(6.13.16)
Hey y’all!
Ok, so let me start with a disclaimer first: I’m writing the initial draft of this blog post a few days after my HEC Masters graduation but will probably not post it until I add a little bit more after I graduate from my second Masters this upcoming Friday!
And now, back to it: This past Friday was our HEC Commencement ceremony (nobody at the school refers to it as a graduation ceremony because we technically still need to submit our thesis documents and are still awaiting a few grades); however, pretty much every student refers to it as graduation because in our minds we are done and free.
Looking back at this last year, I have to take a moment and appreciate it all. All the new friends I made, the things I learned, the places I’ve visited, the people I got introduced to. When I applied to go study in Norway two years ago, I would have never in my wildest dreams thought that I would one year later get accepted into a double degree program, move to Paris and work on a second Master degree, but I guess that’s all part of the fun, ain’t it?
While this year included so many moments where I literally wanted to pull my hair out, it was also a year that included so much laughter, good vibes, smiles, appreciation, and ‘new innovative business’ ideas. And none of it would have been possible without the group of people I was lucky enough to get to spend the year with.
Graduation was pretty fantastic to say the least, and thankfully some of my family and even a friend were able to make it to France and celebrate with me 🙂 Below a few highlights:
(6.19.16)
The NHH graduation was definitely something else. After a couple scares at the Oslo airport where my flight to Bergen got cancelled and where I thought I would miss graduation, I finally made it to Bergen a few hours later than expected and ran into Anna at the airport. An hour and a half later we both had showered and were ready to meet with some of the others who made it back for graduation to take pictures, sip on some sparkling wine and head over to school for the international reception, the actual ceremony and a group dinner afterwards. It was so awesome to get to see so many familiar faces again and meet everyone’s parents, even though mine couldn’t make it for this round.
Saturday and Sunday, Sophie, Anna and I spent the mornings hiking and in the evenings I got to hang out with Natalia as well. Thankfully Bergen greeted us with fantastic weather for the weekend and at nights when it was still light out the city looked as gorgeous as ever.
Now that I’ve actually completed my thesis and submitted it (!!!!), finished my two Master degrees (still not s[h]ure how), attended my two graduations, it is really time to take a moment and say another BIG Thank You to my family (most importantly parents) who still believe in me no matter what crazy ideas I get, and to all those friends who I was lucky enough to meet and stay in touch with over the years.
Using some nifty website, I was able to create this map of my travels over the last two years (basically during the timeframe of my Masters). All of this wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the awesome people I know out there: those old friends who agreed to travel with me to the other side of the globe for a reunion, those who hosted me, those who stayed in touch so that years later I would still be welcome to go and visit, and those new friends who are as crazy as me to agree to travel to a completely different continent for a week long trip!
Now that this chapter of my life is over, I hope the next one is just as good… I truly cannot wait for what it will hold…
And as every good party at HEC (including the commencement ceremony) finishes with this song, I thought I’d share it here with you 🙂
Bisous,
Dom.
d_globetrotterin - الرحالة 
Congrats! Now, on to your next chapter!
LikeLike