Hello, my friends! My name is Daniel Marino Reis Fideles, INSEAD MBA 25J, and I am writing this testimonial to demonstrate that it is possible to move to a different country with a different language and become a parent while studying a top-notch business programme.

• Read more about Being a foreigner and having a baby in France during the INSEAD MBA

Born and raised in China, married to a Frenchman, and now building a life in France, I applied to INSEAD while pregnant—receiving my acceptance call just two hours before giving birth and applying for a scholarship a week later.One key reason I chose INSEAD was its location:  Fontainebleau is a safe, beautiful town where children can run free through forests and castles.   The supportive French visa system allowed my mother to stay with us for a year, and stories from alumni showed how inclusive this community could be.

• Read more about INSEAD Opened the World for Me and My Daughter

I brought my kid to the INSEAD MBA in Singapore, leaving my husband in Japan. To make my academic life happen at INSEAD, I hired a helper and lived together. So three girls—me, my daughter, and the helper—were living in the same house. My helper was a great help, and I don't think I could have survived without her. That is one of the reasons why I chose INSEAD. They have a great campus in Singapore, where there is a culture of hiring live-in helpers.

• Read more about Singapore Life by Moeko: Great social support from Singapore infrastructure and community.

When I got accepted into INSEAD the first reaction I got when I told people, was “Who will take care of your child?” instead of “Congratulations! You can do it”. Then when I found out I was pregnant, and I chose not to defer, I was told all sorts of things, like “Think about your child, this is an impossible task, you cannot raise a toddler and be pregnant and do such an intense MBA, stop thinking you can do it all”. 

• Read more about A Toddler, A Pregnancy, and INSEAD

On this very special day, which celebrates women’s achievements worldwide, I would like to dedicate this article to women’s power and determination. I had a very strong role model growing up, my mother, who has always empowered me and shaped what I am today.

• Read more about The Greatest Lesson I Learnt From My Mother: Never Give Up

What a start! Period 1: the balancing act!Whooiii what a first period it has been! Even though I have been at other learning institutions, this is the first time I feel as if my horizons have truly been opened. There are different clubs for almost everything, recruiting events, and industry introductions, on a weekly basis. But my peers are the true horizon openers, which is exactly why I applied to INSEAD in the first place.So many things are happening, everyone talks about FOMO in reference to trips and parties, but my FOMO is not getting to know my peers…

• Read more about INSEAD is a Team Sport

It’s been almost a year since you last heard from me. You can bet that a lot has changed: the cohort I started with, '18J, has graduated; I’m the mother of an 8-month old boy, I’m doing an internship in Beijing this summer, and I’m about to move to Singapore for P4 with the '18Ds. Many students and prospective applicants have reached out to me about my experience being pregnant and being a mother at INSEAD, so here I will summarise a few thoughts on this topic:Being Pregnant

• Read more about Pregnancy, Parenthood and Relationships During INSEAD