crazy thunder and lightning when it felt like the whole house was rollin' along with it.

Poor Start to Year 2

2006-09-18T19:47:00.000-05:00

Today was a full day. 7 hours of training to be a GA, followed by a reception with the Deans to welcome us 2nd years back to campus and get us into the swing of full-time recruiting, followed by a company presentation.

Yours truly didn't make it to any of the above. I managed to catch a really nasty bug yesterday and spent last night either emptying the contents of my stomach until there was nothing left or passed out in bed trying to sleep off the exhaustion. I'm hoping that I can make it to school tomorrow, I feel like I'm missing out on the excitement of being back on campus and reconnecting with everyone.

The rest of the week can only get better from here.

No Promises, But I Missed It...

2006-09-07T13:54:00.000-05:00

Sure, its been months since I last posted. I've received many a prompt from my fellow bloggers to start posting again. But the inspiration has to be intrinsic you see. Truth be told, I did miss posting a great deal even though I wouldn't have had the time this summer to do much of it.

Since my last post nearly 4 (!) months ago, a great deal has happened. Big stuff first.

My mother went through cancer therapy and has been pronounced "cured". Although there is never really a "cure" to cancer, the scans say that there are no malignant cells left in her body. She will of course continue to have regular scans and checkups, but my family and I are thrilled and looking forward to having her around for the foreseeable future. She is, in every sense of the word, the glue that holds us together. Many thanks to all of you for your support, it helped get me through a very dark period.

Next, the gig. I spent about 10 weeks this summer as a consultant. It was very much the consultant lifestyle. Worked long hours and traveled every week, M-Th. Back in the home office on Friday. I won't go into detail about the clients or firm in order to preserve confidentiality and anonymity. Suffice it to say that I really enjoyed the work and thought the people at the firm were smart and enjoyable to work with. Apparently, they thought the same of me since I did receive a full-time offer. :) I have to evaluate some personal and professional goals before I decide on the offer, but it sure is nice to have the option!

Onwards to travel. Now I'm definitely no Olivier, but I do enjoy traveling (um...check out the moniker) and have accomplished my very short-term goal of "20 by 30". Translation, make it to 20 different countries by the time I turn 30. For those that traveled for work, this is probably nothing exciting. But I never traveled for work (SoCal doesn't officially count as another country, though sometimes I swear it is...) and really started my international travel about 6 years ago. So I've visited about 16 countries in the last 6 years, not half bad IMHO. Anyhoo, 20 by 30 - Check! I haven't turned 30 yet (though its not too far off so it may be time to start shopping for the black armband), but I made it to the 19th and 20th countries in the last several months.

Number 19 was Japan. Intriguing and gorgeous - history, politics, religion, culture, landscape. It was a trip organized through the Asian-Pacific student club on campus, and a big group of students went. The article for ChiBus gives a decent description.

Number 20 was South Africa. Finally made it to the African continent. Only Antarctica to go (no guarantees I'll make it here). South Africa has a complex history and diverse ethnic makeup. Apartheid was not just about white vs. black - so much more complex than that. The 4 major ethnicities that were categorized during Apartheid - black (native African), coloured (mixed race), Indian (from the Indian subcontinent), and white (also referred to as Afrikaaner, mostly Dutch). There were many ethnic minorities as well that didn't fit "cleanly" into these categories (such as Chinese and Taiwanese). We were able to visit several spots that focused on the Apartheid struggle, such as Robben Island in Cape Town (where Mandela and many other prisoners were held), and Soweto, the Hector Pieterson museum, and the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg.

We spent time in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pilanesburg on a safari. Yes, I saw wild animals and it was amazing!! I won't go into much more detail now, but will post a link to the ChiBus article when its printed. So what's next on the travel hit list? Dunno, we'll see if I get to the next place on my list... I'll share once I know for sure.

This post has now become way too long. I'll stop here for now. Like I said, no promises. Blogging takes up more time than I often have, but I'll see if I can start posting more regularly. Ciao for now!

Hopeful

2006-05-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

So, a little over a month ago, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. It was difficult for me to deal with, especially because I heard it over the phone and this is the first time in my life I've been more than a quick car ride away from my parents. I'd informed a few friends, but mostly kept it on the DL. Not really sure why, but I guess I just couldn't handle posting about it - thinking about it seemed tough enough. The first several weeks were filled with phone calls, mostly comprised of me talking to mom about how she felt and telling her about my life to let her mentally escape for a few minutes, and grilling my dad about details on tests, treatments, prognoses, doctors, etc. She has a moderately aggressive form of cancer, and the first several days when we knew she had cancer but didn't know anything else were very, very frustrating.

Spoke to my dad today, and the good news is that it looks like the cancer hasn't spread, and the therapy seems to be working. So the prognosis is good, and the chances are high that the therapy will destroy the cancerous cells before they spread. Writing about the details of my life and daily goings-on at school seemed rather irrelevant during this time period, but it was a way for me to mentally escape as well.

The fact that I'm going to California for my internship turned out to be rather fortuitous. Even if I end up having to travel, I'll at least have the opportunity to spend a little bit of time with mom before heading off to who-knows-where. I'm looking forward to seeing her now more than ever, and I hope that by the end of summer, she'll be up-and-about enough to come visit me in Chicago before school starts up again. I've raved about Chicago in the summertime to her and my dad, and since I don't know where I'll end up after school, this would be a great chance for us to experience it together.

I'm Too Sexy for My Shirt...

2006-05-06T17:20:00.000-05:00

I went to the Annual Retail Group Fashion Show a few nights ago, which is sponsored by multiple clothing retailers that recruit at the GSB. It was held in a trendy nightclub in West Loop, and a runway was set up in front of the dance floor. The models - professors and administrators. Although most students get along really well with professors and chat with them about plenty of random topics on campus, its definitely weird to see them outside of campus, at a nightclub, shakin' their thangs on the runway in haute couture.

Huckle Cat and I could barely keep upright after watching some of the profs strut their stuff. A former prof of mine - who is really thin and always wears these geeky/trendy thick black glasses - came out in Calvin Klein, but flashed a bit of stomach and the waistband of his underwear. As he'd always been quite covered up in class, the flash of flesh was quite unexpected! Another prof came out in a suit, shirt unbuttoned enough to expose the rather hairy chest, while sporting shades and a martini. All of the women were going wild at this display...TOO funny. The performance was made all the more entertaining by the MC, a current 1st year that has been doing improv/stand-up comedy for years and peppered the entire show with witty remarks.

Speaking of seeing professors outside of their natural habitat, I'll be joining a couple of profs tomorrow for a charity brunch with several fellow 1st years. As part of a CWiB charity auction held last quarter, several of us CWiB members got together to offer up a Sunday brunch for the auction. A couple of profs teamed up and won the bid, so we'll be preparing brunch for them at one of their houses. Oh, and one of them is the hairy-chested martini drinker! ;P

Practice makes perfect. Or at least good enough.

2006-05-04T00:05:00.000-05:00

I was lame and didn't go out tonight to help Shmoo celebrate his birthday. Sorry Shmoo-Tip, Happy Burfday!

Had another practice session today for an upcoming dance performance in the GSB Follies today. I'm exhausted and so ready to crash. The only thing keeping me up is a paper due tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn. Okay, 8:30 am, but its still too early.

My existence next week has been hijacked by Follies, big blocks of pink (the chosen color for the "Extracurricular" activities in iCal) nearly every day next week. Though I still have a lot of practicing to do, I'm glad that its coming up soon. The intense time commitment to one activity is driving me bonkers. I am, after all, an MBA student with a ridiculously short attention span and a need to diversify (translation, commitment-phobe) everything in my life.

Anyways, what was I saying? Oh yes, short attention span...

Right, back to my paper.

Communism to Social Democracy & Economic Repurcussions of the EU

2006-04-27T15:16:00.000-05:00

These were the main topics discussed during the speech by Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus yesterday. He described how the surge of political activism came about quickly once communism fell in Czechoslovakia, but that setting economic and monetary policy was an extremely difficult task in the transition. Maintaining calm during a period with currency devaluation and skyrocketing inflation was a significant challenge. Privatizing companies, educating consumers, and fostering entrepreneurship in a previously communist state took time and effort.

He also went on to vocalize his dissatisfaction with the EU and how it bought about severe economic limitations between its constituents and the rest of the world. While the recent trend of various economies has been liberalization and privatization, he believes that the EU has taken a step backward by supranationalizing and integrating the economies of the European countries.

Describing the U of C as Klaus' "intellectual home" (Klaus being a big fan of free markets and Milton Friedman), both Dean Snyder and Gary Becker echoed some of these thoughts. The place was teeming with secret service agents, and the classroom was packed, with other U of C students and Czech nationals in attendance. President Klaus' speech was a good one, but more of his passion and personality came through when the audience asked him questions about his experience. At one point, he got very excited when describing the short-term effects of the economic changes and grabbed a marker to draw an inflation curve on the white board... only at Chicago ;)

Tired...

2006-04-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

is what I'm feeling after a weekend of partying. Last night was a particularly late one rife with liquid sustenance, hookahs, loud music, and general debauchery. Did I mention that it was the unofficial ending to Admit Weekend? ;) At Chicago GSB, we work hard and play hard.

Onto reading for classes and rehydration.

Why I Chose Chicago GSB

2006-04-19T21:58:00.000-05:00

Admit Weekend II is happening on Friday & Saturday, and given my involvement in DSAC, I'll be spending a lot of time interacting with admitted students. After hosting Vatsa last week and preparing for AWII, I was reminded of my decision process and a rather long message that I had sent to a fellow admit about a year ago. She was undecided, and asked me to articulate my reasons for choosing Chicago GSB. To give you a bit of background, at the time I wrote this, I was interested in consulting and perhaps remaining in the Healthcare industry. Here are excerpts from my response (in no particular order of preference):

- Strength in consulting: In 2004, 22% of GSB students went into consulting... GSB is on par with other top schools for consulting placements. If you haven't already done so, take a look at the employment statistics provided by the GSB and compare them to those of [other program].

- Strong emphasis on analytics/business fundamentals: The power of the GSB brand is that people assume that you have strong analytical skills. This is advantageous for a career in consulting and strategic management (what I'd like to do long term).

- Flexibility: I really appreciate having the ability to take classes and interact with 2nd year students. I believe that your network is strengthened not only by the same alma mater, but also having interacted with 2 years worth of graduates. The flexibility also means that you can take whichever classes you want to take, and not be held to a structured class curriculum. This is a positive and negative - you have to decide how much structure you want in the program. Having a structured class curriculum may not necessarily be a bad thing for those of us with a non-business background that wouldn't have the first clue about what to take. On the other hand, [you could be] taking courses in the structured class curriculum with hard-core finance majors who can wax poetic about black-scholes while you're still trying to figure out the basics on options...

The nice thing about flexibility is being able to take classes like "Law and Economics of Health and Health Care Markets" through Harris. Additionally, there is a certification that I am considering. I don't know how interested you are in the public policy side of healthcare, but take a look: http://gphap.uchicago.edu

- Career services: I have heard that GSB Career Services, simply put, kicks ass. I don't know how they compare to [other program], so I would suggest contacting them and talking to them about your specfic goals. I've been in contact with Julie Morton (head of Career Services), and here is a bit of what she has sent to me re: healthcare and career services in general:

"with regard to healthcare: i think you can most certainly pursue a successful career from here into healthcare. we have strong relationships with many of the big hc firms -- i'm sure you've heard that karen katen (one of the frontrunners for pfizer's head...) is an alum; baxter; lilly; wyeth; glaxo -- we have recruiting relationships with all of them.

we also have strong relationships with firms that consult to the hc industry and also finance ppl who cover that industry.

more importantly, i think the gsb does a great job at getting students "armed" to own their job searches. sure, we have lots of leads and support, but you'll develop skills and tactics to realize your own search."

- Size/Location/Facilities: I went to a very large undergraduate school (30,000 undergrad & grad students strong), so I was perfectly alright with attending a graduate program with a smaller number of people. However, I didn't want something too small. While I think a smaller program definitely fosters a stronger sense of community, a larger alumni network helps more in the long term. Will you be able to build your own community among the 550 at GSB or feel more comfortable with the [number at the smaller program]? I also wanted to live in an urban environment with plenty of culture and a strong public transport system (tired of driving around the bay area), and so Chicago location appeals a great deal to me. Lastly, when I say "facilities", I mean the resources and not just the building itself. It is a nice, new building but that's not the point. I like the fact that only graduate students are in the Hyde Park Center. Undergraduates are fun and do infuse a certain amount of vivacity into a location, but if I'm paying so much bloody money for a graduate program, I'm going to be selfish and want a building/program/career services/computer labs/etc. dedicated to me...

Having nearly completed my first year, there are many other aspects that I've come to appreciate about Chicago GSB, but these reasons still hold true. And there are certain myths about the GSB that have been dispelled (we're not all finance majors or quant jocks, nor are we antisocial or inept at interacting with others). You'll notice that I removed the name of the other program from this post, and I didn't make any judgement calls about the other program being better or worse. I did this for several reasons. One, the references to the specific program don't add much value in the context of this post since the post isn't about a direct comparison. Two, I didn't apply to that program, so I had no basis for judgement call or comparison to begin with. And three, although the decision process is a comparison game, there are certain tradeoffs no matter where you go. In comparing top tier programs, the quality and reputation is so high that the other metrics you use are not as clear cut. A good example is the size of the program, and how different-sized programs make for different (but not necessarily good or bad) experiences. IMHO, it's also best as someone affiliated with a program to talk about the merits of the program rather than be concerned with others. I want an admit to come to Chicago GSB because of what the program can offer, rather than worry about where other programs may fall short.

Now that I've relived the past, I'm looking forward to the future and meeting the admits at AWII!

Making Amends

2006-04-16T23:48:00.001-05:00

Spent the weekend (erm, actually, the last 4 days) not doing any reading or classwork. Time to make amends... after I procrastinate a bit further by writing this quick update.

Friday, I met up and hung out with visiting blogger Vatsa, who has a big decision to make. After answering his insightful questions about the GSB and life in Chicago, I got a bunch of guys to wrestle him to the ground in the WG and tattoo 'GSB' on his forehead - I figured it would make his decision easier. ;)

Spent Saturday sleepin' in and then loungin' around all day before heading to the Big Bhangra Blast. It was big, there was plenty of bhangra, and I did have a blast. My shoulders are sore.

