An inspiring expat spouse: Carmen Marchetti, the EMBA graduate2009-05-04
Jasmine: "When, from where and why did you move to Beijing a few years ago?"
Carmen: "My husband, two cats and I moved to Beijing from the quaint and beautiful city of Cape Town in the summer of 2006. My husband moved here to head his company’s office. Given my keen and long-standing interest in China and the region, I was very happy to experience the texture of life in the East. My first thesis was on China’s economic development and my second on global financial externalities – as an economist it was hard to imagine a more exciting opportunity."
Jasmine: "How would you describe your first 6 months in China? Honeymoon period, acute culture shock or a combination?"
Carmen: "SO tough! SO good! The tough part was the fact that I could not work formally (primarily a conflict of interest, another largely secondary challenge was the diplomatic visa) and could no longer meet the wonderful friends that were so very far away. The good part was that life expanded to include new friends, Chinese lessons and an adventure every day."
Jasmine: "Do diplomatic expat spouses face additional adjustment challenges than other spouses?"
Carmen: "A challenge is the fact that one is not allowed to work. A benefit, however, is that in many cases there is a far stronger network to support new arrivals. However, it all depends on the company / country they represent. Some diplomatic spouses do have a very hard time as their budgets are small and they work hard in supporting their spouses as diplomats. We have been fortunate in that my husband’s company has taken very good care of us, both the international and domestic staff, as well as his counterparts in China."
Jasmine: "What was your main professional identity prior to moving to China?"
Carmen: "I worked as an economist for an investment bank and was blessed to have the best of many possible worlds – a very dear and incredibly interesting colleague with forty years of experience, a gifted team of professionals to interact with everyday and a client base that stretched from Cape Town to New York. I had a very demanding job but deeply satisfying given the exceptional professional environment."
Jasmine: "Why did you consider using your China chapter to pursue further education?"
Carmen: "Personal growth, an obsession with keeping my mind exercised and finding an interesting professional opportunity once back home. I was taking my Chinese studies seriously at the time and wanted to in some way compliment my experience whilst still broadening my horizons."
Jasmine: "Was this in line with long-term career goals?"
Carmen: "Indeed. I felt that I wanted to gain greater professional independence by broadening my skill set before specializing further. Economics as a field remains a first passion."
Jasmine: "Why an EMBA with Rutgers university rather than a MBA in a Chinese university?"
Carmen: "I did seriously consider the MBA at a Chinese university but finally decided that I wanted:
1. More flexibility to continue my exploration of China (the Rutgers program is modular),
2. Class mates to be a bit older on average than in a regular MBA program (for the experience of other industries that I did not have), and
3. International diversity which is one of the great aspects of the Rutgers program.
Furthermore, given that I have a quantitative background which includes Mathematical Economics, Advanced Econometrics and Portfolio Theory, I felt that it was time to balance my skill set with more leadership and strategic management themes.
All in all, it turned out to be an excellent decision as I fell unexpectedly and happily pregnant and the course structure facilitated a smooth and on-time graduation along with my incredible team mates.
Jasmine: "Do you feel like you have gained some additional skills out of pursuing further education in China rather than your home country?"
Carmen: "Definitely! And this is very much thanks to my EMBA team and excellent professors. The program delivered an international experience, stretched my horizons and provided a unique insight into cross-cultural leadership skills and strategic management in an ever-changing world."
Jasmine: "Would you recommend other expat spouses to pursue further education / a MBA in Beijing"
Carmen: "My inspirational grandmother, through the example of her own life, taught me that further education is a way of life. I have always found great joy in learning something new, whether it is how to speak a language, how to build a model for economic theories or how to perfect my brilliant Zia’s many classic Italian recipes. So yes, definitely, I will recommend that expat spouses look for ways to find out more about life in both formal and informal education opportunities. Exactly what, well, that is for everyone to decide for themselves."
Thank you Carmen for this inspirational message!
More information about Rutgers EMBA in China:
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is distinguished as one of the oldest institutions of learning in the United States and has had a presence in China longer than any other American university.
In China, the International Executive MBA program is the leading choice among executives and managers who are looking for a program that examines the “hows”, “whys” and “what ifs” of business not only in China but from a global perspective.
The unique design of the Rutgers International Executive MBA program allows busy executives to work full time and go to school full time. Courses generally are conducted approximately once a month over a nine-day period. The classes are held all day on two consecutive Saturdays and Sundays, and three hours per night for two nights during the intervening week.
The program’s 18 courses – 14 core courses and 4 electives, are taught in English by Rutgers faculty from the United States, and can be taken exclusively in either Beijing or Shanghai, but may also be taken between the two cities if necessary.
More details on:
www.rutgers.asia
Next information sessions: May 19, June 9, June 30, July 28, August 18
