And here we go.... I have graduated as a MBA student. Today, I sit here and smile about this degree, but while there, it was not exactly a walk in the park. My MBA journey started with an entrance exam where you have no clue if you're right or wrong of have a clue what is going on. This was almost a full day entrance exam. From there, it was a very long application to complete, which included some research to be done and some business references. That was part of the walk in the park. With a slight hick-up in my application (on the University's side), eventually I got accepted.
After a bit of fluffy
stuff, we started with orientation week. I met my first syndicate for the first
time, and surprise surprise.... I was the only woman in my syndicate. By now, I
am used to this in the work place, as in the banking world and at a certain
level in an organisation, that is usually the way your life pans out. The
journey started and right in the beginning we did an Amazing Race through the
streets of Jozi in a mini-taxi. As MBA students together, everyone was going
for the win! We were 100% sure that we were in first place and didn't stop
pushing for a second! We were travelling up and down and saw amazing things and
heart breaking things around the city. We are usually so sheltered in a bubble
that you don't get to see the 'tough life' that manifests itself in the streets
of the CBD. And then the moment arrived. We got to a school/day-care for young
children in the middle of the CBD. We went in and were supposed to paint a
picture with them. Being the only woman in my group, I had two kids with me. I
didn't mind. Now at this point, I think it is important to mention that I do
not have children, nor have I ever really 'wanted' children and I don't
really 'like' children all that much. But something happened there with
those children in the CBD. The looked at me and kept on calling me 'teacher' in
those sweet little voices. They said "Teacher, look here!"
"Teacher, like this?" "Look Teacher, look!" About what felt
like two minutes into the painting activity with them, I was told that we need
to move on. So unlike me, I broke out in tears, and said that I first wanted to
finish painting with them. (Now I suppose this is the moment where 1000 things
ran through my mind, as how their parents didn't have time for them, and who
would make time for them to finish a picture with them, and how doing this to
them now would create a devastating memory that will last in their little minds
for the rest of their lives) Then, Thato said - we cannot win this race, it is
OK, but we will allow Jeanine to first finish painting her picture with these
children. And at that moment, my MBA really started!
With Thato
saying that and my syndicate agreeing with him, was probably one of the most
selfless moments I had the privilege of experiencing in my entire life thus
far. This was the moment where I realised, that I have to make some changes.
During the
MBA I had a rollercoaster in my personal life! I started the two years with one
of the most amazing line managers any person can wish for. I knew I had the support I needed. And then, he changed roles and my job and
career that I loved changed. Six months
into my MBA, I decided to resign from the company I was working for, due to
ethical reasons. This meant resigning
form a company where I won an award for the person who contributed the most to
achieving the strategic goals of the organisation. I was the youngest person and only female to
ever win that. Resign from EXCO – one of
my dreams. Leave people behind who I cared
for dearly, go into the market without having another job secured. Hardest of all, leaving the job that I absolutely
loved!
Obstacle number two - a week later, go in for emergency surgery. At least I now had time to be at home and recover.
Challenge
number three, start a new job, where it was something totally different from
what I used to do, travel throughout Africa to Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda
and several others (remember - I'm studying my MBA and I have mandatory class
every Monday evening, Wednesday evening and Saturday) - so you need to plan
your travelling very fine to fit all of that in. I got assigned a portfolio
that I've never managed before. Change Management, training, country enablement
and several others - and that across 19 African countries, where 5 were
operational at that point in time.
I already
mentioned all of the travelling. I am a traveller at heart and absolutely loved
going to all of these countries, and I'll blog about my experiences travelling
Africa in a later blog. I would typically have class on a Saturday, fly out the
Sunday, make a plan for the Monday class, fly back the Tuesday night, land back
in South Africa the Wednesday morning (at around 7), go home, shower and go to
work, and from work straight to class and get home at about 10 PM. This was
just some of the obstacles I faced.
Furthermore,
I found out in January of 2014 (on the same day, 1 hour apart), that I had tumours
on both of my ovaries and that they could be cancer. Secondly, I got diagnosed
with a neurological disease, which was killing my nerves. Like I already
mentioned, I don't have children, and before going in for the operation, they
asked me to sign that the specialists were allowed to remove my ovaries during
surgery if it was in fact cancer. This was one of those really devastating
moments in life and the last thing on my mind was my MBA at that stage.
Irrespective if I already had children or not, it was something that would
remove my option to ever have my own children. I walked out of hospital, with
my ovaries intact, the tumours removed and clean of cancer. Now, concentrate
and go back to my MBA.
Next moment, exam arrives. I went writing exam with my stitches of my operation still intact. I passed both those exams.
Now, nothing
can get worse than what I already went through - right? Wrong! In August, 7
months after the removal of the first tumours, they have returned. I went in
for operation number 3 during my MBA. The tumours were removed and everything
went well during the operation - this was done on the Thursday. The Friday,
while at home recovering, one of my employees visited my home to resign, the
Sunday, I travelled to Ghana for a week, once again - stiches intact! About 20
days after that, a wonderful gentle man decided that it was a wonderful idea to
drive over the red light, into my brand new car! Bumper gone!
Now, the end
of the year is approaching and I need to finish my thesis. I went to Japan on a
global module during October and returned on the 28th of October. I landed,
went home, took a shower and went straight to a conference after travelling for
almost 24 hours straight. That Friday morning, just after 4 AM, I received a call
from my mother. My sister, who was pregnant at the time, lost her baby at full
term. I raced straight through to hospital to visit her.
Now,
seriously - drama must be over, yet again not. I received feedback from my
supervisor about my thesis on the Thursday evening. He hated it & told me
to rewrite my thesis! It was due for the Monday - 10 November 2014. I had 3
days left! I had a little panic fit, and decided that I've been through way too
much over the past two years to give up on this dream of mine, and I shall push
through, no matter what. I worked for three days and three nights without any
sleep. I cried here and there, focused again, and went back to writing.
At 00:00 on
Monday morning, 10 November 2014 (my birthday) I lit a candle and sang happy birthday
to myself; cried for 30 seconds, and then started working again. At 06:10 on
Monday morning, 10 November 2014, due day for my thesis, I finished writing it.
I went to
the office, went through the whole document again, printed it and went home to
get dressed for the celebrations of that evening and my final submission of my
MBA! I usually hate my birthday, but 10 November 2014, was the best birthday of
my entire life! I was a wake for 5 days in a row! I celebrated that evening
with the largest amount of joy in my body that I ever experienced. I managed to
conclude my MBA on the happiest note ever.
Now, you
might ask why I took the time to write all of this down.... I write this to
tell you that many things will happen in your life. Things will happen
irrespective if it fits into your plan or not! You can choose to give up, or
you can choose to push through. I managed to push through all of this, despite!
Never once did I miss an exam, or a class (that I didn't pre-arrange and CAUTH
up)! Never once did I give up, never once did I make excuses, never once did
forget those kids who I painted with and the reason I started what I started.
I hope that
my story can be an inspiration to others, to not give up! To not wait for
others to make things happen, to not achieve what you set out to do in the
beginning.
I have since graduated and officially hold a Masters in Business Administration
