For most of us at INSEAD, the MBA experience is also about moving to a completely different geography, and adjusting to a new culture. It was no different for me when I first arrived in Singapore a month and a half ago. I experienced cultural shocks, misunderstandings, and some confusion. Though little by little I started to observe – and in some cases, even mimic – some of the Singaporean ways of living. Let’s say that you are an authentic Singaporean when:

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Dear All, I joined the Business Foundation Programme in December 2018, prior the beginning of the school in January 2019. This programme is designed for those who are not yet familiar with finance and accounting. With an engineering background, I thought that it would be better for me to enhance my knowledge, and to "catch up" with my classmates who already did business-related work before joining INSEAD.

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I’ve always felt that the vibe at INSEAD is like a rapidly growing, brilliant startup. That it’s one year, that it’s unattached to a larger university, that there are three campuses and expanding into America, that the operations feel very lean. Innovation is in our core, and it’s no small coincidence that the founder of our school is also the founder of venture capitalism. The energy is frenetic, everyone is flush with optimism, and seemingly every day is a scramble.

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During your time at INSEAD, chances are that you are going to experience Singapore at some point. Before coming here, I kept hearing about how great Singapore was. People were jealous that I was going to spend four whole months there. So even with such high expectations - I was still pleasantly shocked. Singapore is an amazing place.

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I am homesick! Period three has ended, and I left Singapore a couple of weeks ago. I miss it. I miss the humid heat and the warm rain, I miss the spicy food and the juicy fruits, I miss the fantastic gyms and the great instructors, I miss the ease of moving around and the extended opening hours, I miss the many cultures and their extremes, I miss the city's skyline and the backyards – I miss home. In just 6 months, Singapore became home.

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I’ve just finished the last final of my core courses. One of my classmates said something that stuck with me as we were about to start the test: This is probably the last test in our lives that we’ll ever have to take. Since most electives involve projects or group work rather than true tests, I believe he is correct.

• Read more about Period 3: Pivoting

Dear All, It’s been a while since my last update. To be precise just a little less than two months, but a lot has happened since then! Period 2 has come to an end and it’s time to pause, reflect and appreciate. To give you a flavor of these eventful weeks, let me share a few highlights with you.

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It’s February 1st, a Thursday. I am roughly halfway through period one. I’m exhausted. I’ve come to learn that my classmates and my propensity for traveling on the weekends means that all the social, sport, and career clubs schedule their events for the weeknights.

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On a cloudy afternoon at the end of September, I was sitting in the Shell Shanghai office busy with loads of emails and all of sudden an INSEAD email jumped into my eyes. Opening the email with a presentiment, I saw a long letter starting with congratulations. I was extremely happy but silent as all the efforts I had made and all the unique moments in the past half year were rushing back into my mind. From Shanghai to Singapore, it is a five-hour flight of 2500 miles. From Shell to INSEAD, it is a restarting of another exciting and enriching experience.

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