Professional Roles and Achievements
Achievements
- MBA Forte Scholarship and Global Marketing Excellence Scholarship awardee
- MBA Fellow
- MBA Marketing Club President
- Honorable Mention Awardee in Bachelor’s degree
- Nominated for Achiever Scholar Program and Harvest of Winners Awards in Bachelor’s degree
- Founded an online business, Mama Nguyen PH
Academics
-MBA Batch of 2024
-De La Salle University, Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Advertising Management, 2012
What is invisible but essential about YOU? or ESADE? or Barcelona?
A lot of people always wonder where I get the energy to do so many things in my life — from pursuing my MBA, regularly meeting different friends, to travelling and engaging in activities I enjoy. Sometimes, I even question the source of this energy and my constant craving to stay active and be around people. Most of the time, I attribute it to FOMO (fear of missing out), but as I reflect on the past years of my life, I am reminded of an event that took place a decade ago.
In May of 2013, I took a taxi to attend my friend’s sister’s birthday dinner. After a few minutes, two armed robbers suddenly entered the taxi and held me hostage while driving for three hours. This experience turned out to be the most traumatic yet also one of the most significant learning moments of my life. Looking back, it has become my invisible but essential experience.
In the first few minutes with them, all I could think about was whether this was how my life would end. However, my initial fear and panic transformed into calmness, logic and assessment. Realizing that showing fear would jeopardize my safety, I evaluated the situation and turned it into a dialogue and negotiation. I discovered their motives, their plans and how I can get myself out of it. Those three hours were the longest of my life, but I successfully negotiated my safety, and even managed to retrieve some of my belongings. As you read this, you might find it impressive, and I do too. However, the impact of that incident on who I am now and how I view life is my greatest takeaway.
Instead of reliving the horror, I always remind myself of how I survived it. Now I understand better why I have this zest for life. I consider my current life as a second chance. In the Philippines, a woman held up for three hours and surviving is a miracle. From the moment I got out of that car alive, saw my parents and friends, all I could think of was never taking this life for granted. That night of terror taught me how to handle any difficult situation, the strength I possess within me and how truly short life is.
As we come closer to the end of our MBA, most of us heading home for a well-deserved break, and bidding farewell to 2023, let me end this short story with a few reminders. Eat that food you’ve always wanted. Take that vacation. Call your family and friends and tell them you miss them. Quit your job and do your MBA. Or don’t quit it and continue doing what you love. Allow yourself that much-needed pause and rest. Say yes and say no. Run that marathon. Live your best life. And when I say “best life,” I mean embracing both the big and small moments. This life is beautiful, and we are given it only once, so embrace it with energy and passion.
-Your KARSelona
Invisible but Essential 