David's Rotterdam Year Two

10/21/2002

Dear all,

I'm now well into my second year here at Rotterdam, and it's hard to believe that in six months I will be the recipient of a freshly-minted MBA and be back out in the real world once again!

As some of you might know, I had a fantastic internship at the UN Conference on Trade and Development. Spending the summer in Geneva was great; it was all beautiful weather, weekend trips to the Alps, running and biking in the hills around town, making new friends down on the lake after work. In the end, it was quite expensive, but I figure I was paying for a summer with a view. Unfortunately, coming back to Rotterdam was like finding out your favorite bartender was replaced with a guy who constantly gives you a gin and tonic when you ask for a gimlet. It's still good, but I like gimlets. And mountains, and lakes, and blue skies, and Swiss flags. Hopefully, some day I'll be back in Geneva.

Fortunately, I spent the last few weeks of the summer hiking in the Sierra Nevadas and climbing the Mulhacen along the way (You can see North Africa from the top!). While most of my friends were sunning themselves down on the Costa del Sol, we were freezing in the mountains…again, because of the view.

I've just finished the first half of the semester, and this is when we get to take the real MBAish classes:

Negotiation/Contracting - A totally masochistic process. At least I got a necktie with my professors' phone number on the label... 
Corporate Social Responsibility - I'm convinced my professor was dodging German riot police with Joschka Fischer in the 1970's. The fact that he uses an iMac confirms my suspicions... 
Investment Management - Taught by an American venture capitalist who told us everything we needed to know and who we needed to know in investing in two weeks flat. Except bonds. Apparently only wimps invest in bonds. 
Next up: Managing Strategic Alliances, Reputation Management, and Finance in Asia

The recruitment drive is now well under way, and I'm casting a very wide net of niche opportunities: Development consulting, corporate social responsibility, sustainable investing, emerging market finance, strategic internationalisation strategy consulting…even thinking seriously about going back into the UN system. UNCTAD was great, and I think there's a lot of challenging work that someone like myself can do in the UN. I just have to meet the right people, but one really has to be in DC or New York for that kind of networking. Rotterdam isn't exactly a hub of international diplomacy. Can anyone help? I need contacts...

Anyway, this is just my way of keeping in touch when I'm over here, and who knows where I'm going to settle down. Amsterdam, London, New York, Kabul?

Please do keep me updated on your whereabouts and doingwhatabouts. Send addresses if you want Dutch Christmas cards!! If you don't want Dutch cards, send your address anyway and I'll see what else I can do.

Bestest,

David _ _ ______________________________________________________ _ _

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