Settling into Leiden

     One week has passed since I have been in Europe for grad school. I am still settling in and getting adjusted to the time difference. It's too exciting, and everyone seems to be getting along much better than we probably should... I haven't gotten into a good sleep pattern yet. I'll just say that we all like to explore the nightlife, as well.
     Our first classes have been pretty enjoyable. This came as a bit of a surprise to me, considering each class is 4 hours long. On Mondays, I have Statistics from 6-10 p.m. with a dutch professor. The class is less than two minutes from my apartment, which is very convenient. The class seems like it should be more interesting than your average statistics course. He said that we do not need to memorize most of the equations, as it is unnecessary for most in the business world. I like this kind of "open-book" policy, because people can use books and calculators in the real world. However, I can remember having difficulty understanding certain theories in advanced accounting, so we'll see how the class develops.
     My second class is Marketing on Wednesdays from 1-5 p.m. with a Canadian professor. He has lived in the Netherlands for almost 25 years, and he seems very knowledgeable about different corporations and their marketing strategies. I feel that I will really enjoy this class, as the professor is very engaging and because I seem to enjoy marketing. I have always liked psychology (why we do the things we do), and I think this may be one of the reasons I enjoy marketing. Marketing is all about how to apply to people and create needs out of wants. But, one of the coolest things about the course is its location. The Marketing class will be in the Amsterdam World Trade Center! Here is a picture:

     I have a third course, but it is all online. The course is called Cross-Cultural Management, and it stretches out until December. The course is pretty neat, as we will have online seminars and discussions without ever having to meet in person.

     These courses all seem exciting, and all the professors seem to be very enthusiastic about the subjects. But, the course will be very challenging, as each course should require between 8-15 hours of work each week. So, while I have all this excitement around me, I have to make myself sit down regularly and be prepared to spend at least 30 hours a week on work. This should be a good test for me, as I have discovered that I tend to wait until the last minute to tackle assignments. But, it shouldn't be too much of a problem, as I enjoy my classes so far and I have somewhat already realized how valuable this MBA will be.  I look forward to seeing how it all unfolds.