A Partner's Perspective

My name is Camille. I have 3 kids ( 4.5  -  3  -  1  years old  )  and am a 2010 MBA Partner.

The first thing, and I think the most critical, is that WE decided to do an MBA ! I am really proud of my husband and I know that, to be happy, he needs me and the children to be happy as well.

WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERS GROUP

At home, it is not really a "great, fun" life ... house cleaning, cooking, making sure he has everything ... I think that all partners spend a lot of time alone at home, especially in the evening ! BUT we have a really great partner group !!! We organize a lot of things : Friday lunch, movies at IMD, night outs, baby-sittings, trips to Vevey, Geneve, Evian, Gym Class, Yoga class, playdate with children, language classes ...and people are really helpful !

But all those things fill one day per week, maybe two but clearly not enough for a full week ... We are not on vacation and, anyway, vacation without our partner is not really fun !!! So I try to be busy every days ... park, friends, sport ...

IMD IS LIKE A FAMILY

Our partners work a lot ... they can be free a few hours per week-end but it is not all the time ... I think it depends on your husband and on his working team ! Everytime I go to IMD on Sunday (at 9am...4pm...10pm ...), people are working ... and it is actually the same every day! But IMD is like a family and everyone takes care of every one ! Partners, students, teachers ...

I try to organize dinner, restaurants on Saturday evenings ... to be there when he is at home ... to be free when he has time, when he needs to talk ...It is really difficult but he enjoys everything at IMD and I know that, in a few months, our "family life " will be back !!!

SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF

Another really important part is you need a goal for your year : learn French, English ... run 20km of Lausanne, find a job ... you need to have one to grow in parallel of your partner: with 3 kids, I am enrolled in a photography class and am looking to start a child psychology program (I am a primary school teacher)!

I am still alive and not planning to get divorced !!! So it is not TOO bad of a year ;)

Overall, it is a tough year, but a very rich year: you make so many new friends from all over the world and get to grow a lot yourself!

Partner of the Week: Nicole Martins

Brazilian Idol

Name: Nicole Martins
Age: 26
Parner: Jonatas Melo 
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Born and always lived there.
Degree: Studied Economics (Bachelor). This year, studying marketing.
Career: 5 years at Exon. Then worked for one year luxury holding that owns fashion brands last year
Favorite song: "From This Moment" Shania Twain



Y&N: What is it your favorite song ?
NM: A song that always come to my mind...like when I'm washing the dishes, ironing, just walking by myself... It comes...When I was younger, I loved music. I had singing classes. I used to play in a group. There is this program in Brazil like American Idol (Fama) and there was a casting in Rio. And I said, « ok i'll got there, and let's see if i can sing someting ».We went by car with my best friend.  And we decided for this song. I didn't know the lyrics by heart, so  I put the CD on in the car, and while drinving to this place, we were singing the song without stopping, on repeat. Over and over again. When I arrived, the guitarist was not there anymore, so I couldn't record. I was so upset. But, it was a fun experience and I think that's why it comes to my mind all the time.

Y&N: You would have liked to have been a singer? 
NM: No. I had some obstacles. I didn't have the support. I criticized myself too much. But I love dancing as well, and some times I dream of being on Broadway and dancing and singing at the same time. 

Y&N: Tell us about your passion for dance...
NM: I've been dancing since I was 4 years old. I did classic ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hiphop and also lambada, a specific Brazilian dance. I used to go to contests, and I had this great costume to dance lambada.  My favorite style of dance would be Broadway: when we have the music and the dances.

Y&N: Do you have any regrets ? 
NM: We always wonder what would happen if we had done something different. But I've made choices, and I have to keep my choices. Maybe, one thing I would have done is study architecture, instead of economics, because I have this artistic side and I love math, as well. But, maybe when I get older, I'll study a little bit.

Y&N: A favorite city...
NM: I love Barcelona. But I think each place has its unique architecture and I enjoy each... going to Paris and walking along the street is excellent. Being here in Switzerland is interesting, as well...Spain, of course. Brazil, the architecture there is too messy. They don't have a style. I want to go to Asia to check it out.

