Has it really been over a year since my last postgrad zoom classes? That final week of postgrad lectures in July last year was uniquely special to me because it fell on my birthday week. When normally I would be spending my holidays somewhere by the beach and enjoying the sun and the sea - there I was cooped up in our warm attic, electric fan on...
Africa is NOT a country
For our globalization strategy module’s exam, we were assigned the Bharti Airtel business case. The case talked about Airtel’s (an Indian telecoms company) expansion into Africa back in 2010. It was pretty impressive (or not) - tackling 16 African countries at once with the assumption that the continent is very much like India. Hence my blog...
There and Back Again
My blog title is so apt my nerdy self is patting my own shoulder for a job well done! Why, you might ask, would my title be appropriate? Well, first, I have read The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy, watched the movies and even have the special edition DVD collection. Second, J.R.R. Tolkien studied in Oxford. And most of all, it’s because I wi...
My Mother, the Dragon
Long before The Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen of The Game of Thrones, became known to me, I already know of one dragon mother. My very own mom. The Dragon title was actually bestowed upon my mom by her very own siblings. Being the eldest of nine children and with parents who were busy running a business, we were told by my mom that s...
The Second Module
“That’s it!” At 7pm sharp on February 20, 2021, the second module lectures of my postgrad studies have ended. Our topic: Innovation Strategy. It was once again intense, exciting, confusing at times and also fun. The fact that the class is now somehow familiar with each other (despite not meeting in person) made it more relaxed and fun during...
Module 1 Exams
At exactly 1:29:30 am on February 8, with my eyes and body feeling tired but with my mind still racing, just over a day ahead of the deadline, I submitted my exam paper for the Strategy module. All 2,998 words. I did it!!! I actually did it!!! My first postgrad exam submission! It’s as if a big load was taken off my chest. I can breathe!!! I ca...
Good bye 2020
Hooray! The last day of 2020 has finally arrived. Before I say good bye to 2020, here are my personal highlights: Published author I self-published my book on Women’s day. It’s seems like a long time now but it’s only been 9 months. It has been a wonderful journey and I am very thankful for the positive reviews, media features and the sup...
The Study Group
Study group. The phrase is definitely alien to me. When I was still in school, the closest thing to a study group that I experienced was limited to group works and study dates. Yep, that was a thing. Me and my boyfriend would spend some quality time together - get this- just studying our separate course materials (we had different majors) an...
The First Module
Before the class started 2 Tuesdays ago, I was feeling nervous and giddy...”Is it going to be a tough week?” “What if I can’t keep up?” “What if I don’t understand anything?” “Did I prepare enough for the sessions?” “Who are my classmates?” “What’s the professor like?” “Are they nice people?” These were the questions running through my head as I...
The Night Before I Go Back To School
What did I get myself into? Back in 2018, I realized my lifelong dream of studying in one of the world's best universities. I attended the Women Transforming Leadership program in Säid Business School, University of Oxford. It was a great experience. I learned a lot about myself, I met amazing women, and most importantly, I was s...
Donna Avellana Künzler
The Overseas Fabulous Pinay is a comprehensive, easy-to-read and light-hearted handbook written for people planning their move abroad or for people already living overseas.