Finally, the Japan trip article has been printed in ChiBus, so you can read all about it here. Oh, and there are a few pics under "The GSB Japan Trip" as well.

Econ at the GSB

2006-04-11T22:15:00.000-05:00

Its a good thing that I love HPC, because I spend so much bloody time here. Despite having class on 3 days, I usually end up on campus every day of the week. I suppose its inevitable with 4 classes, 3 study groups, official involvement in 3 student groups, unofficial involvement in a few more, LPFs, and those one-off activities that you just don't want to miss out on.

So as I had mentioned previously, I'm truly enjoying learning this quarter, and there is already a frontrunner for my fave class. I may be a geek for saying it, but I think economics is fantastic. I had minimal exposure to it in undergrad - yours truly was a techie, not a fuzzy (nor an itchy or scratchy) - but I'm currently taking my 3rd econ course and well on my way to a concentration in it. Definitely not something that I planned before getting here, but the courses are so interesting that the concentration is inevitable.

I can't wax poetic about everything here, but when it comes to econ, Chicago is solid. There are some heavy-hitters among the faculty and there's interesting stuff going on, but more importantly for me as someone with little background but a desire to learn, the professors are fantastic teachers. A good professor is key to enjoying any topic; its an added bonus when you have a stellar prof for a topic you love. I had to bid some serious points for my prof this quarter, but he's worth every single one. Any guy that makes me laugh at 8:30 am is golden.

In other news, Saturday night is the highly anticipated BBB - Big Bhangra Blast. Every year, SABG organizes this event, and its one of the biggest on the GSB campus. There is a sizable South Asian population at the GSB, and I expect the vast majority of that population to be present and hungry for some beats. I've also spoken to quite a few non South-Asian GSBers that are planning to attend. Though they're hungry for something else. Apparently the catered Indian food is a bigger draw for many of them, but I'm sure they'll change their minds when the music starts... ;)

Back to the grind... but I'm lovin' it.

2006-04-10T19:42:00.000-05:00

Back from Japan, and it took about a week to recuperate from the jetlag. I was dependant on a strong cup of coffee at 3pm everyday to prevent falling over in class (needless to say, there wasn't much academic absorption the first week of classes). So the trip was great, met some new folks (GSBers and people in Japan) and reconnected with others.

The three words that pop into mind when I think of this trip - vending machines, karaoke, and shrines. These certainly don't do justice to the full experience, but they were quite ubiquitous during the trip.

Rather than launch into full detail, I'll wait until the article on the trip gets printed in the upcoming issue of ChiBus. Suffice it to say that I had some interesting experiences during my week... but no regrets. ;)

At the beginning of Week 3, and I'm loving school this quarter (erm, more so than ever) - taking 4 classes again (but without the added weight of recruiting) and enjoying learning (what a concept). And I'm actually making it out more often. I went to the gym for the first time in longer than I care to admit, and it felt fantastic (after the pain subsided). I'm also socializing (translation, hitting the pub) more often and hanging out blowin' time in the WG. Its also the last quarter to hang with the 2nd year students that, simply put, kick ass. Advice to incoming students - get to know 2nd years in addition to your fellow 1st years. I'm still tight with some 2nd years that I met during Admit Weekend, and they are fantastic (not to mention really helpful).

Today, I attended a talk by Jim Mullen, CEO of Biogen Idec. He gave a great synopsis on the economics of healthcare and valuation in the biotech industry. Last quarter, I missed way too many interesting talks because of my hectic schedule. And yet, the opportunity to attend these types of events are advantages that top-notch institutions afford. So I took advantage of it and am hoping to do so more often this quarter.

In other news, after a mild winter, spring has arrived in Chicago. Flowers are abloom and its supposed to get up to 21 C today! Not that I'm going to be outside to enjoy it since today is heavy on meetings, but its nice to know that the gloves and marshmallow coat can go to the back of the closet. As Duran Duran asks, can you taste the summer?

Before I sign out, I wanted to get a shout out to Clear Admit for the BoB nom. Imagine my surprise to find that people outside of 1 or 2 other GSB bloggers actually read my rants. Thanks guys!

Stick A Chopstick in Me... I'm Done.

2006-03-17T13:04:00.000-06:00

After a week of cramming for finals, I am done with what has been an emotional roller-coaster of a quarter. Hopefully, life next quarter will be "easier" now that I'm done with recruiting for my summer internship. Done you say? Yes, DONE. I am rather relieved, it was difficult on my schedule and psyche. I accepted an offer and am thrilled to be working for a great consulting firm in the lovely Bay Area this summer!! Not that I really wanted to leave Chicago because its amazing during the summertime, but I'm looking forward to stuffing myself silly with good Asian food (you can find it in Chicago, but it takes more effort) and reconnecting with the family and friends that I haven't had consistent contact with since liftoff.

Speaking of good Asian food, I'm going to celebrate the passing of the term (though not necessarily the passing of any of my classes) by heading down to Chinatown tonight for a dinner organized by Eric, whose GF is visiting from Sweden. After that, I'll be closing out the evening at a St. Patrick's Day shindig rife with good Irish beers, soda bread, and an apparently famous recipe for whiskey loaf. I don't really know what that is, but the combination of liquor and bread (carbs and... more carbs) sounds like a winner.

As long as we're on the topic of good Asian food, I have to finish packing now for a little trip. Tomorrow, I'm off to Japan!! That's right, I am OUTTA here to spend a week in Japan with other GSB students. I was going stir crazy after not having traveled in FOREVER (actual time = 8 months), so it's time to hop on a plane and leave the country for another trip to validate the moniker. Some of the activities planned - visits to corporations in Tokyo and Osaka, dinner in a Yakatabune, and watching a Sumo wrestling match. Bitchin'.

A parting note - best of luck to all of the 2nd round GSB '08 applicants - here's hoping that you get some good news coming your way!

Final Eggs-Hams

2006-03-13T19:41:00.000-06:00

I have my first final exam tomorrow, and I have yet to start studying for it. You see, today was a busy day. I had to catch up on the myriad of bills and letters that were close to being past due. Throughout this past quarter, any mail that I received promptly got thrown into a 'to be dealt with later' pile. That pile grew to epic heights this quarter, especially during the several weeks of chaos that included midterms, interview prep, interviews, thank you emails, recruiting dinners, follow up emails, and more interviews. I often felt as buried and weighed down as some of the bills at the bottom of the pile.

But there was a light at the end of the tunnel, it just took a while to get to it. I received another offer today from the consulting firm I interviewed with last week, so I am now in the enviable position of deciding between some great options. The choice is made easier knowing that I really can't go wrong - I'll learn a great deal no matter where I end up.

And its reassuring to hear from 2nd years that recruitment for full-time will be much less painful - one can afford to be a bit choosier with the interviews when there are so many more options to pick from. I signed up to be a mentor for the incoming class, and hopefully will be chosen by one or two unsuspecting admits. :) I could definitely offer up some advice on how to approach recruiting, especially what NOT to do (which is actually rather important)!

Alright, enough exercise for the recruiting hamster in my head. Time to wake the one in charge of classes (that's been on hiatus for a while...).

Admit Weekend I - From the 'Other' Side

2006-03-05T19:10:00.000-06:00

It's been a whole year since my visit to the GSB as an eager admit, ready to take b-school on with gusto. I was charmed and impressed by the majority of the admits that I met this weekend. They are enthusiastic, bright, and articulate people that I look forward to getting to know next year.

I participated in one of the student life panels during the weekend, and commentary from a seasoned 2nd year resonated with me. Although I can't quote him exactly, he said that going to business school is like getting into a space ship and going into outer space for a couple of years. I didn't realize how true this was until I got here, but occasionally I think about the life that I left behind to come to school. In some ways, having moved across the country, it makes it easier. If I had attended b-school in CA, I wouldn't have had much time to interact with my friends in any case. I haven't spoken to many of them in months, and don't anticipate doing so for a while longer.

Several of the admits that I met were from the suburbs of Illinois, so this is something they'll experience soon enough. The 1st year locals that I know all tell me their friends think they've fallen off the face of the earth. B-school tends to normalize people in some ways, and completely polarize them in other ways.

I have a relatively relaxing week of catching up in classes ahead of me. Relative because there are few events to attend that are non-class related (only 3, its a really slow week). Interview coming up later this week, after which I make the decision on where to go this summer. And I wanted to get a shout out to another couple of GSB bloggers that I recently discovered - Megha and Shmoo. Felicitations, and welcome to my sidebar!

Um, so are you ever going to blog again?

2006-02-27T20:53:00.000-06:00

I've gotten this question numerous times in the past several months. Yes, yes, I realize that it's been entirely too long since my last post. You see, dear friends, I've been through a hell of a quarter. I didn't realize how much rougher it would get during recruitment season. And genius that I am, I decided that after taking 3 courses last quarter, with a bit of hard work and sacrifice, recruitment + 4 courses was doable. Be ye not so stupid.

It has been a roller-coaster ride, and it was often hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when the dings were flowing so freely. They do help one to grow a thicker skin, but the search for a summer offer is exhausting because the whole process drives you to cast a wider net than you normally would. Many firms recruit in much smaller numbers for interns, so getting an offer with the coveted firms is rather competitive. Given this, people tend to interview with more firms, which makes for a grueling several weeks. To sum it up, on-campus recruitment is NUTS. Last week I told a prospective student that the Winter Garden acts as a barometer for the mood on campus. During recruiting, it was intense. First years in suits exhibiting every emotion under the sun - anxiety, confidence, frustration, depression, elation... Walking in the Winter Garden now is a different experience altogether. People have reverted to wearing jeans and smiles.

Not all students have offers, only about half get their summer internships through on-campus recruiting. The rest search off-campus, and I've heard that many get some pretty cool and less obvious gigs this way. Luckily, I have a few offers on my plate, and a few more options to explore before making my decision.

So my courses fell by the wayside during the chaos, and its now time to atone for my sins. The next couple of weeks will be filled with classwork and studying, in what will likely be a vain attempt to make up for the last month of interviews. In other news, Admit Weekend I is this weekend, and I'm looking forward to getting a glimpse of the candidate pool for next year's class!!

Chicago in the Wintertime

2005-12-13T22:45:00.000-06:00

Last week, the night before my Microeconomics final, I was sitting in the quiet study room on campus. Normally, the study room is so packed that I can't even score a place on the sofa chairs, much less get actual desk space. But very few people were left there that evening as most of the final exams were over and done with. Only us poor fools with Friday exams. And then the snow started to come down, lots of it. Call me a naive Californian, but I thought it was beautiful. Over six inches came down that evening, and it was pure powder. As I walked to grab a textbook from my friend's car, I enjoyed the crunch of fresh snow and marveled at how pretty the campus looked blanketed in white.

Fast forward about 3 hours to half past midnight. The snow had stopped, my socks had dried by the fireplace after being drenched from wading through the 6 inches (yes, the quiet study room has a fireplace and yes, I actually did dry my socks on it), and I was ready to go home. But my car was buried. So I break out the shovel that I had fortuitously bought just a week before and start digging. And I keep digging, and digging. Note to self - digging snow for extended periods of time late in the night in Hyde Park the night before a final exam is sub-par. A full 25 minutes later, I'm in my car and rolling out of my parking spot to drive home. And when I get home after a slower-than-usual drive, I get to do a bit more digging to park my car.

And since then, the snow has gotten grayer and slushier. Its not so pretty anymore. In fact, its downright gnarly (said the naive Californian). So I guess that I'll have to get used to it, but I still remember how it looked the first time. The initial heavy and unadulterated snow of the season. I may not recall every little detail of my time here in Chicago, but that is one memory that I'd like to stick.

Master of Bipolarity & Alcoholism

2005-10-23T02:44:00.000-05:00

What a busy Saturday I had today. After my public speaking seminar through LEAD, meeting and greeting students during Fall Preview weekend activities for DSAC, and attending an industry panel on VC/PE in Biotech and Pharma at Gleacher, I thought I'd be done for the evening. But no, I just came back from a nightclub. Sometimes, you just need a drink. Or two.

No cause for concern though, there will be no raveningly hammered blogging tonight. Only further reflection on this all-encompassing MBA experience fueled by a few drinks. Speaking with prospective students today, I was reminded of my applications travail from a year ago. It was a grueling process, one that I was very relieved to have completed. I determined last year that the MBA experience makes people bipolar. I kid you not, dear reader. One day, you feel like you're on top of the world - one of the shining stars that belongs in the crème de la crème of the candidates applying to the top schools. You're utterly confident of your abilities to rock the world of Adcom with your accomplishments and winning personality. The next day, you're down in the dumps, second-guessing everything that you've ever written in your applications or communicated to Adcom. No chance in hell of acceptance to the top schools - you just hope that you get into the MBA program at Oatmeal State.

It wasn't just me - I knew quite a few other applicants going through the same ups and downs, confident one day and dejected the next. Perhaps its time for pharma companies to look into the mood stabilizer market for MBA applicants.

There would likely be another segment of this market - the 1st year MBA students, recently matriculated, going through the utter chaos of their first quarter. (Um, can you tell that my Marketing Strategy course has started to kick in?) Remember how relaxed I was a few days ago? Yah, not quite as relaxed on Thursday, the night before my Microeconomics midterm. Rather than rehash the carnage, suffice it to say that the euphoria of my epiphany wore off quickly enough. And today, I'm feelin' okay once again. Perhaps its the drink (or two) that I consumed a little while ago (alcohol is the only substance that has been effective in helping me relax as of late). But more likely its the cyclic nature of the bipolar disorder that kicked in during MBA applications, and just continued on as school started. When you're on a high, you can see the big picture clearly and relax about the insignificant little tasks - piddly nuisances that serve no purpose in your grand scheme to become a rock star and rule the world. When you're on a low, you just feel like you're being shit on left, right, and center with no hope of digging yourself out. With the insanity of classes and company presentations, I'm AFRAID to imagine the level of stress in store for us next quarter during recruitment/interview season for summer internships.

So, we'll end up a bunch of bald, bipolar MBA students with drinking problems. But hey, let's look at the bright side here my friends. At we'll have spring quarter and the summer to catch up on our meds, rogaine, and AA meetings.

*Sigh* At least I can still gain some measure of catharsis by blogging. Speaking of which, I finally added Huckle Cat to my list of links - a longtime Chicago dweller and fellow GSB student who has countless recommendations on places to eat and check out in Chicago. I also recently discovered another very creative and often off-the-wall fellow GSB blogger. Welcome to the jungle!

