Madrid: A peek into the soul of Spain There has never been a better time to visit the Spanish capital, where the past decade has witnessed a spurt in creativity and enterprise, writes Ankush Kochhar, a student of IIMB’s one-year MBA program

George Orwell once said, “I’d rather be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain!” Orwell was absolutely correct and EPGP 2019 was fortunate to witness this truth during the International Immersion trip to the prestigious IE Business School in Madrid. After our examination got over, a cohort of 25 of us, led by Prof. R. Narayanaswamy, Chair, Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management, left for Spain just before Thanksgiving, and the excitement was palpable aboard the plane.

Immersion Commences

On the first day, all suited up, we walked into one of the most beautiful and modern buildings of the spread-out IE campus in the heart of Madrid. The first class titled ‘The Economic Outlook with a European Touch’ got us all excited as Prof Fernando Fernandez gave macroeconomics, a course which most of us really enjoyed, an EU flavor. He talked about low interest rates in the EU, the impact of Brexit on the Union, and the potential impact on EU of the US-China trade wars. Even a grim topic such as an impending global slowdown was made interesting by Prof Fernandez. 

The Prado Museum: Madrid’s Finest

Just like for academics, International Immersion started off strong on the cultural side as we visited The Prado Museum, or, officially, Museo Nacional del Prado. The Prado is a huge museum with some of Europe’s finest art pieces. Masterpieces by famous artists such as Raphael, Rembrandt, Francisco Goya, and the famous Greek, El Greco, are housed here. We spent a fair amount of time with a very knowledgeable guide learning about some fascinating masterpieces. Thereafter, we realized that Prado was not just beautiful on the inside, but made for some really great photo-ops outside. We, as a group, could not miss such an opportunity! The smartphones were flipped out and the clicks started to go off in succession. 

Life at IE

If Prof Fernandez’s class on macroeconomics set the trend, the other professors carried it forward…and how! We had engaging sessions with professors on strategy, leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation over an intense two weeks. All of these had an EU focus, which was new to us. The hands-on approach the professors took made things easier to learn in an experiential manner. Some of us also engaged with IE students at a talk about Smart Cities and Smart Destinations. We engaged with the IE community in other ways too; the Indian Student Association at IE hosted a party for us, which, in typical Spanish fashion, went on till the wee hours of the morning and helped discover some hidden, phenomenal dancing talent among us.

Santiago Bernabéu: An Experience of a Lifetime

Whether one is a football enthusiast or not, one of the first things that comes to mind when Madrid is mentioned is Real Madrid, the Mecca of football. Fortunately, a lot of us are, in fact, football enthusiasts, so discussions about visiting Real Madrid’s hallowed grounds, the Santiago Bernabéu, had started months ago. On a chilly Tuesday night, five of us spent what would be the best €100 we could spend on tickets to a Champions League fixture between two football giants, as Real hosted Paris St. Germain. In an electric atmosphere and a packed stadium of 81,000 we witnessed a terrific match which ended in a 2-2 draw. We walked home shivering with excitement, with childhood dreams fulfilled.

Just Outside Madrid

Madrid is known for being an artsy, beautiful city. We made use of the Black Friday sales to wander around the Gran Via, filling our suitcase allowances with Zara and El Cortes Ingles bags. The walking gave us the chance to discover little nooks and alleys of gorgeous Madrid. Tired from shopping, we set our bags down for some delicious tapas, making friends with bar and restaurant owners in our broken Spanish, only to then continue with our spree. On two occasions, we stepped out of the city to discover even more beauty – Segovia and Toledo were small towns not far from Madrid which were as enchanting as they were rich in historic significance. Walking down cobbled streets in our down jackets was an experience of a lifetime.

Love from the Indian Embassy

We were invited on a formal visit to the Indian Embassy and were overwhelmed with the attention we got. The Deputy Ambassador welcomed us and spoke highly of Indo-Spanish relations and how there was scope to enhance the same, adding that this type of exchange is the kind of step that academia could take in that direction.

Prof Narayanaswamy also spoke about ways that relations could further be strengthened. Finally, as Immersion ended, the Indian Ambassador to Spain also visited the IE campus and handed over our course completion certificates. He talked about today’s rapidly changing business environment and what it would mean for future leaders. Finally, as we bade goodbye to our hosts, we spent time with those at IE who helped organize this exchange, conveying our appreciation and gratitude for a wonderful and enriching experience.

Personal Thoughts

Spain in general and IE in particular was a fascinating experience for me. Not only did I get to taste paella and other local delicacies, I also had a chance to practice the little Spanish I speak with the extremely friendly locals. Visits to some of the firms in Spain helped me learn the manner in which business is done in the EU. It was an exchange not just of academic ideas but also of cultural perspectives. I realized that there is so much more to learn about Spanish history and culture (it turns out vehicles are Spain’s biggest export) that another trip has to happen soon. This is one experience that I am sure will find favor among future EPGP participants.