By Raphael Bonacci T’15
Raphael is a second-year student at Tuck. Prior to coming to Tuck, Raphael worked in corporate development at a specialist insurance group in the United Kingdom, on group strategic initiatives and acquisitions. Raphael started his career in investment banking in London and Paris. He has an MSc in economics and finance from the University of Warwick and an undergraduate degree in economics from Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.
During winter term, I decided to study abroad at Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad. Little did I know that I would leave India with a wealth of experiences and amazing new friends! During my exchange, I took a class on managing complexity with a NASA professional, learned about conjoint analysis from one of its pioneers, and used game theory to formulate strategy. On the social side, I attended numerous campus events and epic birthday parties, learned to drive a rickshaw, visited religious and meditation sites, learned about Hindu mythology, attended weddings, and travelled to Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, not to mention trips abroad to Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Hyderabad is one of the largest cities in the country and has an interesting mix of Indian, Persian, and Arabic influences, which is quite unusual. The city has some of the finest food, from biryanis to delicious yet spicy street food. I can say that my experience in India lived up to my expectations pretty well. It has been a feast and a festival of joy.
After two previous shorter visits to India, I was interested in something more than just visiting the country as a tourist. I came across the exchange program during my first year at Tuck after discussions with the MBA Program Office (MBAPO), second-year Tuck students who completed the exchange, and incoming exchange students from ISB. Aside from my keen interest in globalizing my education, gaining exposure to managerial challenges in one of the fastest growing and largest countries in the world, as well as connecting with the people on another level, I wanted to give myself the privilege to see the world from a completely different perspective.
Studying in India allowed me to build bridges across cultures in ways that otherwise wouldn't have been possible. I’ve learned so much about India from its people by spending just a term abroad. Some of my most memorable experiences were the role-plays for my Negotiation Analysis class. Aside from the benefit of getting to know the students more quickly, the experience has taught me to deliver and receive feedback and to deal with different negotiation styles in a cross-cultural context. I also realized that many people are deterred by the living conditions in India and the chaos often depicted by the media. Interestingly, it’s only when you go beyond the surface and start seeing the people as your peers or friends that you can really appreciate the richness of the culture and the strong sense of community, something that we value so strongly at Tuck and that is rather uncommon elsewhere. In India, I gained exposure to some popular traditions. I attended Lohri, a festival from Punjab, where students typically dance to Punjabi music around a bonfire in January. We also celebrated Holi, an ancient Hindu festival, also called the festival of colors, in March. There were hundreds of students coloring each other with powder and paint, dancing all day long, as well as sharing food and drinks. The International Club and the South Asia Business Association at Tuck are now bringing this event to the Tuck community. I found the interactions with people in India so energizing. It is not uncommon to be invited for dinner or Chai or to join weekend trips. I was stunned by how friendly, curious and inclusive the students were. I was also touched by their generosity, thoughtfulness, open mindedness, sense of humor, and enthusiasm, as well as the authenticity that many demonstrated. It’s been an inspiring journey and a humbling experience.
The process of studying abroad is surprisingly simple but MBA students often don’t seize the opportunity. Some perceive the process as complicated, others fear of missing out from Tuck or are worried about living abroad. Perhaps, some students may simply have never thought about the idea. All students were living on campus in India, making it easy to settle and have quality interactions with other students, and those with a family had access to child care facilities. A significant part of the course offering is taught by visiting professors from other MBA programs, providing consistency with the curriculum at top US business schools. Finally, the cost of living is much lower in India. Tuck students typically rent their room in Hanover to incoming exchange students at Tuck during their stay abroad.
I would recommend every student to spend a term abroad as part of an MBA. While there are many opportunities for Tuck students to globalize their education, especially with the new Tuck Global Insight Requirement, there are few ways outside the MBA to embrace a culture so closely. The transition back to Tuck was very smooth, aside from having to readapt to the cold weather and the snow. It’s like I’ve never really been away. The MBAPO, the Quality of Life team, and the International Club organized a “Welcome Back” event at Murphy’s to help students returning from abroad reconnect with the Tuck community and share their experience. I’ve picked my spring term classes and my calendar is now again packed with social events and weekend trips until graduation.
(Photo above: Holi at Indian School of Business. Photo by Rajesh Narni.)
 |
| Student Village 3, Indian School of Business. Photo by Jahaan Premji |
 |
| Sand dunes, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan |
 |
| Hampi, Karnataka. Photo by Goutham Reddy |
 |
| Hyderabad (old city) |