Mary Jane in B-School

2005-10-17T22:12:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, a very strange thing happened. It started off pretty poor. Friday night, after 5 hours of meeting with my consulting project group and coming up with our presentation slides, I trudged home at about midnight to sleep for a few hours before heading to Gleacher the next day to present. I spent half the day at Gleacher sitting through presentations - not normally my activity of choice in downtown Chicago on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

I decided to spend some time hanging out that evening with a friend visiting from out of town. We chatted, played games, watched a movie - it was such a welcome break from the constant grind of the past month.

Here's the strange bit. After goofing off on Saturday, I had loads of work to do for Sunday - so much reading to catch up on, so many items on the 'to do' list. But Sunday morning I woke up feeling completely relaxed. I realized that I finally "got" it, and as a result I'm no longer a stresscase about school. No epiphany (or tokes) involved in this transformation, its all common sense. I stopped worrying about the countless little things, and just thought about the few big ones. Marketing study group meeting tonight, Accounting HW to do before tomorrow. Sure, I could get to the other stuff, but only if I have time and energy. If not, oh well. Sound like apathy or just becoming numb to the whole grind? I'm sure there's a bit of that. But mostly, I stopped sweating it all and only felt it necessary to deal with a few key pieces of the puzzle.

The only event that I can attribute to this change is my chill night on Saturday. Until then, I was wound up ridiculously tight - little hamster running in circles nonstop on the big GSB wheel. It took being wound up that tight and a hiatus from the wheel for me to realize that it just wasn't worth it to get back on 24-7. There will be times when I'm running for a while, but taking time off is so key to my happiness and ability to see the forest instead of just the trees. I'm so glad that this happened before company presentations started...

No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn

2005-10-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

Long time, no post. I've been submerged in the madness of my schedule. I ended up with 3 classes - should be able to handle it, right? With classes held 3 days a week, there should be plenty of time to read in advance of lecture and finish the problem sets, work on the resume and research companies, as well as get involved in a few student groups. So naive I was. Classtime is only a small piece of the time commitment. Let me break it down for you...

[Start Calculation]
[Start RANT]

- Class ~ 9 hrs/wk: 3 hours of lecture per class, 3 classes
- Class Prep ~ 20 hrs/wk: Doing reading and homework sets or case preparation is variable, but anywhere from 5-10 hours per class. So let's say about 20 hours total for now (just wait until midterms start...).
- Study Groups ~ 6 hrs/wk: Along with each class comes a weekly study group session, usually about 2 hours
- Office Hours ~ 2 hrs/wk: Unlike the geniuses that surround me, I occasionally need to hit office hours or review sessions to go over concepts that don't make sense the first time around.
- Career Prep ~ 5 hrs/wk: Various career services sessions - lectures and presentations, resume review workshops (and companies haven't even started their presentations yet...).
- LEAD ~ 4 hrs/wk: Session time and preparation
- Student Groups ~ 15 hrs/wk: Most events haven't really kicked in yet, but I've signed up for quite a few. The one that will likely take up most of my time is BSG.
- Non-Academics ~10 hrs/wk: Social hours or dinner events, TNDC, LPF - the acronyms are irrelevant, they all translate to 'drink and network'.
- E-mail ~ 7 hrs/wk: It may seem like a silly item, but everyone is feeling overwhelmed with the amount of email from LEAD, Career Services, Student Groups, each other, etc. Now, I am a self-professed internet junkie, but I've found myself lately spending much less time surfing and much more time focused on getting through the inbox.

Grand total = 78 hours per week. Once midterm season comes around and companies start presentations on campus, one can safely assume another 15 hours devoted to this, which makes it a 90+ hour week.

[End Calculation]

Is it ANY WONDER that we're not sleeping enough, or that many bloggers are struggling to post on a regular basis? And for those individuals that were a part of your life before school (significant other, family, friends), its a struggle to maintain contact. I wasn't sure how well I would adjust to life away from my family and friends in California. You'll likely brand me a heartless soul for thinking so, but I honestly haven't had TIME TO MISS them.

Some things have already started to slip (reading has morphed into skimming, pre-work being done 10 minutes before class), and more will slip once recruiters come to town. This is why having a focused career goal before school starts is so darned important - you simply don't have enough time to explore everything under the sun and still attend class/sleep/socialize/e-mail/do whatever else 'needs' to be done. My list of 'needs to be done' is quickly shrinking - most of the items have gone into the 'would be nice to do if I had the time' list.

Notice that 'blogging' didn't figure in the calculations... I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet, but it has been relegated to the 'would be nice to do if I had the time' list.

[End RANT]

In other news, GND (Grade Non-Disclosure) vote is coming up soon for us, and I wanted to point out an articulate post by DirtyC addressing this issue.

Ready, Set, Go!

2005-09-21T21:51:00.000-05:00

Things have managed to work themselves out for classes. During the 1st round of DAS (drop/add/swap, there are 3 DAS rounds after the initial RBS round of adding classes), I dropped out of the two sections that I didn't want, and into the ones I did. And I got the money marketing professor in the process - sweet! Time to get cracking on my pre-work for class. That's right, for a couple of my courses, I have assignments BEFORE class begins.

I spent the day today just relaxing and running errands. After nearly 3 weeks of getting to campus for an 8 am session every morning, the day off was very welcome. The hour+ commute doesn't help the situation - 8 am session means leaving my place at 6:40 am. Although I was open to having early classes on 2 or 3 days, none of the classes I got start before 10am, miraculously enough. Now if I could motivate myself to get out of bed and go to the gym every morning, that would be the real miracle.

Classes officially start tomorrow, but I don't have any Thursday classes other than LEAD (which isn't being held this week). So I'm not going to campus. I'll just hit TNDC (Thursday Night Drinking Club) tomorrow night. Tough life, I know. But it'll get tough soon enough. I'm signed up for 4 classes this quarter, which I've heard is very difficult to handle during your first term. I'm all buckled in and ready for the ride.

Master of Bid-ness Administration

2005-09-18T22:48:00.000-05:00

Bidding for classes was painful. I'm pretty poor at explaining the complexity of the bidding system, so I'll refer you to Mandar and PowerYogi for a better explanation. After hours of agonizing over which classes, which professors, all possible combinations of schedules, and the million-dollar question of how many points, I threw up my hands and just plain guessed. Yes, it was a guess based on historical data, limited knowledge of the current market and perceived value of the classes, but it was a guess nonetheless. It was my first experience in business school making an important decision based on imperfect, limited data. And that's what business is like - the data will be imperfect, the time to make the decision limited, and there is no pat answer or clear path. Business leaders are those that can make successful decisions despite these limitations. So what was the upshot of my bid-ness skills? I did manage to get all of my classes, but the jury is out on whether I picked the right ones. I won't really know until a few weeks into class.

Hiking in the Andes, Part V - The Ride Home

2005-09-18T15:05:00.000-05:00

The day that we explored Machu Picchu was filled with a sense of accomplishment and awe. We had managed to survive the trek (some of us barely) to get there, and were rewarded with a stunning example of Incan ingenuity. Soon after we returned to Aguas Calientes for lunch, it started to pour rain. Note that not once did I mention a heavy rain throughout our hike, only a light drizzle on the 2nd night. We were extremely lucky with the weather and only encountered rain when it was no longer a big nuisance. On the trail (especially that cold first night), rain would have been very unwelcome. But shopping for souvenirs in the outdoor market on a rainy afternoon in Aguas Calientes - no problem. We donned our plastic ponchos and explored for a bit.

Later we took a train back to Cuzco. For some, the 4-hr train ride was a great excuse to nap. But they missed all of the action. Believe it or not, in the middle of the train ride, the attendants that had just served us drinks and a snack turned on some funky music and did a fashion show on the train. With ‘Vogue’ playing on the speaker system, the male and female attendant donned different outfits and catwalked down the aisle of the train. It was SURREAL.

That evening, we had a huge dinner in Cuzco, and partied it up. All of the drinking that we couldn’t do while on the trail, we made up for, and then some, that evening. After hitting multiple clubs, drinking copious amounts of liquor, and seeing a side of my fellow trailmates that I hadn’t previously witnessed, I felt that my Peruvian trip was truly complete.

The morning after, I found myself rushing to pack (the front desk forgot our wake-up call) with a vicious hangover. We flew to Lima and spent the day just hanging out, followed by dinner at an upscale restaurant on the beach. Soon afterwards, we left for the airport and headed home.

Despite all of the difficulties during the hike, I am so glad that I went to Peru and have no regrets. The scenery was magnificent and the company was stellar. The entire trip was an amazing journey - one that I feel lucky to have experienced. I also realize (a few weeks afterwards) how much this experience built a community among the Peru travelers. At nearly every school event (both academic and social) that I've attended, there has been at least one fellow Peru random walk classmate present. While I don't spend the entire time looking for familiar faces and try to meet new people, it helps to know someone there that I can converse with easily. In essence, there is a raised level of comfort and respect among the Peru folks, and a support system is in place among us. In the game of 'networking' and building relationships that is so integral to the business school experience, there is high value in having this support system.

Hiking in the Andes, Part IV - Machu Picchu

2005-09-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

We spent about 5 hours exploring Machu Picchu, with JuanCa educating us about Incan life, culture, religion, and beliefs. In no way can I recall all of what he talked about, but here are some interesting tidbits:

- Machu Picchu literally translates to 'Old Mountain'. The real name of this Incan city is unknown.

- All ancient cities connected by the network of Inca trails were separated by about 30 km, a day's distance of travel for the Inca.

- Choquequirau (Cho-kay-kira-oo) is another city that is apparently just as impressive as Machu Picchu, but not nearly as popular a tourist attraction. The individual that discovered Machu Picchu (Hiram Bingham, anthropologist that studied South American history at Yale) was looking for a city that had been described as built of 'white rock'. Bingham first found Choquequirau, but was not satisfied that any of the edifices fit the description of the magnificent 'white rock' that he was pursuing. So he chose to explore further and stumbled upon Machu Picchu. Although the edifices at Machu Picchu are no more grand than those at Choquequirau, he decided that Machu Picchu possessed that impressive 'white rock' he was searching for and identified Machu Picchu as the last Incan stronghold. Perhaps he was convinced that Machu Picchu was it, perhaps he was just tired of hiking (it certainly is a haul). But had he gone to Machu Picchu first and then Choquequirau afterwards, Choquequirau could be known as 'The Lost City' instead of Machu Picchu.

- Incan society was polygamous - multiple women, one man. Catholicism from the Spanish conquerers was integrated into Incan religion because Incan women came to appreciate the one woman, one man practice.

- The Incans worshipped the sun, and were very advanced astrologists. The priests and noble classes used their knowledge of astrology to 'predict' the seasonal changes and harvest. To the peasant population, sun worship was their religion and they believed that the priests communed with God to bring harvest.

- Machu Picchu contains a sundial and a 'Temple of the Sun' that demonstrates Incan knowledge of astrology and identification of the winter solstice.

- The architecture at Machu Picchu is quite advanced, with earthquake-resistant structures and water drainage.

- The acoustics at Machu Picchu are also advanced. A clap from one end of the central area (believed to have been used for massive gatherings and ceremonies) can be heard at the other end with ease.

- Quechua is an onomatopoeic language. The word for 'door' or 'gate' is 'punku', the sound that the Incans ascribed to a shutting door or gate.

- We were unable to hike directly to Machu Picchu from our route because the bridge that the Incans built collapsed in a landslide.

There is so much more to Machu Picchu, and JuanCa was a very knowledgable guide. The magic of this place was worth the pain to get there, no doubt.

Hiking in the Andes, Part III - Peruvian Pachamanca

2005-09-11T22:26:00.000-05:00

The 3rd and 4th day of hiking in Peru were much easier. The first couple of days, we had started our trek at Mollepata (where the truck dumped us off) and gone through Soraypampa and Colcapampa. The weather and elevation during these days was extreme. The temperatures had ranged from 70 F to below zero, and the elevation went from under 10,000 to over 15,000 feet. According to JuanCa (Juan Carlos, our fearless Peruvian guide), we took the path less traveled to Machu Picchu. Our trail was officially referred to as the 'Sun Trail', and most people take the 'Inca Trail' to Machu Picchu. Though JuanCa mentioned that he and Peruvians in general did not distinguish one trail from another and viewed the entire network of trails in the region as the 'Inca Trails'.

On the 3rd and 4th day, we were varying between about 6,000 and 10,000 feet in altitude, with warmer, temperate weather. Our 3rd day was a short one, with only a 4 or 5 mile hike from Colcapampa to just short of Miskabamba. We got to camp with plenty of daylight left and had a great evening. Some folks went down to the river, some played soccer, others just relaxed. We were witness to a traditional Pachamanca. In this Peruvian-style barbecue, potatoes and meat were thrown on top of heated rocks, covered with banana leaves, and then buried to retain the heat and cook. As JuanCa explained, the term 'Pachamanca' can be split into two terms: 'pacha' meaning 'earth' and 'manca' meaning 'pot'. Incans would look upon the Pachamanca as a way that Mother Earth would provide sustenance - they would give raw goods to Mother Earth, who would then cook them and provide food. After a satisfying meal, we said goodbye to most of our crew since it was our last night camping. I was particularly grateful to the horsemen, who were quite patient with me when I first learned to ride. The rest of the evening was spent talking, drinking Cusqueña, playing cards, and looking at the stars.

The 4th day of hiking Churubamba was a grueling one, with a steep climb of about 3000 feet in elevation, and then descent of another 3000 on tight switchbacks. We saw just a tiny sliver of Machu Picchu from the top of Churubamba through the haze, but were in good spirits nonetheless - it was our last day of hiking and we were so close to our destination!

My knees were ready to explode, and by the end of the day, I could barely amble decrepitly with my walking stick. But the views upon coming down were beautiful. We could see Rio Urubamba, the river that circles Machu Picchu, clearly upon our descent. At the end of the day's hike, we ate lunch and took the hour-long train ride to Aguas Calientes, a town downhill from Machu Picchu. That evening, I really enjoyed showering and washing 4 days of grime off. After a dinner of Alpaca steak with a few glasses of wine, I was ready to crash.

The next day we took the bus up to Machu Picchu. We reached there early in the morning, when the mist blanketing the city still gave it an eerie feel.

