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Thomas Hadorn
Switzerland

Thomas Hadorn is one of MGSM's international students studying our full-time MBA. Thomas is from Switzerland and we have asked him to keep a diary of his time and experiences at MGSM and in Sydney, in order to provide you with an insight into what it is really like to be studying our MBA in Sydney, Australia.

10/01/2005 - Moving to Sydney

Moving to the other side of the world is a big undertaking. Applying for a visa, organising the move and a 20 hour flight are just the beginning...I felt the biggest challenge was finding an apartment. 

Before coming to Australia, I was warned about the dangerous wildlife - poisonous spiders, snakes, etc. The most dangerous species that I have come across so far would have to be the Real Estate Agent! It takes practice, but now I know how to handle this species and I've found a wonderful place to live in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

After the first few stressful weeks of settling in, I was able to enjoy this wonderful city. Sydney is just gorgeous. The harbour, the beaches, the restaurants, the cafes and the bars on offer are great. Sydneysiders are very helpful and friendly (except real estate agents!), it is impressive how interested they are in where you are from and why you are here. They take the time to speak with you and offer their help.

The scenery is breathtaking. Being part of the Eastern Suburbs set is like a religion - we love our beaches (for example, Bronte and Shark Bay), whereas those living in the Northern Suburbs prefer their beaches (that being said, my girlfriend and I are looking forward to heading north and exploring the famous Palm Beach if we get the time).

I'm looking forward to my time in Sydney and I'm sure I will have a great time in the one of the world's best cities.

31/01/2005 - Why an MBA? Why MGSM?
Deciding to undertake an MBA was a big decision that required careful consideration. An ambition of mine is to achieve management status in a multinational organisation. I realised to accomplish this I would need to consolidate my skills - key methods, strategic concepts and experience - so they are relevant in an international context. 

I am positive the MGSM MBA will give me the opportunity to acquire professional, strategic and personal skills appropriate to management responsibilities at an international standard, thus enabling me to become qualified for a senior management role.

Why did I choose MGSM? The following criteria were important to me when deciding on a business school:

• An educational establishment in an English-speaking country located within the APEC region; 
• An international network in this future oriented region;  
• The content of the program; and 
• An international reputation as a leading business school.

Based on my own research (via business magazines, newspapers and the internet), it was clear that MGSM was the best business school when it came to fulfilling all of the above requirements.

28/03/2005 - Feeling the pressure

The first term of my MBA is history!

I now have one week to recover from the immense pressure from the last three weeks. Study required my complete attention when it came to preparing for the final exams for the first term. I had considerably less sleep and was totally exhausted by the end of it. 

The last week of term one really tough - I had to find an optimal balance between investing time for finishing several group assignments and the preparation for the final exams. Right now I am more than happy that it is over - at least for one week.

02/04/2005 - The HunterValley - a perfect location for recreation


The HunterValley

My partner Michelle and I decided to explore the Hunter Valley, just 120 minutes drive north of Sydney. The hardest decision you'll have to make here is which direction to turn first.  Do you opt for world class wine and vineyards, awe-inspiring wilderness, spectacular coastline or picturesque countryside?

A friend of mine recommended us a beautiful, small and very calm lodge called The Noble Domain, which is completely surrounded by bushland and shut off from the rest of the world. Each of the 8 charming theme rooms (we stayed in the golf room) are facing a small lake. The perfect location for recreation! We explored the upper hunter valley which is very well known for its horse breeding and of course the lower hunter valley with its beautiful vineyards, cellar doors and restaurants. On the way back we made also a short stop over in Australia's sixth largest city Newcastle.