It’s the end of four years studying towards an MBA. It’s a degree with a strange configuration, really; split into two parts, the first stage is comprised of eight subjects to complete in trimesters.
The MBA attracts people with different levels of ambition and so for some people, despite demanding full-time jobs, they manage to take two subjects in a single trimester, maybe multiple times, and finish in less than the four years.
When we found out Mum was sick, I decided to take a trimester off earlier than later, so I could spend more time with her while she was still relatively well. In fact, when I said goodbye to her for what turned out to be the last time, I had uni readings with me. A life-long reader, she was happy, I think, to see me studying again.
The second stage of the MBA is a year-long programme, with four “double” subjects – each one has the weighting of two subjects. It’s a lot of work to get through, but has a transformative effect on the person doing it: building up their confidence, a range of skills, and creating a community from a group largely of strangers.
This photo is from our end-of-year harbour cruise; sadly not everyone was able to be there, but it was good to see so many people I have had the privilege of getting to know gathered in the one place, sharing stories and laughing together.
I was given the “wikipedia” prize by the cohort for my breadth of knowledge and fast internet searching skills, but more valuable to me has been the chance to live out my faith in a community of mostly non-Christians: I’m hoping for further opportunities to spend time with them in the years to come.