But it cleared out quickly and we could see Machu Picchu in its entirety - it was amazing...

Wisconsin - It Ain't All About the Cheese

2005-09-09T22:50:00.000-05:00

A brief hiatus from posting about my trip to Peru is in order. I spent the last 3 days in Wisconsin with the GSB Class of 2007, and I am one tired individual. The event was the initial part of the leadership program (LEAD), with the moniker LOE (LEAD Outdoor Experience). What an experience it was. Plenty of physical activity and food for thought. There were multiple activities, most of which involved teamwork to solve mental or physical challenges. There was also a great deal of socializing, and I really enjoyed chatting with and getting to know my fellow classmates. I finally met the ubiquitous PowerYogi, and we shared some laughs over pizza and beer.

But there were points when I was sweating. One rather poignant one was from a combination of fatigue and fear while standing on a platform, strapped into a harness and about to fly down a zip line after a challenging run around the high ropes course. Here I am thinking that no one mentioned climbing rope walls and traversing swings at 40+ feet in the air during the admissions process... but it was voluntary, and I was seriously doubting my own judgement while up there, panicking at the thought of STEPPING OFF of the platform. The line could break, or I could slam into that tree on the other end of the line... It made me think about the last five years or so of my life, and how much I've changed.

Five years ago, I would never have considered doing anything that dangerous or challenging. My parents had always pushed me to exceed academically and socially, but were fearful of bruises and broken bones. As a consequence, my willingness to take physical risks was limited. The first time that I decided to break out of that pattern was when I learned how to ski. Pushing my fear and ego aside, I managed to gain a bit of confidence and a very sore behind along with my fellow beginners on the bunny slope (most of whom were about a third of my age). Five years later, I'm no expert, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment every time I'm able to make it down the hill. Since then, I've taken many more risks. I'm not always successful and I'm certainly not going to claim the best judgement. I can't swim, and I still went rafting in California, parasailing in Australia, snorkeling in Palau. Yes, I could've drowned in those escapades. I could've gotten hurt or worse on that platform (I have a lecture coming my way once I tell my parents about it). But then again, I wouldn't have been able to see life happening below me from that perspective, nor the chance to see a different side of my fellow GSBers up there, who helped me to get past that last swing or encouraged me to take that last step.

And that's the thing about taking risks - be they physical, mental, emotional. You do get a different view, and you tend to meet some pretty amazing and inspiring people along the way. You're also a bit more experienced and hopefully a bit wiser... once the sheer terror has worn off. So I propelled myself off of that platform. The line didn't break, I didn't hit the tree, and I'm just fine. Well, except for the sore hands from gripping onto that rope for dear life and the sore throat from screeching like a banshee while zipping down the line. But those will heal soon enough.

Hiking in the Andes, Part II - No Secrets

2005-09-05T15:56:00.000-05:00

The thing about going on a trek and spending every waking moment with other people is that you get to know your companions pretty well. You learn so much more about them and their interests, what delights them or makes them tick. And then there is the undeniable fact that along with this opportunity to get to know people better, you get to know everything that goes on in their existence on the trip, and vice versa. Case in point: The 2nd day of hiking, I became very familiar with the two telltale signals that my body was giving me when at elevation. One, the headache that I had mentioned previously. Two, needing to relieve myself EVERY HOUR. Now, at sea level, I need to use the restroom once every 4 hours or so depending on the amount of liquid consumed. But over 10,000 feet, my body needed to expel so often that anyone hiking with me knew about it. I wasn't the only one. So-and-so has to go? Here, I have a roll of TP. So-and-so has diarrhea? I think I may have some pepto. It was rather ridiculous. But in such an environment, no one had cause to feel ashamed or self-concious. We all became very matter-of-fact. This is one of the reasons why I chose to go to Peru instead of one of the other chosen destinations. At 14,000 feet with no showers, toilets, alternative forms of amusement, or privacy, walls come down quickly and people get real.

On our 2nd day of hiking, we reached the highest point of our trip. Icy Cold Camp was located just short of the pass at 15,000 feet, which afforded us stunning views of Salkantay and the valley below. Salkantay, also referred to as Apu Salkantay by locals that speak Quechua (the language of the ancient Incans), stands at over 20,500 feet and is a beautiful glacier. Apu means 'God' in Quechua - the Incans believed that the mountain carried a spirit and worshipped Salkantay. We stopped at the top of the pass to admire the scenery and take pictures, and then headed down to the valley below. I had walked down for about an hour from the top of the pass when the nausea and headache became tough to handle. So I got back onto a horse, and rode down for the rest of the way.

By this point, I had become familiar enough with the horses to pick the most well-behaved specimen. Tame enough, in fact, so that I was able to guide him on my own using the reins instead of relying on the horseman to lead him. Instead of being frightened to death, I was now very much at ease on the horse and able to enjoy the scenery. This lovely animal's only flaw was the soundtrack that he provided to accompany the scenery - he was an amazingly prolific farter. Especially during the climbs, I believe that my gentle horse was capable of farting Beethoven's 5th Symphony. But considering that I was on top of him, I didn't really mind. And I was sure to warn my fellow hikers not to walk behind or downwind of him.

The change in scenery was quite impressive on the 2nd day. We started off on a dry, cold, craggy, and barren cliff that had little vegetation and mostly rocks. From here, we could see the snow-laden Salkantay. Hiking downhill, we went through a dusty trail in a dry forest. Across the valley, one could see another mountain covered in lush forest fed by the melting snow. We then transitioned to warm, grassy valleys fed by a river. Some of the valley was low enough to be muddy and marshy. After crossing a fast-flowing river ON THE HORSE (*gulp*, can't I just ride the horse across the suspension bridge??), we reached camp a short while later and settled in for the evening.

That evening's camp was a bit below 10,000 feet. Although it hadn't been a particularly bad day, my head was still throbbing from the altitude. So I decided to forego dinner that evening and retire early. The lack of sleep took precedence over the lack of food, and I needed to rest. One of the nicer memories that I have of that evening was when my tentmate came in after dinner, and it started to drizzle outside. We had a chat while I was lying in my sleeping bag, warm and cozy, and the rain was pitter-pattering on the tent. It was very peaceful and rejuvenating, and I knew I would sleep well that night...

Hiking in the Andes, Part I - Icy Cold Camp

2005-09-02T18:17:00.000-05:00

A few days after returning from Peru, I've managed to recuperate enough to post about the trip. It was much more intense that I had expected, and there were many high and low points. As this is 'Part I', I'll discuss the first several days of the experience. It started out with many hours of flying, peppered with getting to know my fellow students during layovers (we had a particularly long one in Newark airport). The disparity in experiences is worth noting. There were some that had hiked a great deal, and others that had never hiked or camped before. We took 3 flights to get to Cuzco, and spent the day there touring about and getting acclimated to the altitude.

Cuzco is approximately 11,000 feet (3300 meters) above sea level. Altitude sickness is the biggest challenge associated with foreigners traveling to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, I started to feel woozy and disoriented. Altitude sickness manifests itself in various ways, but the most common symptoms are headaches and dizziness. Spending the day in Cuzco was the best way to kick-start our bodies into adjusting to the altitude sickness.

The next morning, we packed out bags and headed out to start our hike. We were driven to the start of the trail in what may be best described as a humble and somewhat hazardous vehicle. The transportation was an open-air truck that had only some steel bars in the back for support. After our gear was loaded and secured in the truck, we were herded onto it like cattle. We stood in the back of the truck, clutching the steel bars during the ride to the trail. Any dips or bumps in the road meant holding onto the bars to maintain balance, while trying to avoid banging our heads into the bars (which, incidentally, were at temple level for most of us). Conversation was inevitable in the close quarters, but would often be interrupted with someone shouting 'TREE! TREE!' as a warning for all to duck and avoid being scratched or gored by low-hanging tree limbs as we drove by. Several of us did get slapped by tree limbs, or managed to bang our heads on the bars while trying to avoid the former.

After the eventful ride, we started our ascent. This was not a normal backpacking trip in any sense. We had a crew of about 12 Andean men and multiple horses helping us in our trek. The men were in charge of cooking, setting up and breaking down camp, providing water, and carrying our gear. So one would assume that with only a day pack, the trek would be relatively easy. Most of the ascent on the first day was not terribly steep, but the altitude sickness took its toll quickly enough. Everyone developed a headache and slowed down. After climbing above 10,000 feet, I found it difficult to walk and relied upon a horse to get me up the slope. Now, I have never before in my life been on a horse. But being short of breath and needing to move forward, I figured learning quickly was in order. Unfortunately, I got a finicky horse that only moved with some serious coaxing and rein-pulling from the horseman. The last thing I needed when riding a horse for the first time up a rocky cliff at 13,000 feet in cold, windy weather was for the HORSE TO BE MISBEHAVIN'. I kept thinking about the news article that would be printed in ChiBus about the incoming student that was tossed off an uncontrollable horse and plummeted to a rocky death in the Andes during the Peru Random Walk.

So after an eternally long ride up the cliff, I reached camp for the evening. That night was one of the most miserable nights I and most others in the group had ever experienced. At 14,200 feet, the temperature dropped to below zero and everyone was freezing. Also, altitude sickness was rampant. Everyone had a headache, and lying down was especially difficult. With the air being so thin at that elevation, its challenging for one's body to obtain the oxygen required when standing upright. Lying down, it becomes even more difficult. I recall feeling winded after struggling to get into my sleeping bag. I didn't sleep much, and neither did my poor tentmate. A few hours after getting into bed, I woke up dry-heaving and shaking uncontrollably. Apparently, a mild case of hypothermia had kicked in. Given my less-than-lucid state, I do recall protesting help for a few minutes before continuing to dry-heave and giving in to my tentmate's suggestion of consulting our Peruvian guide. A few minutes later, I felt much calmer and warmer as the guide administered oxygen through a mask. My (amazingly strong-willed and kind) tentmate watched over me that night, and gave me oxygen every time the shakes kicked in. By morning, we were exhausted and barely able to get out of our tents in preparation for another full day of hiking.

Physically, 'icy cold camp' as we like to call it was nearly the highest point of elevation that we reached during our trip. Figuratively, it was the lowest point that I had reached. I was very lucky to have a patient tentmate and a supportive group of individuals as my tripmates. I wasn't the only one experiencing problems, but I have to thank my lucky stars that I was in good company when the shit hit the fan. More to come soon...

From Poland to Peru

2005-08-14T13:40:00.000-05:00

The past week was a whirlwind of socializing. It can be summed up in a few words - daytime trips to IKEA, and nightime events that involved visiting multiple bars and clubs. It was good to meet some of my new classmates, one of whom was the (in)famous Wakechick. Good times, but I'm taking the weekend to chill. Some folks were surprised by my decision to move here in mid-July because it was so early - a good month and a half before LEAD was scheduled to begin. But in hindsight it was a good decision. I was able to get comfortable with my neighborhood and using the 'L', work on setting up the apartment once my stuff showed up, and now have a bit of free time to meet others. It seems like the people that are now showing up are going through the pains of moving and settling in, and are not coming out and socializing much just yet.

A few nights ago, I went out with some students and partners. It was a birthday celebration for one of the partners, and the group decided to hit a Polish nightclub. There is a significant Polish population in Chicago, and I was curious enough to go a few miles out of my way to check out the nightclub. It was pretty far - about 5 miles west of my neighborhood and about 9 miles from the center of downtown. That may not seem far based on Bay Area standards, where you have to drive everywhere unless you live in SF. But here in Chicago, where most clubs and bars are accessible via 20 minutes on the train or 10 minutes in a cab, the club was a haul. It was great - a $5 cover charge got me a few good hours of music and dancing, despite the chimney effect. I encountered this a great deal on my trip to Europe - smelling like smoke whenever I came back from any public venue. In that sense, with the loud Europop and mix music, a DJ speaking in a foreign language, and a haze of cigarette smoke, Jedynka felt just like Europe. I didn't understand any of the Polski being spoken, but remembered enough of my phrases in Czech to figure out that 'Jedynka' translated to 'One'. The Slavic languages that I encountered during my trip to Europe were similar enough so that a basic knowledge in one helped with the others. The group was a small but fun crowd - the number of people willing to come out to an event drops off fast when its far from downtown or Lincoln Park/Lakeview.

This next week I have to figure out my class schedule and pack for Peru - I leave in less than a week! I'm really looking forward to spending a week hiking to Machu Picchu with 15 or so of my classmates. No music, no alcohol, just a small group of us climbing a mountain. Not that I haven't enjoyed the past week of going out, but it will be nice to have a change of pace and spend some more time getting to know people. By the end of the hike, when we're all exhausted and gnarly from not having access to a shower, I will likely know them better than I ever imagined I would...

Explosions Left and Right

2005-08-07T14:46:00.000-05:00

Life has been exploding for me in the past few days...

Explosion #1: The explosion of moving boxes in my apartment. The movers finally delivered my belongings this past Thursday, nearly 2 weeks after their initial estimate of delivery. That may not seem like a long time to wait, but think about not having any of your belongings other than a few shirts, a pair of jeans and shorts, and a sleeping bag. This is much of what I would need for an austere camping trip, but very inadequate for settling into a new abode in a brand new city. Nearly 2 weeks after arriving in Chicago, I am now finally able to make a phone call from my apartment to my insurance company without burning peak mobile phone minutes, cook food, and use the internet with enough speed and frequency to work on the assignments that are due mid-week for our leadership development course (LEAD) that starts in early September. I thought I would have 2.5 weeks to work on these assignments, but now I only have 0.5 weeks. Intermittently working on my assignments and slowly reducing the explosion of boxes has taken up a lot of the weekend, but not all...

Explosion #2: My social life. I recall leaving undergrad and lamenting the loss in social life - the ease with which one can go out with friends that live in close proximity and have a topsy-turvy student schedule. Socializing requires so much more effort in 'the real world' of jobs and responsibilities other than reading the latest chapter in your coursebook. I believe that I adjusted reasonably well, and managed to socialize a fair amount while working. Now without much effort, my social life has exploded and every night this week is booked with an event. No courses have started yet - not the pre-MBA ones, regular term, nor LEAD. But now that my fellow classmates have started to arrive, we are hitting the pubs and clubs with a vengeance. Yesterday, my evening started at midnight and involved hitting 2 different clubs, and I didn't get home until about 6 am. Three hours later, I woke up and had brunch with a few people, and will be having dinner tonight with some more. Daytime plans this week involve adjusting to life in little ways such as taking an introductory workshop for my new Macintosh (I'm in *love*, and I've named her Sheila E.) at the Apple store in downtown, or hitting Ikea. But every night this week is an event at a different pub, otherwise known as BOOT CAMP FOR YOUR LIVER, BITCH!

