Welcome

- Angelika Vytogiannis

Herewith I would like to welcome all to the IMD PARTNERS BLOG 2009!!!

I am Angelika Vytogiannis from Greece, married with Stelios and I have a son named Nikos, 2 years old. Being an IMD partner is a great honor and privilege for me, so let me tell you why!

When Stelios announced to me that he was accepted in one of the best leading MBA business schools in the world called IMD I felt really proud and the countdown for our new life began.

In the months of preparation before leaving home our emotions were mixed- enthusiasm, anxiety, curiosity, excitement but simultaneously fear and stress for the unknown and the new life ahead us. What moved me most was not leaving my country or my home but leaving my beloved relatives and friends. I confess I had crying moments before leaving, but on the other hand I told to myself that this once-in-a-lifetime experience will be amazing! And now I see I was right!

So here we are, in Lausanne already for two months! Lausanne is a small but beautiful Swiss city - ideal for family life, which was something that made me feel secure and relaxed.

The first two weeks were not so easy for us, not only because we were still settling down, but also because of Nikos’s accident in the second day of our stay in our new “home”. Although we were panicky and not ready to deal with our bad–luck, IMD was! Chris Eaborn, our insurance contact set up by IMD, saved the situation within ten minutes! He gave us the appropriate advice and directions, but most of all he gave us courage and the feeling that we were not alone or strangers in a strange city. It was one of the proofs that IMD really makes you feel at home!

When Nikos was recovered and everything was back in order again, it was time for us to join the ski-trip in Champery, which one of the MBA students organized. There, I had the chance to meet the first few students and their partners. The atmosphere was very friendly and full of smiles! We had a great time and it was a good chance to get to know each others, to relax and enjoy some family time before the course began.

We all looked forward to the ‘Welcome Lunch’ that IMD organized, and on that day the IMD’s restaurant was filled with students, partners, children, professors, IMD staff celebrating altogether this warm ‘welcome’ to IMD and to Lausanne . The enthusiasm was almost bursting through the walls of the building! Finally the “names”, we already knew through the IMD portal correspondence, became real people hugging and kissing each other. And there we finally met Marcella Rispo, the Partner’s Coordinator; a wonderful woman full of energy, who was herself an ex-IMD partner and knew what we were going through. She is our helping hand in difficult moments and our guide in our new life in Lausanne. She is also the one who helps the group get going and motivates us to take full advantage of this wonderful one-year opportunity to live and know more about the Lausanne way of life as well as other cultures.

Many of the partners have started already French lessons and gym classes. There are also briefings and meetings organized by Marcella to help the mums and mums-to-be answer our children’s needs.

The most important among us partners, is that, after two months of dealing with a new life, we have managed to organize ourselves, to become close to one another and I dare say, to even become good friends! We share our feelings, our problems, our experiences, we help one another and above all we have fun and are enjoying ourselves! Proof of that is that we meet once per week for coffee and chat, for lunches and dinners, for DVD nights, for birthday celebrations! We also made trips around Lausanne and visited museums together.

So we are all here in Lausanne, supporting our partners, giving them the courage and the strength to continue with the rigorous course !

We are here, enjoying every moment, as we learn and grow together in this journey!

The IMD PARTNERS BLOG 2009 opens and welcomes you to follow our journey with its bad and good moments! Enjoy the ride because we already do!

Last but not least -: Special thanks to IMD, to the MBA office and to Marcella Rispo, who make us feel at home and make us feel part of a big FAMILY!

My best wishes to all!