Alright, so, I didn’t get my first choice for exchange (Melbourne! curses!) but, I don’t know, I think that’s okay. As you have probably skillfully deduced from the title of the post, I was assigned the University of Cape Town, which was, if you will recall, my 2nd choice. And I have to decide by the 12th if I’m going to take it. Eek!
Of course, there are pros and cons on either side, but really, I don’t have a ton of time right now to consider whether or not I want to be in BCN (most likely working part time!) in the fall, given that I need to spend this weekend studying my face off, and then I’ve got finals Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (2 a day, ugh!). AND, if I take the exchange, I might miss out on the internship, because they’d mostly like to have me for 6 months (with the month of August off, of course–hee!!) and aren’t sure if I could just do the summer and the month of September. Complicating matters is that the woman who I interviewed with is in Boston (of all places) for the next week, so I have no way of knowing if I can do both the internship and the exchange. (Ummm, prisoner’s dilemma, anyone?)
But Cape Town? Well, being totally honest, I would lose a bit academically, and it’s the shortest exchange ever (October 13-December 19) so I’m fairly certain that the intellectual gain would be less. BUT, it’s freaking Cape Town! A beautiful, interesting place to be — and let’s be honest here, when am I ever going to up and move to South Africa for 2 months? Never, right? So it seems like a can’t-miss-it kind of opportunity. Another interesting factor is that ESADE only has one exchange with them, soooo… Yep, I’d be all on my own, heading down to the end of the world. (Obviously, they take exchanges from lots of other — mostly US — schools, and I’m sure the people attending there regularly are lovely as well…) I don’t know. It’s just such an adventure, and I’m not yet convinced that it’s the right adventure for me.
So: family, friends: thoughts? (I know I know, there will be those of you thinking — what’s wrong with you?! Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town!!!). I’d love to hear any or all opinions on this topic. When I’m being really honest with myself, I think I have to go, but then — I’m not sure it’s the most practical thing to do (I know what you’re thinking — “but Crystal, when are you ever practical?”).
But for now, I have to table this little internal dialog and get to work, because I’m supposed to meet Graciela to study finance (blech) in 20 minutes, and I still have to shower. I rock.
You know, it kind of sounds like the benefits of staying in BCN are more significant than the benefit (“Cape Town is awesome”) of the exchange. And while you might not often be a practical person your history of impracticality isn’t necessarily the best reason to do something impractical.
I know initially I was like, “Hell, why not?” But…laying out the whole situation, it seems like there’s not really a compelling reason for you to go to Cape Town right now. And hey, just because you think you’ll never have the opportunity to live there again doesn’t mean you won’t. Who knows where you’ll end up in the future?
I know! I totally see the logic of your argument! But then there are other factors, like, for example, the center for coaching at UCT, or the center for innovation and entrepreneurship (with a decidedly African focus, which I find thoroughly fascinating!). And the “Cape Town is COOL!” factor is sooooo attractive… But you’re SO right! It is a potentially better career move to stay here. But I can’t know that, because they haven’t made me an offer! So what if I say no to UCT, Deloitte says no to me, and then I’m back to square one?!
Go for it, you idiot. This is clearly karma leading your way.
Aww jeez…Is there a future opportunity to have another internship at Deloitte? There is no easy answer on this one and too bad you just can’t flip a coin…I think that opportunities to study in Cape Town doesn’t come around too often and it does provide for an incredible experience that we can all live vicariously through you! I know that you’ll pick what’s best for you and I can’t wait to hear what road you take!
hmmm crystal.
i wish we could have chatted this out over a beer or something before i left town for a couple of weeks, alas, now i am only connected via email and blogchat.
so here be me thoughts:
i may not be a super expert in the whole business school world, and i cannot say that i am fully aware of the implications of going to south africa or staying in BCE… but perhaps here is a thought:
saying that you would be going to south africa, ‘just because you can’ is not really fair to the experience… is it? perhaps you should ask yourself whether you are truly the kind of person who will jump on an experience with unsure knowledge about the outcome because you have faith that the experience will have other, unforseen and less-linear opportunities? or do you wager the bird in hand in the hopes of gaining the stable and predictably beneficial experience, at the risk of not being able to do either?
it is a difficult question, with no wrong answer, and i do not envy you. ultimately, however, neither of them will probably be your undoing, as you are quite capable of entering either experience and excelling.
often, i think we spend quite a lot of time fretting over the future and the eternal consequences of our daily actions, when in the long run our fates are usually decided by our focus, perserverance, and character over the long run.
bottom line, decide based on what you want, vs. what you are afraid of happening if you don’t choose ‘correctly.’
much love
paddy
Vote 2 for Africa. Nelson Mandela endorses. It’d be such a rich experience! Even if it has less academic value, it may have more life value. And internships are like, perpetually arrangable, in general. I think the more we remove ourselves from our comfort zones, and the further removed, the better people we become.
And, to quote the previous poster,
“ask yourself whether you are truly the kind of person who will jump on an experience with unsure knowledge about the outcome because you have faith that the experience will have other, unforseen and less-linear opportunities?”
Is that not what you did going to ESADE in the first place? How’d that turn out?
Go big or go home, as I like to say.
cheers girl