Explosion #3: My hair. Humidity does that.

Civil Infringement

2005-08-04T08:18:00.000-05:00

So I went to court to contest the towing, and it was over within minutes. No dice, we're keepin' the $ sucker. At least I got out quickly with only a slightly bruised ego. Note to self, experiences to avoid like the plague:

1. Courtrooms -
The first thought at seeing 'City of Chicago vs. Me' on the agenda was that I am in way over my head.
2. Parking on the street in downtown Chicago -
I'd had a nice little martini buzz going before discovering that my car was gone. What a buzzkill.

In other news, the movers are supposed to be delivering my stuff today. Keepin' my fingers crossed...

In a little place known as HELL

2005-08-02T17:19:00.000-05:00

I was doing okay here, until my movers kept pushing back the date that my stuff would get here. I still don't have my stuff, nor an honest answer from them - whatever date they give me changes the next time I call. So I've been going on over a week now without most of my belongings, and I finally broke down and bought an air mattress because my body couldn't take sleeping on the hard floor anymore.

And then my car got towed for what I believe are unclear parking signs in downtown. I'll be going to court tomorrow to contest it, in jeans and a t-shirt.

I know I need to keep perspective and that this will pass soon enough, but I was on the verge of going postal last night. I keep telling myself to take a deep breath - it isn't Chicago, its the movers and the move. But the towing was the icing on the cake. Man could I have done some damage to that moving dispatcher last night...

Finally in Chicago!

2005-07-27T12:59:00.000-05:00

The past few days have been exciting and frustrating. I'm finally here in Chicago! The heat wave that hit ended last night with some serious rain, and today is sunny and gorgeous 80 F weather. Perfect for going out, except that I have nothing in my apartment (the movers have yet to show up) - all I have on me are the grubby clothes that I wore during the road trip.

I also realized the extent of my addiction to the internet. Although I should technically have internet access through my provider at home right now, the modem and router are sitting in a box with the rest of my stuff in a moving truck. So no internet access from home, which means I can't really find out where the local bank is or comparison shop for PDA cases without aimlessly walking about. Great excuse to explore, but really inefficient way to get stuff done. Couple the lack of internet with no stuff to unpack, and I've started to claw at the walls and cough up hairballs. I succumbed today and went to my local internet cafe, and I can feel my withdrawal shakes starting to subside as the browser windows open up...

So far, I'm digging my neighborhood. I walked to the movie theater a few nights ago, and there are countless places to eat within a 10 minute walk. I can also hop onto the 'L' in less than 5 minutes and take it downtown, which I did a few days ago to check out some shops (including the Apple store on Michigan Avenue). Now if only my stuff would get here...

Drivin' Cross Country

2005-07-23T15:36:00.000-05:00

Here is the path:
California -> Arizona -> Nevada -> Utah -> Colorado -> Nebraska -> Iowa -> Illinois.

You find creative ways to pass the time on a road trip. There are only so many debates one can have about gay marriage or the revaluation of the Yuan before the conversation degenerates. I start to go stir-crazy being in the car all day, and have managed to see some strange sights and amuse myself in some less-than-intellectual ways...

- 'Pooning' other drivers and trying to avoid being 'pooned'. (definition: To 'poon' someone is to figuratively harpoon onto another driver breaking the speed limit. You end up going just as fast, but are behind and less likely to get caught speeding.)
- Passing by the town of Zzyzx in California near the Mojave Desert and thinking it was the strangest name I would see.
- Passing by the town of What Cheer in Iowa and being wrong.
- Seeing 'wireless internet' listed next to 'bathrooms' and 'vending machines' as one of the features at a rest stop.
- Guessing which fast-food joints one can find in the next podunk town. *shudder*
- Passenger singing loudly and obnoxiously to driver, and being threatened with 'Stop or so help me I will swerve, crash, and kill us both.'
- Being close enough to civilization to have a tower nearby and decent mobile phone reception, so that I can post this entry from a laptop while in the car on I-80.

Technically, the path should continue onto Indiana and then back to Illinois because I'm going to crash with a friend in South Bend tonight, and then drive to Chicago tomorrow. Almost there!

Road Trip

2005-07-21T22:55:00.000-05:00

I am on the go once again. After a relatively painless experience with the movers (compared to many previous moves in which I did all of the moving on my own), I got in the car and started the long haul from the Bay Area to Chicago.

I'm taking the scenic route. After a long day of driving in some scary hot 115 F weather, I arrived in St. George, Utah. Wednesday involved a quick hike through the Narrows, and then a leisurely drive north through Zion National Park and southern Utah. The picture doesn't do justice to the beauty of this place - the craggy cliffs and sprawling grasslands are simply magnificent. Violet, sea green, sand, peach, and rust are just some of the hues that you see in the landscape - this region is very appropriately named 'Color Country'.

After a few hundred miles, a good night's rest was in order in a tiny town named Salina (not much else to do but sleep there). Today was spent covering another expanse of country in Utah and Colorado. Colorado has some lovely scenery as well, and rainstorms out here are exhilarating - lightning and thunder with pelting hard rain. A few miles away from the storm, you can see streaks of gray running down from the sky towards the ground - like an artist took a paintbrush and ran it down the length of the rainclouds to smear them towards the green earth.

I'm now in Denver, and after a drink with a friend (who is incidentally a GSB alum) and an expansive sushi dinner, I'm ready to crash. Tomorrow I hope to reach Des Moines. Just what my car needed before at least 2 years of baking and freezing Chicago weather, another 2000+ miles on the odometer...

Why Moving Sucks

2005-07-13T00:52:00.000-05:00

Less than a week before moving to Chicago, and instead of packing, I'm posting...

- You can never pack everything up until the last minute, which requires frenetic packing at the last minute.
- Packing at the last minute requires keeping stuff that you should toss, and tossing stuff that you want to keep.
- You forgot to pack the paintings, remove the nails holding them up, and patch the holes in the wall before you packed the tools and plaster.
- If you're an internet junkie like me, your brain prevents your body from packing up the compy until a few hours before the movers show up.
- Liquids are in danger of leaking, so friends get the vodka.
- You can't clean much until the boxes and furniture are gone, and then end up giving yourself a headache from sniffing copious amounts of Lysol on your continuous 6-hour cleaning spree.
- By the time you're done cleaning, you feel like taking a long shower and can't - the soap, towels, and clothes that don't smell like Lysol are all packed and gone.
- For weeks before, you are culinarily challenged to create exciting and creative new delicacies using the shredded coconut and sliced cheese left in the fridge.
- For weeks after, you are stuck unpacking boxes of crap and thinking 'Why didn't I just toss this?'.

Geeking Out

2005-07-10T18:10:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I ordered a new PDA. I found that Techbargains and The Gadgeteer were very useful in my research. Perusing the user reviews and comparing prices led me to pick the Palm Tungsten E2. Its a slim device, the user interface looks great, decent memory and processor speed, and I don't need a camera in my PDA just yet. I also took a look around at cases, and stumbled upon the luxury cases made by Vaja. They are beautiful, but I didn't order one. Surfing at 3 am made me loopy enough to consider a case that costs half the price of the bloody PDA, but luckily common sense (and the thought of my student budget) kicked in.

I also decided to make the big switch and buy a Mac. I'm a bit worried that I'll be spending too much time understanding the new OS when I should be getting work done. But after some quality time at the Apple store and conversations with numerous people, I'm ready to dive in. Reminder to self, sign up for the Mac users support group at the GSB.

Terror in London

2005-07-07T14:30:00.000-05:00

On September 9, 2001, I was watching the sun set between the twin towers of the World Trade Center from my room across the street at the Millenium Hilton in Manhattan. Two days later, I felt blessed to have been one of the last people on Earth to see such a sight and live to tell about it. But I also felt physically ill at the thought of those that did not escape the terrorist attacks, and the incredibly painful and senseless loss that the friends and families of those killed would come to feel once the shock wore off. This morning, many in London are feeling that same shock and loss. My heart goes out to you.

Someone opined to me that this will cause the Brits to withdraw from helping the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan. I disagreed, believing that Blair would not let this affect his pledge to support democracy in the Middle East. We'll see how it pans out soon enough...

Tagged!

2005-07-02T10:31:00.000-05:00

I was tagged a while ago by EMC India, but am just now getting around to posting on it. The last 5 books I've read are:

1. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown - Do I even need to describe it? Everyone and their mother has read this one.

2. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie - Finally got around to reading this, and Rushdie is a lyricist. He is one of those authors that can take you to a place that is inexplicably clear and muddled all at once. It flowed perfectly until you reached that precipice, but you look back and think 'Damn, there is only a fog of words behind me. How did he get me here?'

3. Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert - I enjoyed the concept of Heretics and appreciated how Frank pulled elements from the original Dune so artfully. But its difficult to keep continuity (and my interest) after the 3000 years of 'The Tyrant'.

4. Chapterhouse Dune by Frank Herbert - The last book in the 6 book series of Dune was anticlimactic. All of them went downhill after the original.

5. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - I succumbed to another Dan Brown novel while in Europe (the selection of English language novels in small towns in Northern Croatia are rather limited). Gripping read as usual, but the storyline of dashing male protagonist and female sidekick fighting the forces of evil seems to be a theme (that will get stale fast) in his novels.

The book I'm currently reading is neither by Frank nor Dan. I've had enough of those two for a while. And I will refrain from tagging other bloggers - I'm just too lazy to find others that haven't already been tagged and I don't wanna be a pest.

Traveling - Solo or Not?

2005-06-28T09:52:00.000-05:00

I'm back home now, and I cannot believe how surreal it feels. It is partially because my body is still adjusting to the time difference, but walking into my apartment after 7 weeks felt so strange. My brain told me that I had been here before, but there are cobwebs that need to be cleared from my memory of this place. I couldn't remember which key to use for my back door, nor could I recall the code to open my garage. Amazing how one's memory of everyday details does atrophy if not constantly put to use.

I thought a lot about my travels on the way home, and decided to post my thoughts on traveling solo versus with a companion. The first 2 weeks of my trip was spent on my own, the following 4 weeks was spent with R., and then the last week I was again by myself. There are so many factors to consider when traveling with someone, and I have to admit that I found R. and I were not ideal traveling buddies. This is not to say that we were completely at odds, compatibility is not black and white. There are ways in which we suited each other as traveling companions quite well and we definitely enjoyed many parts of the trip together, but we also had to take time apart from each other every so often. While I was completely prepared for the possibility of taking time apart, I thought I would put down in concrete terms (as much a reminder for myself as opining for others) what to consider when choosing a traveling companion.

Budget:

R. and I were traveling on different budgets, which greatly affects not only what one sees but how one sees it. A lot of tourist attractions can be seen together, but certain experiences require different levels of spending. More in-depth tours or experiences come at an expense. For example, are you willing to spend extra for a tourguide that may give you a more meaningful explanation of the history and background of a castle instead of walking it on your own?

It also affects how one spends time. At times, the train will get you somewhere a great deal faster (not the case in all of Europe, though) than the bus, but will cost more. Doing laundry by hand to save money requires you to come back early enough to ensure that it dries, but means that you don't stay out in the city as late.

Accomodations are also greatly affected by how much one is willing to spend, and if solo or not. Usually, it is rather expensive to have one's own room when traveling solo. Budget accomodations are much easier to locate and less expensive for pairs or larger groups. But deciding on accomodation can be challenging when your price ceiling is different than that of your companion (especially when you are tired from traveling all day, have a heavy pack on your back, and just want to shower and rest). Are you willing to pay more for a central location or additional amenities?

I believe that R. and I made the effort to be considerate of each other's budgetary inclinations, but it still strained our travels every once in a while. Do not underestimate the importance of either finding someone with a similar budget, or clearly establishing expectations of what, where, how, and when if traveling with someone on a different budget. If it so happens that you cannot come to agreement with your potential or present companion, go it alone (better figured out before the trip actually begins to save on hassle).

Travel Style:

Do you like to visit museums, or would you rather take a walk around the neighborhood? Do you like to break up your day by visiting a cafe, or would you prefer to hit all of the attractions at once? Do you like to be spontaneous, or would you prefer to plan it all out? Do you like to get up early and hit the sights, or stay out late and sleep in? The answers will determine whether you have a traveling buddy that will actually like to spend time doing the same things that you do. R. and I did ourselves a great service by planning our itinerary in detail before the trip, but we still had differences in how we liked to spend our days. This is admittedly less straining than budgetary concerns. If you don't want to do what your travel buddy does, you can often split up and meet at the end of the day. But it does make life easier when you can get a discount ticket for two, or you feel safe enough to walk around late in the city because you have a companion.

These, IMHO, are the two big items to consider when choosing a travel buddy. I could go into many other smaller ones, but this post is long enough already.

I do not regret traveling with R. and am very glad that we shared this experience, but it is unlikely that we will travel together again based on our different styles. This experience has taught me that while it is pretty difficult to find someone that makes the ideal traveling partner, there are ways to compromise and to handle a less-than-ideal situation with grace and maturity. And despite the differences, R. and I had many an experience that was hilarious and entertaining, and will bring a chuckle and a smile to my face every time I think about it.

Last Full Day in Europe - Observations

2005-06-25T18:08:00.000-05:00

Having traveled through five countries in the past seven weeks, I've had the opportunity to see many places and observe people (Europeans and fellow travelers) during my visit. Here is a collection of random observations from my trip:

Slovenians love to strike up conversations, are generous, and have a great sense of humor.

Northern Croats seem more humble (possessing a quiet confidence) about the beauty of their surroundings than Southern Croats. They are also more helpful to visitors.

Hungarians are extremely helpful and kind. Perhaps its related to the difficulty in foreigners learning and communicating in Magyar, but people went out of their way to assist. Our first train ride into Hungary, the clerks at the small station in Gyekenyes spent about 15 minutes trying to communicate the info for the connecting train. When our train came, one of them came out of her office to ensure that we caught it.

