Rodrigue Moussa - MBA Student From Lebanon
Yana Immis
It is never late to come back to studies. Family is never a challenge to go back to an MBA school and to achieve your dreams. Read the story of Rodrigue from Lebanon, who never stops learning!
| Place of Birth | Beirut, Lebanon |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Lebanese |
| Where did you live? | Beirut (Lebanon), Dubai (UAE) |
| Education Level Prior to Relocation | Bachelor Degree |
| Reason of moving to Germany | German language studies and MBA |
| When did you move? | 2012 |
| How old were you? | 34 |
| Are you still in Germany? | No |
| What is your future goal? | Executive MBA |
| Where would you like to live? | Lebanon, my home! |
Chapter 1: Germany
After relocating to Germany in 2012, I started learning the German language and I got to the level of B1.
Since I come from Mechanical Engineering Bachelor and work background, I would need to have technical German skills to get the same level of job in Germany.
I would have to be writing emails and documents and I did not feel comfortable using the language just yet.
To be fluent in technical German it would take me years. I wouldn’t stop my career for that. At that time I had 11 years of experience. Instead of facing the language barrier I decided to do my MBA in English there.
I considered Germany my vacation after 11 years of work experience.
Studying again was definitely something refreshing. I like reading and I finally had time for it! Frankly, it was the first time having time to do something for myself other than work.
If you are looking for making a break from a work routine - go back to studies, an MBA in Germany was the right choice for me! I could stay, I could come back. It’s all about the choices you make.
About my MBA studies in short: I was not getting a degree. I was getting the knowledge. I kept focusing on reading these mandatory books. Just for the thesis only, I read 8 books within 2 months. In my MBA group, we were around 25, including 3 senior students. The other students were much younger. Everyone from different countries and ages – it was easy to integrate.
The international community was so interesting for us: Albania, Bulgaria, India, Palestine, Egypt, USA, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Germany, Ukraine, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia, most of them were from Russia 😊
You cannot find such a cool mix everywhere, since Germany is in a very strong geographical position as the middle of the world, I got to know those cultures and how to deal with them. I had to adapt and so did they. It was a nice experience.
Coming to Germany I was sure that an MBA would be easy with my 11 years of experience. I was wrong! I was happy to know I don’t know everything.
“Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know. ”
I was very satisfied with the program, because I learnt many new things from the professors. Case studies, books, exams, and professors – all helped me in my future job promotions. To give you an example, in my current company Marketing team backs us up. I never before had the marketing experience. Same story with the Accounting department. I wouldn’t be able to manage that. Oh, I totally forgot the Sales team! All from the case studies and professors.
You do not become an expert in all after MBA but you can manage various teams after MBA.
Things I did not like in Germany:
· Language barrier - I could not convey messages easily.
· Limited availability of schools – I had to choose what was available. No consultant helped me. Now probably there are many more school options to choose from.
· Separation of the garbage and other things to get used to which is like a parallel universe for someone from Lebanon.
· Doing things yourself – here, in Lebanon we have people helping with households for everything. You can hire someone (cheap labour).
In Germany we are cheap labour. DIY – Do it yourself! Haha
Germany was a very nice stop for me. Why? MBA title and international experience definitely helped me on my way to success. Yes, it was just a stop. The degree is there but then there is your effort for the result that you have. My aim was always my career and here is where my life took me next!
Chapter 2: Dubai & Lebanon
I got what I had been looking for. I read all the books. I finished my thesis within 2 months because I was working day & night to finish it before graduation when my colleagues didn’t even start. But an invitation from Dubai for a better job has been waiting for me already…
I’m not so young to make immature decisions, you know. I have a family.
The company was offering me an upgrade in Dubai and I had to choose an unsure future in Germany or Dubai and I chose the UAE. Germany is a dream country for people who are hungry for education or job who do not have a family yet. For those who have a family please come to Lebanon or the UAE 😊
I left Germany right after graduating from the MBA International Business program to Dubai with my wife and my son.
A few years later, I found a better job in my home country Lebanon but my wife and my son stayed in Dubai. Ironically, I returned to the same company I was working for before moving to Germany. I am involved in manufacturing business. I came back to the same company, but not the same position, now I am operations manager in a multinational company with 10,000 employees.
In 2018 we got a baby girl and I could not travel anymore weekly or bi-weekly to Dubai back and forth and I moved my whole family to Lebanon.
Home is where you are from.
Currently, we plan to stay in Lebanon. For sure, in the future, I will look for an executive MBA in the top Lebanese school so that it is around the corner. I will move further in my career.
I live where I want to live. I work where I want to work. I have my family nearby and I would say I am happy. Are you? If not, you know where to start now 😉
Chapter 3: Advice For Mature MBA Students
1. Looking back now, would I study in UAE or Lebanon instead of Germany?
No. We have top MBA programs in my country or in the UAE as well. But 95% of nationalities there will be from the same country. The global classroom is what makes the difference.
2. Do not aim for aiming a degree, aim for knowledge!
Consider an MBA as the bridge from the past to the future. And if you work hard and study hard MBA directs you. But its all in your hands if you succeed further.
3. I think nowadays if you want to succeed and to move in your career, MBA is a must. It is not anymore an option.
Engineers, hear me out!!!
Even if you are a doctor or you come from any other field, you should have an MBA.
In my company, accounting & sales departments are reporting to me. With a mechanical engineering degree, that would never happen. I got more responsibilities, I learnt how to manage my teams. Mechanical Engineers can be in charge of the department. But you have no influence on Marketing & expansion of the company. As a manufacturing engineer, you manage technical people.
Yes, the Mechanical Engineering Bachelor degree basis is amazing. But be ready to be back to school to take your career to the new level. Different parts of the company functions are being learnt in a short period of time within 1- 1.5 year time and that is exactly what you need.
4. Do people need an MBA or can they learn it on YouTube?
They can. But they will never have interactions with colleagues from all cultures.
I would not advise online programs. The result will never be the same. Cherish the human interactions: the spontaneous and impulsive teamwork decisions and the difference in management styles and risk facing/avoiding styles. How business is done in all the other countries: isn’t that all incredibly interesting?
5. For students with 10 years of work experience, I would recommend learning German before doing anything else.
Or choose a school that provides German language lessons! In Lebanon, we speak Arabic French and English. German is an advantage but then with the French language, I could work my way around in France. On the contrary, Germany is an excellent country. I wish more universities would offer free German language lessons for all enrolled international students.
6. If you want to study in Germany in English it is easy.
But make sure to parallel learn the German language. If you speak German and English with 10 years of work experience you will have no problems absolutely finding a very top-ranked position in a company in Europe.
If looking back now I would be offered a job in Dubai and in Germany at the same time, I would stay in Germany. The language was the only barrier.
Ok. I stop now. The nostalgic moments nearly made me cry. Greetings to all my classmates from the class of the MBA. We made it!
