Greetings from Bangkok!

I am sitting in a Starbucks in the Ari neighborhood reflecting on the joys of living in Asia and contemplating a move to Thailand. I’m a big city girl having relocated to Singapore from Manhattan and Bangkok does not disappoint. I love the food, the hospitality of the people, the varied nightlife and rich culture that stays with you long after you leave. In observing the backpackers and others foreigners who call Bangkok home, I am also reminded of how international Thailand has become. Sure, tourism has long been the main draw but Bangkok is a hub for global NGOs and MNCs, there is a lot of intellectual activity happening here. Similar to INSEAD, people from all over the world choose to be a part of this community and seem very happy with their choice! However, since it is unlikely that INSEAD would be so accommodating and relocate me a second time, I’ll be staying put in Singapore.

Today marks the end of the first trip of a busy season ahead. Earlier this month I traveled to Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei and Bangkok. In Tokyo I enjoyed too much Manju, in Seoul the BBQ. In Shanghai hunted for art on Tai Kang Lu and in Taipei participated in karaoke at Holiday KTV. I have come to realize that karaoke is not my forte. Luckily, that doesn’t seem to be an issue in Asia as actually being good at karaoke is not required!

While traveling I met several hundred prospective MBA students all whom have the potential to be admitted to an MBA programme. The curious nature of their questions, variety of their experiences and overall familiarity with INSEAD and other schools reminded me of the ever present burgeoning talent in the market. Of course, the attentive prospects on the road are indicative of a competitive year ahead but what I hope to see from prospective students this year is a confident approach to the application process.

A word of advice: stop thinking about how you measure up by a certain set of data points (i.e. GMAT, years works experience, age) and start thinking about your individual goals and what is important to you. Simply put, spend time on your essays and tell us your story, you are all unique individuals so make sure that schools know what you have to offer.

For those of you in Asia, I will be traveling for the next several months. I am more than happy to answer your questions and share with you my knowledge of the INSEAD MBA programme. Please come see me this November on the QS World MBA Tour – www.topmba.com. Other events will be continuously updated and posted here: http://www.insead.edu/mba/meet_us/form/Offcampusevents.cfm