Europeans are more open about sexuality than Americans. Sex is not taboo, and public displays of affection are commonplace. They are also much more accepting of different body shapes and sizes. In general, people are less obese here than in the States. But a man or woman with a figure that is not ideal is not confined to wearing loose clothing, nor feeling ashamed of his or her body. Don't get me wrong, there are folks walking around with coiffed hair and perfect figures. But women don't need to have large breasts to wear a tight top, and men don't need to have a six-pack to go without a shirt. To me, this makes people seem more human. Like the facade of having the ideal figure is unnecessary and you can just be shaped how you are. Clothing also reflects the openness to different shapes, as people are much more experimental and daring in their fashion picks (compared to the comfortable yet boring jeans and monotone shirt couture of Northern California).

I met a lot of Aussies and Brits in the hostels, and it is quite common for them to travel for 6 months at a time. Plenty of Aussies get a 2 year work permit for the UK, and then are able to travel for an extended period of time before or after. A lot of them didn't realize that such a long vacation is unheard of in the States, and that it was quite unusual for me to have a 7 week trip.

That's all for now. Early tomorrow morning, I head off to the airport to spend the day in airplanes on my way home...

Hungarian Favorites

2005-06-23T22:09:00.000-05:00

Meggyleves - A cold sour cherry soup that, it turns out, is sweet and very refreshing on a hot summer day.

Gyógyfürdő - A Hungarian bath house, which I visited at the suggestion of Wakechick. I picked Széchenyi Gyógyfürdő (Check out the pictures in the gallery. Yes, it really does look like that).

The Opera House - Its a beautiful building, and I hope to return to Budapest one day to watch an opera there.

Széchenyi Lánchíd - On a summer evening, there are swarms of people enjoying the cool air from the Danube in addition to the music festivals and food.

Citadella - Located in Buda, its a hike to get to the top. But, the view of Budapest from up there is spectacular and well worth it.

Le V on Crack

2005-06-20T18:29:00.000-05:00

I just left Gerbeaud. After a Cointreau torte and an iced coffee (which turned out to be a coffee shake with ice-cream), Le Voyageur is buzzing - wooooohooooo!

Given the copious quantities of sugar and caffeine running through my bloodstream, this post may be a bit attention deficit disorder heavy (more so than usual).

Budapest is an architecture lover's dream. One really cannot turn a corner without seeing another magnificent edifice built in the style of Renaissance, neo-Gothic, Baroque... Amazingly enough, these buildings are not just churches, museums, or the Parlament. You can enjoy Roman columns or cherubs on the ceilings while sitting in a bank, hotel, or apartment complex.

Magyar is easy on the ears. Some languages sound really harsh to me, but Magyar is quite melodic and pleasant (except when spoken by screaming schoolkids on a train, but no language does well under those circumstances).

This is the last week of my trip - I've started thinking about my return back to California and realizing how much I have to take care of - packing and moving to Chicago being the next big thing. I doubt that I'll be so prolific in my posting when I get back. Packing boxes isn't nearly as exciting to write (or read) about.

Alright, time to vibrate away from the keyboard and burn off some of the jet fuel in my system.

Budapest - Color Me Impressed

2005-06-18T23:54:00.000-05:00

Without really trying, I managed to take in a lot of culture today. My first day in Budapest has blown me away.

I started out the day by crossing west over the Duna (Danube) to Buda. Budapest is split by the river into the 'Buda' and 'Pest' parts of the city. I started out by walking through the Vienna Gate in old town and heading towards Mátyás Templom. After checking out the Church and the Halászbástya, I had lunch at a cafe - sangria and a BIG SALAD. Ah, heavenly oasis of salad in meat-crazed desert of Eastern Europe...

Then I headed to Magyar Nemzeti Galéria (Hungarian National Gallery). As I am checking out the art, I walk into the cupola. Lo and behold, a classical music performance is being held inside the gallery. Being a bit bummed this morning to learn that the Hungarian Opera was on summer break, I was quite happy to stumble across the Hungarian choir performing compositions by Liszt, Beethoven, Haydn, Brahms, Dvorák, and Bartók among others. They were singing in many different languages - Deutsch, Latin, Magyar, English, Slovakian. I sat next to a Hungarian woman and struck up a conversation. She didn't speak much English, and I spoke no Magyar, but we managed to communicate. After the concert, she introduced me to her daughter (one of the singers in the choir) and we chatted for a few minutes. Her daughter spoke English, and she told me that the choir was traveling to Bonn for their next performance. Magyars have been the friendliest Europeans I have encountered so far on my trip. Highest hit rate in terms of complete strangers helping you out and being kind.

After the museum, I went down to Széchenyi Lánchíd (Chain Bridge - the major pedestrian bridge that links Buda and Pest). While snacking on a delicious cinnamon kürtőskalács, I listened to a jazz band that was playing in the square. After that I wandered into Pest a bit further, and followed the lively music I heard to watch performances being held as part of the Duna Karnevál. Magyar Folk, Romani and Transylvanian Gypsies, and even Folklorico dancers from Mexico (the last act, and the one that the crowd went wild over).

I managed to use up all of the battery power in 2 camera batteries today, the first time that has happened. What a great first impression Budapest has made on me...

First Few Days in Hungary

2005-06-18T12:56:00.000-05:00

Its great to be in a new country, but I am screwed on the language. The few words I've picked up in the Slavic languages won't do me any good here - Magyar is completely different (it is one of the Finno-Ugric languages, and the closest relatives are Finnish and Turkish).

I'm now in Budapest, and darn glad to be here. Pécs and Keszthely were okay, but I've been having accomodation problems for the past several nights. We managed to find a decent place in Pécs just outside city center after a tiring and circuitous walk with our heavy packs. The place in Keszthely was close to the train station (a plus when you have to walk with your pack), but it was a dump - the sorriest excuse for a pension I've ever seen. Deserted, peeling paint on the walls, and bugs everywhere. Ever woken up in the middle of the night to a mosquito buzzing in your ear? Not fun. Neither is flailing your limbs while performing the morning ablutions to prevent being eaten alive by the buggers (though I'm sure its amusing to watch).

After a long and painful 4.5 hour train ride (the schoolkids on the trip to Budapest decided to sit in the same train car), I got to my hostel late last night. I managed to (again) pick kind of a dumpy place, but scoped out another one last night and moved over there this morning. I will now hopefully stay put for at least a few nights. After switching locations continuously for the past several nights, I just want to park it.

Off to explore Budapest...

Last Day in Croatia

2005-06-14T17:08:00.000-05:00

The last few days have been very busy - two full day trips (Kornati Islands and Plitvice National Park). The trip to Kornati was interesting to say the least - doing shots with a bunch of crazy Slovenians on the upper deck of our tiny boat. One of them spoke English quite well, and it was enough to establish instant rapport with the California girls. The islands of Kornati were the least interesting part of that trip.

Quite the contrast with Plitvice. There are some places on earth that are simply magical and you find yourself blessed to have seen them. Plitvice is one of those places. Waterfalls, lakes, surrounded by nature in its prime. Gaia outdid herself on this one.

Today is my last full day in Hrvatska, which I've spent exploring Zagreb. Tomorrow morning, I hop on a train to Pécs, Hungary.

Foreign Food, Itchy Arms

2005-06-12T02:00:00.000-05:00

As one can imagine based on one or two previous posts, I really enjoy trying foreign foods. Not only do I take pleasure in sampling the local cuisine, but also the local interpretations of cuisine considered foreign. So I try to hit a range of eating establishments - nice restaurants, street vendors, and occasionally the local McDonald's (the McAloo Tikki Burgers at McDo's in Delhi are quite tasty).

Tonight, I had 'Italian' food here in Zadar. I ordered a tomato soup, vegetables cooked in butter, and spaghetti with mushrooms. Sounds simple enough, right? So the tomato soup was tasty - it was much thinner than the stuff you find in the States and had a few pieces of risotto in it. The spaghetti with mushrooms actually had a brown sauce - similar to mushroom gravy (I was expecting your standard spaghetti marinara with mushrooms). And the vegetable was something called 'mangold', a local veggie that my waiter described as similar to spinach. It was green and leafy, but closer to bok choy leaves in my opinion. A bit more roughage than spinach provides; this makes sense after doing a web search and finding out that mangold is used primarily as animal feed [insert Homer Simpson drooling sound here]. The taste was... well, buttery. It was DRENCHED in butter, and mixed with potatoes. Ah, buttery potatoes. A reminder that even the 'Italian' food here reflects the Eastern European love of the potato.

While many encounters with foreign cuisine are hit or miss, some are occasionally harmful. Both R. and I managed to get an allergic reaction to seafood that we consumed in Dubrovnik a few days ago. I have never before had such a reaction to seafood, so I'm not really sure what happened. R. had a seafood ravioli, and I had grilled seafood. In accordance with quantity consumed, R. now has a small rash on her foot and near her knee. I have a huge and very itchy rash up and down the length of my arms.

So far this trip, I have managed to get pollen allergies, catch a cold and fever with a cough, get ravaged by mosquito bites, and have an allergic reaction to seafood. The plague isn't around anymore, right?

Full Length Towels Rock

2005-06-12T00:30:00.000-05:00

Today was an action-packed day. Hopped on a bus from Split to Solin to check out Roman Ruins. There were plenty of sarcophagi and an amphitheater; the rest of the ruins pretty much were too torn up to resemble the original structures. On to Trogir, where there was a lovely church and town square, and a fortress that afforded a great view of the city. Another lengthy bus ride took us to Zadar, where we have so far visited a round (Byzantine structured) church, the church museum, and a Franciscan Monastery.

Perhaps it was the beautiful weather today or the general congeniality of people in Zadar, but I dig this place. Everyone has been friendly and helpful, we managed to find a reasonably priced private accomodation, and R. dug up what may be the only trip to Kornati (National Park composed of several islands) for tomorrow. Total opposite of our experience in Split.

In Split, a lot of people were downright rude. I tried to ask the lady at the bus station kiosk about tickets, and she was extremely curt. Her standard answer was "I don't understand" in Croatian. So I attempted to speak to her in Croatian, and she didn't even bother to look up from her book. Argh. Our accomodation in Split was kind of dumpy, didn't have hot water the second night of our stay, and was located right next to a loud resto. I was in quite a pissy mood this morning after dealing with bus kiosk-wench, a freezing shower, and a restless night of sleep.

But things are looking up. After walking around Zadar a bit, I had a nice hot shower and a dinner that did NOT consist of a sandwich or pizza grabbed from a street vendor. Perhaps its silly, but man did I appreciate the hot water and the full length towel provided. After cold water and hand towels, today was pure luxury.

Skipping Rocks in Bol

2005-06-10T22:59:00.000-05:00

Today was spent hanging out in Bol on the western end of Brač, an island about an hour by ferry from Split. The ferry dropped us off in Supetar and Bol was an hour away by bus. Bol was not as tourist-laden as Supetar, and we spent the day relaxing. Sitting on a rock, with our feet in the water, and chatting. We also discovered that neither of us is particularly talented at skipping rocks. Rather uneventful, but a welcome change.

Tomorrow we visit roman ruins in Solin and Trogir, and then head off to Zadar. I picked up a book on Croatian history and have already seen some of the sights mentioned in it. Read about Solin and Trogir today, so tomorrow's sights should have a bit more significance.

Mayhem in the Rain

2005-06-08T15:47:00.000-05:00

I decided to check out the walls of Dubrovnik a few minutes after finishing my last post, and ended up a wet rag. The walls are fantastic and provide a stunning view of Dubrovnik and the sea, more mysterious and poetic in the rain no doubt. R. and I became very adept at running in between the covered cupola-like structures positioned between open-air walls. Each of these small circular domes was no more than 2 meters in diameter, and provided respite from the rain for only a few people at once. At one point, it was pouring so hard that a group of French tourists rushed into one with us. There were 7 of them, so 9 of us were packed into this little dome hoping for the rain to subside.

Stari Grad in Dubrovnik is chaotic in the rain. The streets flood, and traffic is ridiculously slow. By the time I got home after taking a bus part of the way and walking the rest, I was hoping that I wouldn't get sicker from being wet for hours.

Yesterday, the tide turned and the weather was perfect. No rain, sunshine and fluffy white clouds. The weather gods smiled upon us for our visit to Mljet Island. We ended up eating our lunch while soaking our feet in Veliko Jezero (Big Lake), and then hiked around Malo Jezero (Small Lake). It was a relaxing and lovely day.

Today, the rain came back with full force. It is about 1pm and it just settled down. Unfortunately, my hopes of frolicking in the sea here will go unfulfilled. Despite the rain having stopped, it is still cloudy and quite chilly. And we are looking to leave tomorrow for Split. The closest I will get is to stare longingly out at the sea from this internet cafe (right next to the beach!)...

Delightful Dubrovnik

2005-06-06T16:06:00.000-05:00

R. and I decided to go with a boarding house recommended by Lonely Planet. We had called the place from Pula to book ahead, and are pleased as punch with the sobe (room). It is in Lapad, west of Dubrovnik, with a nice view and our own bathroom (score!). The owners are very friendly and helpful, and we have already decided to stay an extra night.

Unfortunately, it is pouring rain today. I woke up to a downpour this morning. When it stopped, we ran some errands and then hopped a bus to Stari Grad (Old Town) where the famous walls of Dubrovnik are located. I am very glad that I decided to wait to walk the walls, because I'd be soaked if I were there right now.

I really hope that the weather cooperates tomorrow, as we have already booked our tickets for a ferry to Mljet Island.

My health has been improving but I still have a nasty cough. I've been swigging cough syrup (a swig is about 1 tablespoon, right?) that I picked up in the pharmacy at Pula (with broken Croatian from me and broken English from the pharmacist, coughing, and gesturing to my throat).

If everything goes well, I'll be healthy and frolicking in the ocean on a sunny day in Dubrovnik very soon...

Cool Cafe in Pula, Hrvatska

2005-06-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Certain names of cities and countries outside of the States don't always match up to how they are spelled or pronounced within the States. For example, what we call 'Munich' in the States is actually 'München' in Germany. Not quite the same, but not too far off. I am at a loss as to how we got 'Croatia' from 'Hrvatska'.

Anyhow, I'm sitting in a cool cybercafe in Pula, Hrvatska/Croatia. Its part internet cafe, part lounge, part art exhibit. If I was in good health and not dressed all schlubby, I'd be sipping a cosmo instead of the hot tea that I'm downing right now.

