Just Worn Out

I am back from Paris and it was an interesting experience. Various business schools such as LBS, HEC, Rotterdam, ESADE, IE, Bocconi, Oxford, and Cambridge all decended to the outskirts of Paris on the lovely HEC campus to compete for a variety of sports. Logistically a nightmare with delayed, long bus rides, not enough food or alcohol, long queues to get into a Parisian night club and to get drinks. The best parts were being able to compete in sports since it's really been high school that I've been involved in anything really competitive and the mad cheering fans of IESE. IESE has developed a strong rivalry against the evil LBS as IESE has won 3 times in a row over LBS. It was great fun playing futbol or soccer as we call it in the states. Being one of the rare women have played competitive soccer, I was nominate to play forward. Some of our other good players were involved in playing basketball or running track. I was pleseantly surprised when I scored a couple of goals! Whoo hoo! I admit the level of competition is definitely lower with women who have hardly ever played. I probably looked amazing when in the U.S. I'm really just an average player. It's interesting that futbol is much more popular in Europe than in the states but hardly any women here play whereas most of us have grown up playing soccer. In any case, the best experience was that we had a HUGE crowd (mostly drunk) cheering us on during a semi-final match. After being victorious, we had beer sprayed on us.

I also played rugby which I realized is not that fun in real competition. It's a bit chaotic and honestly women can get really bitchy in the heat of competition. Practices are much more fun especially with the guys. I witnessed the men playing full on rugby (women, of course, only play touch). It was really brutal and violent but it was so fascinating that you just couldn't look away. I don't know how anyone could play the sport!

Saturday night was cool in that we got dropped off by the magnificent Eiffel Tower and had a wondrous and affordable French meal with a good group of us. Then partied til 4AM or so. The most interesting comment made to me over the weekend was from a 2nd year student named Tommy. He was incredibly surprised by realizations about me such as finding out that I (occassionally) smoke and play soccer and rugby. I had to ask him what his impression of me was. He replied that he thought that I was "innocent and fragile." Moi?? It's always eye opening to find out what people think of you.

At the end, IESE won 2nd place to LBS's 1st. BOOOO! But you know what? IESE was definitely the most fun and best spirited. Getting home at 1AM last night and waking up to go to class today was torturous. Tons of work and now I'm procrastinating. I'm truly EXHAUSTED and think I'll have to ditch a day of school this week.

How did James and Grace's wedding go?!?