Y&N: Do you prefer the city or the country ?
NM: Both. I like to be in a city with natural spaces. Like parks so I can be in contact with nature. Also the city, because I like to do things. I like to go out, and have everything close by. 

Y&N: How did you react when Jonatas got accepted into IMD? 
NM: I followed him from the begining. It wasn't a bad surprise. I got really excited. In 2008, we came to Europe,  to get to know the schools and to know the cities that helped him to make a decision. At the same time, it's difficult to leave your job and your life, but I think it's so worthy and I'm so happy to be here and having this international experience.

Y&N: What were your expectations ?
NM: As I knew Lausanne before, I'd say that my expectations are exactly what we are having now. I thought I would find a job, besides the course. I see that it's really difficult for Brazilians to find work here. And I'm now wondering if maybe I should volunteer or do research part time... because i want to spend  time in Lausanne. I think this is the expectation that was not met. But, Lausanne is a really a lovely city. Small, but you have things to do, it's not boring. I really enjoy the group, i'm happy to know so many people from all over the world. Everyone is so nice.

Y&N: Favorite place in Lausanne...
NM: I really like Nomade . I'd like to go back there and just have some wine. And Starbucks too. I like to go there listen to some music, and have a coffee. And the lake... Just walking by the lake is fine...

Y&N: Something different or strange about Switzerland? 
NM: For the environnment, I' d say that the lake, the mountain, the water, and the green park is exactly what we have in Rio... not the same but it's the same atmosphere. People are nice, but I'd say that we are more polite. When you're going inside the lift, we ususally wait for the people who are arrived first, to go inside first, and then we go and before that we wait for the people inside to get out. And here they don't seem to wait too much. They just go bumping into you inside the lift. This is something that annoys me a little bit.

Y&N: Where do you see yourself next year or in 5 years ?
NM: I'm just reflecting on it. Next year, i don't have a crystal ball to figure it out, but... I see myself in 5 years professionally succeeding, with kids -probably 2 or 3- (my husband is looking at me saying more).
I will be happy with my family in a beautiful house.

Y&N: Where ?
NM: I don't know. Anywhere, where I could be happy with the place and have a garden. I like gardens, although I tried to plant sometimes, but they just die so I try to talk to them.

Y&N: Yourself in 3 words ?
NM: Romantic, committed, and I like to help people...

Y&N: If you could have dinner with anyone, celebrity, dead, alive, etc, who would it be? 
NM: I think it would be nice to have everybody that I know and like together...

Y&N: Favorite movie ?
NM: I love Disney. I'd say my favorite ever is « Beauty and the Beast ». I could see it repeatdly. I know the songs, I like to sing the songs. I also love Gladiator, I like these kind of historic movies.

Y&N: A place in Brazil to visit...
NM: Rio for sure... A beautiful city... although it's a litlle bit dangerous. If you know where to go, there are so many beautiful places. It's wonderful. Also the northeast of Brazil is like a paradise. If you want to relax and forget all the troubles and energize yourself... go there !
Sao Paulo too is a nice city... For dinner, the restaurants here are amazing. You can find any food you want in the best restaurants there.

In Rio

Y&N: Favorite food ?
NM: I like fechuada. With dark beans and meat. Very heavy. After that, you will feel very sleepy. We used to eat it during the weekend. It's good.

Fechuada

Y&N: What do you miss in Rio ?
NM: I miss a lot the japanese restaurant in front of our apartment. We used to go there with Jonatas, and it was very good. I miss our apartment, we had our video games, -I'm a Mario addict-, our DVDs, our great balcony where we used to have lunch during the weekend together, listening to some music.

Their apartment in Rio

Y&N: Portuguese ?
NM: "Carpe Diem...Nós temos que viver o presente porque ele é único. Mas também temos que sonhar e lutar pelos nossos sonhos."

Y&N: You speak a lot of languages...
NM: I love studying languages. And I think I'll be like 100 years old studying a new language, maybe esperanto or something like this. Each one has something that attracts me: Spanish is happy...French is romantic...English is universal...Portuguese is my mother tongue...what makes me feel comfortable...German is a challenge... That's it !

Y&N: French ?
NM: Je suis très heureuse d'être ici, d'avoir cette expérience et d'avoir connu tout le monde qu'il y a ici...