I am officially a mess. My illness has morphed into a nasty, chesty cough and a runny nose. The mosquito bites that I got while circling Lake Bled are now extremely visible and swollen, so each of my arms and legs has multiple large pink welts. And I have a pile of tissues next to me. Nope, definitely not at one with my chic surroundings.

Pula is on the northern coast of Croatia at the end of the Istrian Peninsula. The city has many a Roman artifact, and yesterday I took a look at the Temple of Augustus and the Arch of Sergius. After checking out the Amphitheater later today, I am off to Rijeka (pronounced ri-yay-ka) to catch the ferry down to Dubrovnik, which is also on the coast but on the southern tip of Croatia. The mainland Croatian coastline extends over 1700 km - not counting the many islands that are peppered along the coast.

But before hitting the coast, I'm going to hit a pharmacy for some cough medicine...

Sunny Day in Ljubljana

2005-06-02T13:40:00.000-05:00

It is perfect weather here in Ljubljana today. Sunny, warm, with a gentle breeze. Unfortunately, I can't really enjoy it because I am rather sick. It is high allergy season in Europe right now, so I finally broke down in Bled and bought some Claritin (thank goodness the woman at the pharmacy spoke English). I thought I would be set, but I managed to catch a bug that same day. Fever, cough, congestion, the whole bit.

The last couple of days have been a blur because of it. On Monday evening, A. drove us around Koper and we visited downtown. Our evening ended with some tea and dessert at a cafe overlooking the Istrian peninsula. There was a storm in full force across the water - dark gray clouds and lightning streaks. Fantastic scenery while enjoying the balmy evening in Koper.

A. has been extremely kind and generous, and my experience here in Slovenia has been enriched by the stories, experiences, and insights of a local. He was born in Maribor, but lived much of his life in Koper on the coast of Slovenia close to Italy. He will be attending Haas this fall at my alma mater, and has an open invitation to be my guest in Chicago.

We stayed at his weekend house in Koper on Monday evening, and Tuesday he drove us to a small village near the coast and gave us background on the area. He was hoping to lunch at a gostilna in the village, but it was closed. Unfortunately, by the time we were done with that morning drive, I was myself done with. My fever had taken over, so I had to skip out on lunch and touring in Piran and stayed at the house to sleep. In the afternoon, A. drove us back to Ljubljana and we are here now for a few days.

Last night, I mustered up enough energy to go out and grab a bite to eat at an Iranian resto. Muhammed was very friendly and made a delicious chicken and lentil curry for me. It really hit the spot as I hadn't eaten since the morning.

Tomorrow we head out to Koper again to catch a bus to Pula, Croatia. My internet access may be quite spotty in Croatia as we are planning to visit some smaller towns. I was happy to find this fantastic internet cafe in Ljubljana, which has fast connections and plays American pop music from the 80s. Quite a surreal experience to write about the Istrian peninsula while listening to 'Word Up' by Cameo.

Bled, Bohinj, and Postojnska Jama

2005-06-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

Monday morning we took the train from Salzburg to Bled, Slovenia. The train ride was a bit painful - we were in the 'non-smoking' wagon of the train, but that doesn't mean much because only the cabin itself is non-smoking. One can stand just outside the cabin door and smoke, which the young'uns that were busy socializing and playing loud techno music were doing.

Spent Monday visiting Bled Castle and took a 1.5 hr walk around Lake Bled. Tuesday morning we met A. after a bit of trouble. We ended up at different tourist centers (the tiny town of Bled has 3), and R. and I had some difficulty reaching him. We had his mobile number, but public phones in Slovenia don't take coins. So we had to go to the post office to buy a calling card. Calling him from the phone booth was comical. Both of us inside the phone booth, wearing our backpacks and daypacks. R. and I are both relatively slim, but we had difficulty getting out after wedging ourselves in there.

So after meeting A., he drove us to Lake Bohinj. It is only a few kilometers from Bled, but much less touristy. We hiked a bit up a trail, and stopped at a spot uphill from the lake where rapids were flowing fast. By this point, it was pouring rain and I was soaked. So we enjoyed the spot and snapped a few pics, and then headed back. A quick change of clothes and we were off to lunch.

We ate at an organic restaurant - the best meal I have had so far. Small dishes, exquisitely prepared foods, combinations of seafood and vegetables (which I treasure a great deal in this part of the planet). After lunch we drove to Postojna to visit the Postojna Caves. R. and I had both wanted to see the Škocjan Caves, but according to A. they are difficult to navigate in the rain.

Postojnska Jama was quite impressive, though the entry was a bit strange. We took an open-air tram down into the caves. It felt like a really cold roller coaster ride. The initial ride down was nearly 10 minutes, so at one point I thought that the entire tour would be via roller coaster tram. But the walking tour itself was a bit under an hour, and well worth the visit.

Cafe on the River, Part II

2005-05-29T16:30:00.000-05:00

Similar to my relaxing drink on the Vltava, I ate a lovely meal last night at a cafe overlooking the Salzach River. Wien was quite expansive and Salzburg is much smaller - a nice change of pace. The tourist attractions have been interesting, but last night was the best so far. R. was feeling under the weather, so I ventured out on my own. It was a Saturday, so both tourists and locals were out and about.

Salzburg on a summer night is simply magical. After sunset, it cools down and the sweltering day transforms into a mild summer evening. The monuments like Festung Hohensalzburg (Hohensalzburg Fortress) and Residenz (in Altstadt - old town) are lit, as are the bridges that cross the river. A beam of light extends from the Mönschberg Museum of Modern Art at the top of the hill to highlight the Capuchin Monastery, which is nestled in another hill across the city.

If R. is feeling up to it, we'll enjoy Salzburg tonight one last time before our train tomorrow morning to Slovenia.

Salzburg, Österreich

2005-05-28T21:00:00.000-05:00

What a ridiculously full day we had today. Visited Schloß (German for Castle, the symbol ß is actually a double 's', so the word is pronounced 'shloss') Hellbrunn, which is a 20 minute bus ride out of the center of Salzburg. Parts of 'The Sound of Music' were filmed here, and it has a delightful walking tour of the Wasserspiele (Trick Fountains) where you get squirted by unseen water fountains. Markus Sittikus, a Prince and Archbishop in Austria, had the Wasserspiele constructed to amuse the elite during their visits to Hellbrunn.

After Hellbrunn, we walked around Salzburg and checked out several attractions, including Residenz (where the ecclesiastical elite in Salzburg lived since the late 1500s) and Mozarts Wohnhaus - where Mozart lived with his family.

Salzburg has been a series of highs and lows...

High: Eating a delicious "dürüm" (kind of like shawarma - spit-roasted meat with vegetables and sauce wrapped in a thin tortilla-type bread) from the 'Kebap' shop before hopping the train to Salzburg.
Low: A stiflingly hot and noisy train ride to Salzburg.

Low: Being drenched in sweat climbing up the stairs on the side of the mountain with a heavy backpack to get to our hostel.
High: Discovering the phenomenal view of Salzburg from our bedroom window.

Low: Walking around Salzburg on a hot and humid (feels like 30 Celsius) day.
High: The Wasserspiele tour.

Other very memorable events that R. and I have shared in the past few days - drinking 1.5 L of water in a 4 hour period due to the heat, washing our clothes in the sink in our room with freezing cold water and then hanging them all over to dry off (we even have a clothesline, the room looks ridiculous), and savoring a Mozartkugel. If I can just sneak in a piece of apfelstrudel and some gelato before leaving for Slovenia on Monday morning...

Wien, Österreich

2005-05-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

Vienna, Austria is a beautiful city, with a lot to see and do. Three days is definitely not enough time. I decided to spend some additional time here tomorrow morning and just get to Salzburg later in the day.

So far, R. and I have visited quite a few tourist attractions, most of them palaces (Belvedere, Hofburg, Schönbrunn). We have been barraged with information about the Habsburg Dynasty (its very complicated, just try checking it out on Wikipedia) and post-Habsburg Austria. There are churches every few blocks, and I've taken to studying the architecture of the buildings as well. Having a technical background, I never received education about nor took much interest in architecture. But learning a few bits and pieces from others about Gothic, Baroque, and Greek styles of architecture has piqued my curiosity. So we went to check out the facades of the Rathaus (City Hall), Parliament, and Hofburg Theater for their contrasting styles of architecture.

Belvedere had Klimt's 'Der Kuss' (The Kiss) on display. Tomorrow morning, I want to check out some art at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, and then head off to Salzburg.

Czech 'Chinese' Food...

2005-05-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

is very salty. And not really Chinese. The dish I had was supposed to be Kung Pao Chicken (which isn't very indicative of Chinese food to begin with), and it was mostly meat with a few pieces of cabbage, corn, and peas thrown in. One of the things I really enjoy about Chinese food (Asian food in general) is the balance. There is a healthy combination of starch, protein, and vegetable. Unfortunately, the 'Kuřecí Kung Po' was mostly meat and noodle. Oh well, I was craving something non-European. So this fit the bill, barely.

It rained last night in Brno - a spectacular display of thunder and lightning. I was lucky this morning, didn't hit any rain on my way to the train station. Managed to visit the Capuchin Crypt in Brno before leaving.

Am now in Wien and planning to meet R. in about 30 minutes...

Fried Cheese in Bohemia & Spelunking in Moravia

2005-05-23T19:45:00.000-05:00

Before leaving Český Krumlov, I tried 'Smažený Syr Hermelín' as recommended by the Czech I met in Prague. 'Hermelín' is the locally-produced Czech version of French Camembert cheese. 'Smažený Syr Hermelín' is fried Hermelín cheese, a very Czech snack. It wasn't bad, but I probably won't be having it again as I'm not a fan of big chunks of cheese nor large quantities of fried foods.

Modern-day Czech Republic is comprised of ancient Bohemia and Moravia. The western part of Czech is considered Bohemia, the capital of which is Praha. I'm now in Brno, the capital of Moravia. Today I visited Moravský Kras - Punkevní Jeskyně (Punkva Caves) and Macocha Abyss to be exact. Macocha (Ma-tso-ka) is Czech for 'stepmother'. The legend is that a widower with a son remarried, giving his son a stepmother. When she had a child of her own, she wanted to get rid of the son and threw him into the abyss. He was able to hold onto the edge and was saved by locals, who punished the stepmother by throwing her into the abyss. Thus the abyss was named after the stepmother - Macocha Abyss. One of the cooler cave tours I've been on - part walking and then the rest on the Punkva river in a boat - inside the caves!

Off to meet R. in Wien (Vienna) tomorrow. I will be very glad to see a familiar face and have companionship for the remainder of my trip, but feel much more independent based on the 2 weeks of solo travel. I often craved a companion to share in the experience, but being solo in a foreign environment definitely throws you outside of your comfort zone much more than traveling with someone.

Outside of my Comfort Zone

2005-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

Today, I decided to rent a bike and go on a day trip. I normally don't do bikes unless I know it will be a relatively flat and easy ride because me on wheels (other than a car) is asking for pain. But I chose to get outside of my comfort zone and give it another go. The upshot was less than stellar.

I managed to get lost, and ended up on a narrow trail just outside of the main part of town. I then took a tumble off the side and landed with my head facing downhill on a steep slope, in thorny bushes, with my bike on top of me. So I'm lying there, bruised and stuck, thinking "S$%&! I really should have learned Czech for 'help'."

I wasn't really panicking yet, but knew I was in a pickle. I couldn't move without getting poked by thorns, and I could not get the bike off of me - the slope was too steep and I was too wedged into the bushes. Luckily, a local walked by on the trail about 10 minutes later and helped me out. I exercised my knowledge of 'thank you' in Czech profusely, and then went back into town.

Got away easy - only a few splinters, a scratched-up arm, and clothing with holes to show for it. The rest of the afternoon will be spent outside of my comfort zone again - learning how to say 'help' in Czech while sitting in a cafe.

What Type of Traveller Are You?

2005-05-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

My hostel is a quaint and friendly place, run by folks fluent in English (huge plus). I was chatting yesterday with the couple that helps the owners run the place. We were talking about travel guides, and which ones were the best to use. No concensus was reached, but one girl mentioned that the 'Let's Go' guide that she used recently had a lot of info that was simply incorrect. 'Lonely Planet' was slightly better in terms of the accuracy of info, but everyone and their mother uses it (yours truly included), so it tends to turn the places mentioned into tourist magnets.

There is a market for guidebooks based on different types of travellers and different budgets. And when I say different 'types' of travellers, I am not just referring to those that stay in a hotel versus a hostel. Other factors that distinguish experiences - flexibility, what the traveller is looking for during the experience, and whether he or she wants to (or is willing to based on the opportunities presented) take the path more or less traveled. I wonder if 'Lonely Planet' and other guidebooks are segmenting the market effectively.

Ruminating on the type of traveller that I am, I definitely do not fall into either the 'will only see the attractions and go where the guidebook suggests' bucket nor the 'refuse to do anything that involves other tourists and always want to forage new ground' bucket. I fall somewhere in between, probably closer to the earlier bucket. And I am a bit more adventurous and willing to take a new path when I have company, due more to safety than comfort. Perhaps I need to get further outside of my comfort zone...

Český Krumlov

2005-05-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

I arrived in Český Krumlov today, and may end up staying here longer than intended. Despite the throngs of tourists in a town magnitudes smaller than Praha, this place is impossibly cute and picturesque.

My growling tummy led me to a vegetarian restaurant on my first day here, where I ate while watching the ducks, chicks, and rafters float by on the Vltava River. It was late afternoon, so I was the only one in the resto. I had ordered the Indian food on the diverse menu, and mentioned to my host that it was a really nice change from standard Czech fare. The restaurant being empty, he had time to chat. So we spoke about his impressions of India when he visited.

Spent the rest of the day exploring the nooks and crannies in town.

Last Day in Praha

2005-05-18T20:30:00.000-05:00

I spent the afternoon exploring Josefov (the Jewish quarter) and the collection of synagogues in the area. In the evening, I went to dinner with some folks at an organic vegetarian restaurant - I didn't believe those existed here.

I wonder whether I took the right approach to my time here. Like any big city with healthy tourism, Praha can be both welcoming and impersonal. The locals are desensitized to tourists, and its rare to interact with them on a deeper level without staying a long time and speaking Czech. Most of the people I met came to Praha from abroad to work or study. Few were fluent in Czech, and only one was a native.

Don't get me wrong, people were friendly in general and the ones I met were warm and affable. But (understandably so) there is little impetus for a local to spend time with someone so transitory. So I visited the tourist attractions, and met whomever I met along the way. Most human interactions and existence itself is fleeting, so is sharing a beer and having a conversation with someone really 'worth' more than visiting a castle or a cathedral?

There is a spectrum of experiences that travellers seek. In general, I leaned towards the latter for my stay in Praha. Visiting a castle and learning about its history was an experience that I consciously chose more often than sitting in a cafe and trying to chat with people. I also intentionally sought the types of interactions that went a bit deeper than spending just an hour with someone. The people I met, I met multiple times. Limiting? Perhaps. More meaningful? Definitely.

Unhealthily Yours

2005-05-17T21:00:00.000-05:00

Today goes down as the day that I've consumed the most unhealthy food so far... ever. Breakfast was a decadent chocolate croissant and latte. Lunch was a granola bar (brand name - Corny) eaten on my way back from Karlštejn castle. Dinner was a bramborák (fried, super greasy potato pancake with magical spices that make it taste sooo good), a piece of žampióny (mushroom) pizza, and fornetti. Fornetti are bite-sized pastries with filling - sweet or savory. Mexické, Pizzové, and Nugátové were my flavors of choice. Ugh... I am the Atkins AntiChrist.

Depression to Revelry

2005-05-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

I visited Terezín today, which was the site of a Jewish ghetto established by the Nazis. It served as a gateway to the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Treblinka to the east. Thousands of Jews died there, and the memorial is filled with descriptions of the deplorable conditions that the Jews endured as well as poetry and drawings of those that experienced life there. You can read more about it at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terezin
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/terezin.html

Arriving back in Praha, I walked toward Staré Město and it was teeming with people. Yesterday, the ice hockey final match between the Czechs and Canadians was being broadcast on huge screens in Staré Město. Hundreds of screaming youth had their faces painted with the Czech flag. Today, the celebrations from Czech victory continue with a concert and jubilation. Young folks marching through the streets of Praha breaking out into chants 'Český! Český!', cars honking horns, general euphoria and madness.

What a city, this Praha.

The 'Locals'

2005-05-16T21:38:00.000-05:00

Last week I met a couple of Brits in the internet cafe around the corner from my hostel, we chatted over lunch for a couple of hours. They are both medical students at Univerzita Karlova (Charles University). One of them is married to an American schoolteacher, and has a young daughter. Although his wife teaches at an international school in English, she has been living in Praha for many years and is quite proficient in Czech. I met him, his wife, and their daughter a few days ago and chatted over a drink. They may move to the States because he is hoping to get a residency in the states - in Chicago to be specific!

Yesterday during my visit to Kutna Hora, I met and spent the day with a Malaysian, an Indian, and a Czech. All of them were guys, electrial engineers, and in IT. It felt just like the Silicon Valley! ;) They work for DHL here in Praha, and the Malaysian and Indian guys are on international assignment. They leave later this week, so we're all planning to meet for dinner before they leave and I head down to Český Krumlov.

This internet cafe is a magnet for travellers. I just met a GSB Alum!!

Bones, Mines, Knedlíky, and a Cathedral

2005-05-15T23:00:00.001-05:00

I visited Kutná Hora today. First stop was Sedlec Ossuary, a church that has bone 'creations' inside. Apparently, the bones of 40,000 people are used in the Ossuary. Babies have something like 350 bones that eventually fuse into a total of 206 for adults. For simplicity let's assume that no babies are used in the count, and there are no individuals with polydactyly or other bone deformities. That makes a bit over 8 million bones used in this church. Yikes. Here are some great pics (way better than the ones I took).

Next, I took the coolest tour of mine shafts underneath Kutná Hora, which was famed for its silver mines. Coated up, hard hat on, retro alkaline lamp in hand, and down we went into the shaft. Barely kept the claustrophobe in me from freaking out - dark and cramped is an understatement. The water in the mine has carved out some strange pits, promoted the proliferation of many a green and fuzzy growth, and poisoned a lot of the miners that drank it (it was arsenated).

After the mine tour, I feasted on some serious Czech food. Large portions - really good garlic soup, potato knedlíky, and red cabbage. I'm not a fan of the 24-7 meat and potatoes cuisine, but this stuff was pretty tasty.

Lastly, we visited the Cathedral of St. Barbara, patron saint of the miners. Its a beautiful cathedral, rivaling St. Vitus cathedral in Prague Castle. Kutná Hora was definitely worth the trip.

Cafe on the River

2005-05-14T23:18:00.000-05:00

I spent today relaxing, with a leisurely lunch at a cafe not too far from Staré Město. In the afternoon, I met up with some folks and we checked out an art exhibit - drawings of politicians and other famous Czech figures done by children. I managed to pick up some wonderful postcards as well - famous sites in Praha drawn by children. Art education for children in Czech is apparently very strong. Does art education even exist in the States at public schools?

After the exhibit, we sat at a cafe on the river (literally, the 'cafe' was a pontoon on the Vltava). I'll have the Great Conversation with a side of View of the Western Side of Praha please...

Czech Castles and Toilet Paper

2005-05-13T23:24:00.000-05:00

I went to visit Konopiště (Ko-no-pee-shtyuh) castle today, a short day trip outside of Prague. What a lovely place, full of artifacts and history. The emphasis of the tour was on the last owner of Konopiště - Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. You can read about Konopiště and Franz Ferdinand on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konopiste

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand_of_Austria

In contrast to his unpopularity with the public, Franz Ferdinand was a devoted husband and father. He and Sophie were very much in love. Franz Ferdinand was said to have refused medical attention for his bullet wound while cradling his dead wife (she was shot first) and begging her not to die for the sake of their children. Standing in the bedroom of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, our guide told us about how he could still feel the remnants of the love that Franz and Sophie shared. He also sometimes heard faint noises of children and adults in the bedrooms when no one else was there.

In contrast to luxurious Czech castles, modern-day experience with Czech toilet paper is not as enjoyable. The toilet paper here has got to be the roughest, cheapest toilet paper on the face of the planet. Not a complaint, more an observation. At least most Czech bathrooms actually provide toilet paper, which is more than I can say for the French.

Beautiful Praha

2005-05-12T20:22:00.000-05:00

I've been in Prague (Praha as its called in Czech) for 3 days now, and I'm finally starting to enjoy the city. I knew it would be rough initially - I've never traveled alone internationally and don't speak the language.

My first day here was simple - get from the airport to town, find a place to stay, and shower. After nearly a day of travel, I was keeping my expectations of my first day quite low. Yesterday was spent lolling about Staré Město (Old Town) and Karluv Most (Charles Bridge). Today was a busy day - very tourist-site filled. I spent the entire day in Hradcany and visited Prague Castle (Pražský Hrad, or simply 'Hrad' because its the biggest tourist site in Prague), Strahov Library, St. Nicholas Church, and Wallenstein Palace & Gardens. Pictures are tough for me to post here, so you'll have to take my word on how lovely it is. Today's excusions reminded me of one of several reasons I chose to visit Eastern Europe - affordable for tourists! Admissions to all of these places totaled less than $20 USD!

My Eastern Europe Lonely Planet guide and phrasebook have come in very handy, and I've learned a few key words - hello, please, sorry, thank you, and goodbye. Oh, and key phrases like 'Mluvíte anglicky?', 'Kde je toalety?', and 'Jsem studentka'. I'll leave you to figure those out... ;)

The Eve of my Trip

2005-05-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning I leave for Europe. I am amazed by the amount of time I have spent planning for this trip. There is a large scale difference between planning for a 2-3 week trip versus a 6-7 week trip - definitely not a linear correlation.

The madness of the 4-leg flight will be ameliorated by the business class cabin - the perks of using many frequent flyer miles. But because there are 4 legs (San Jose to Chicago to Toronto to London to Prague), I did not want to risk check-in luggage in case it was lost along the way. So I have managed to pack my gear for the next 7 weeks into a carry-on backpack with less than 3300 cubic inches of space.

I will be on my own in Czech Republic for the first 2 weeks of my trip, and have heard that Prague is one of the loveliest cities in Europe. I have never before traveled solo internationally, so these 2 weeks before R. joins me should be an interesting experience...

Financial Aid Forms

2005-05-06T13:20:00.000-05:00

FAFSA = Fervently Asking For Substantial Amounts

I'm gonna be a po' student again...

Le Voyageur's Top 5 on India

2005-05-05T02:23:00.000-05:00

Less than a week before my trip and I still have so much to do. But I thought I would take a break to ruminate on a faraway place that is dear to me. More than anywhere else on the planet, I have spent the most time visiting India.

The Top 5 Things I Love About Visiting India:

5. Playing hours upon hours of rummy with Mum to pass the time on the plane flight.

4. Consuming all of the wonderful goodies that don't taste the same anyhere else:

Drinking a kullad full of cold salty lassi on a sweltering summer afternoon.
Eating hot, freshly made chaat from a street vendor as a mid-afternoon snack.
Meetha Paan... enough said.

3. Taking a ridiculously long train ride (see point above about playing rummy) over the course of an entire day to travel about 250 miles, and forgetting all about it after seeing your grandmother's wrinkled and beaming face.

2. Lying on a cot in an open-air room on a balmy summer night, comparing the number of stars in the sky to the number of geckos climbing the walls.

1. The absolute joy and amazing hospitality with which your family and friends greet you.

HSA - Health Savings Account or Head Stuck up A**?

2005-05-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

About a month and a half ago, I called my Health Savings Account provider because my new HSA credit card was not being accepted when the receptionist at my optometrist's office tried to use it. After being transferred from one place to the next and on hold for about 25 minutes, I finally spoke to a representative. She informed me that my optometrist was not 'in the provider network' and that she would put in a request to add this provider. 5-7 business days was the estimated time for this to occur.

The money contributed to both FSAs (Flexible Spending Accounts) and HSAs are pre-tax dollars, but the money in the HSA can rollover to ensuing years and be retained for the life of the account. In the past several years, I have been able to estimate reasonably well how much to contribute annually to a FSA without having money leftover and forfeited at the end of the year. But based on the rollover benefit, I decided to give the HSA a try even though I knew that it would be new for this year and likely to have kinks in the process. I did not at all expect there to be a 'network' needed for a provider considering that it was simply my pre-tax dollars paying for services that fit under the federal guidelines for 'qualified medical expenses'.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I'm on the phone again to see if my optometrist has been added to the network. Nope, not yet, call back in a few weeks. So I call back in a few weeks, and it seems that there has been no response from the people that need to 'approve and add this provider to the network'. Frustrated, I ask that this request be expedited - my optometrist needs to be paid.

Today I called the HSA provider again. Apparently, there are two reasons why the card does not work. One is that my provider is not in the network, the other is that I have no money in my account. After a quick look into my account, my friendly representative informs me that for my case, both of these apply. So here I am thinking 'WTF'? I know that there was $ deducted from my paycheck for a savings account, and I received a card for my HSA... did my contribution get lost in the ether? After a conversation with the company that handles my work benefits, it turns out that I have a FSA instead of an HSA account. I signed up for the HSA and received a credit card for it, but my $ went into a FSA account...

Logically, one would think that having received a card for the HSA means that you have the account... but the past several months have taught me that interactions with healthcare administration are not always the most logimical... There doesn't seem to be clear communication between the company that handles my work benefits and the HSA provider. I'm not sure how the SNAFU happened, but the experience has soured me against using the HSA. I've wasted hours in the past couple of months dealing with this, and the receptionist at my optometrist's office is probably screening calls from me by now.

Note to self: Next year, go back to the FSA. Oh, and delete this post if I end up working in healthcare administration... ;)

What me, work? No longer now that I have the answer to life...

2005-05-01T04:43:00.000-05:00

Friday was my last day on the job before leaving to go to school. Bittersweet - I'll definitely miss some of those folks. But if I stay in healthcare, I will likely run into them again. It's a small industry. Though I don't believe that my brain has fully accepted the fact that I won't be at work for the next couple of years. That will probably kick in on the plane flight to Europe.

Today was a science fiction themed day. I went to a used bookstore to pick up some reading material for the flight. R. taught me the method that I now often adopt during travel - 'read and discard'. I buy a cheap paperback to finish on the flight, and then leave it there. The next person gets a free read, and I have one less thing to carry. Eschewing incidentals is very handy when traveling, and even handier when planning a cross-country move. So I bought the 2 books in the 'Dune' series that I have not read yet - 'Heretics' and 'Chapterhouse'. In the evening, I went to the theater to see 'Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. Having not read the book, I didn't really know what to expect. I was amused, and am now inspired to absorb the madness directly through the words of Mr. Adams.

I never thought that I would enjoy sci-fi... I was guilty of pigeonholing all sci-fi lovers into an archetype. But a few years ago, I chanced the original 'Dune'. 3 days later, I finished it and changed my opinion of sci-fi novels and the people that read them. Thanks in part to Frank, I've broadened my horizons about sci-fi and other pastimes like anime. Soon after this epiphany, I fell in love with an anime film called 'Spirited Away' by Miyazake (never before thought I would be one to enjoy anime). Although I don't claim to be a sci-fi or anime fanatic, I am more willing to give them a shot now that some paradigms of each genre have proven my notions false. There is only one truth my friends... and that is 42.

Railing at Rail Europe

2005-04-28T13:16:00.000-05:00

Rail Europe's new website is an exercise in frustration. After trying multiple times to figure out the train schedule from Brno to Vienna, I've given up. Regardless of whether I use IE or Mozilla, and type in various parameters, I get error messages - I can't believe that all train tickets are sold out this early... argh. I don't really want to buy the ticket at this point, just understand when the train will dump me off in Vienna so that I can tell R. what time I can meet her. I guess I'll just have to wing it when I get there.

My last trip to Europe was the jaunt to major cities in Western Europe - Paris, Nice, Barcelona, London (with a short day in Toulouse and an entirely too long couple of days in Carcassonne thrown in). Although D. and I had a wonderful time, I found that booking all of my accommodations in advance limited the experience. Short distances between major cities, plenty of charming and idyllic hamlets in between, and a well-developed bus and rail system (website aside) make it relatively easy to get around. And sometimes you discover that you want to spend some more time in one place and less in another (as D. and I discovered about Toulouse and Carcassonne).

So I'll wing it. I'm not worried - after R. and I called A. in Slovenia today to discuss sailing on the coast of Croatia, I'm floating on cloud nine...