Cambridge — proof that steady effort matters

 Good day, world.

Today is Friday, 19 December 2025. 20:57. Just a regular day for me. However, today I would like to discuss something that happened recently. It has always (sort of) been my long-time dream, and this dream came true in October.

It was on Thursday evening, 17:46 30/10/2025. An email came into my mailbox:

Started from this interview invitation

I was still in the office, just finished giving Jason, a colleague visiting from Pogo, Alaska, a site tour. That day, I was pretty much acting like his tour guide; I picked him up from the airport, gave him a brief Kalgoorlie town tour, and introduced him to the good old majestic meat pie and sausage rolls (sort of, I kind of unsuccessfully introduced him to the wrong thing). It was quite funny that he thought sausage rolls came with an actual "sausage". No, I said. It is a long-ish pastry filled with savoury minced meat. But then he saw an actual sausage wrapped in pastry! Guess what, he picked that one. Shit. Lucky I'm not a real Aussie, so I don't have any shame. Even worse, since I have been turned into a plain Jane guy in the past year, I don't put tomato sauce on mine and didn't introduce this to him either. Putain..

Ok, back to the story, I go through my day as per usual, working away, I believe I was on my last day too, so I don't really mind too much about work, just handing over outstanding tasks to my back-to-back metallurgist. Gave Jason a brief 3-hour plant tour (yes, I know. It was only half the plant), as soon as we got back, and planned to drop him off at his accommodation and planned to go for dinner at Paddy's. I checked my email on my phone. Saw the email. I couldn't believe what I read. Is it real? I wanted to scream. I didn't. I still don't think I will take the offer. You might wonder why? Well, because I freakin don't know how I will fund myself to pay for the whole tuition. It is a whoopfuckin 103,000 pound sterling. But this is too good to be true. 

I got accepted into a Global Executive MBA program at Cambridge Judge Business School!! What on earth did I do to be able to get into such a prestigious program, let alone the second-oldest, one of the most recognised universities in the world!?

Well, I applied to the program without much expectation, really. I know I won't be the most experienced person among the candidates, yet I still applied. I reached out to the admission team, sent my resume to ensure that I got a chance to get into the program. I have 8 years of experience in total. And this was enough to be considered. The essay part. I have got a template from my unsent Stanford MBA application I started in 2024. It was not too hard to 'tell me about yourself' part. But the motivation to get into an MBA was tricky. I know what I want. To get into a business/commodity valuation role, either in IB, a resources company or a valuation role within a VC. 

Being made redundant from BHP in 2024 has pushed me to action and realise what I want to do next. I like being in a technical role. I just moved to a pure engineering role. Yet, as a human being, I have never been satisfied. Looking back, I always want to prove to myself that I can do hard things. Things that people thought I wouldn't be able to do. I wasn't always the smartest, yet I'm not afraid to dream high. got into one of the best public high schools at the time, got into the best university in Indonesia, moved to Australia, completed two degrees from Indonesia and UQ, got into a technical role with BHP, and now starting my GEMBA journey with Cambridge Judge.

I told Jason. I am going to the UK to study for an MBA. He looks happy for me, but I have just known him for a few days (met him at an NSR Metallurgy Conference a few days back in Perth), his reaction wasn't that enthusiastic. Perhaps because I am quite awkward in social situations as well, with my lack of confidence, I don't like sharing my successes/achievements with people. Tall poppy syndrome, I believe. Anyway, at that time, I didn't think I would do the program because of the money part. And I also already started my MBA study this year with UWA first, then transferred to AGSM. I was completing my Strategy course at the time. And AGSM is an excellent school. But the downside is that the program does not align with my intention to move to Europe. I know Australia is one of the best countries for mining, but I would like to challenge myself further! Europe sounds nice, I have been there three times in the past 5 years! I love the continent, I want to live there, but with excellent work, I love money, it gives me the freedom to choose whatever I want to do in life. So my target is to enjoy life by living in Europe and in a high-value role with excellent remuneration. This will be the next challenge for me after my MBA.

I forgot to mention about Executive Assessment. I needed to pass this.. and at that time, my test was scheduled for the 2nd of November. So basically, I wasn't fully in yet, and the offer was conditional (with 9 condition points!). At this time, I did my first test when I was visiting Indonesia back in September, and I failed my first test miserably. I only got 144 overall. The main issue is that I took the test online without considering internet speed in Jakarta is slower than in Kalgoorlie. I didn't study much for my second EA test. I took a different approach as I believe I have studied hard enough for the first test, the mistake was that I did it in a less than optimal environment, and I needed to wee the whole time I am doing the test. I reviewed the material just for the last 4 days before the exam and I did not study at all the day before, but I went for a run and F45 instead. I remembered someone said to me excercise is just as important as studying. You cant keep yourself stagnant forever and expect your brain to perform. Long story short, the test went well and I got the score required! 153. What. This was like universe is telling me, I need to go to Cambridge - you passed the EA, which I thought was impossible, you really need to take the opportunity, or you will regret it! Money will come back later, I need to invest in myself at the best programme so here I am. Doing the course.

After thinking about the opportunity cost, sunk cost I will incur by leaving AGSM, Cambridge seems to be a logical option.

That's it for tonight!

In the next post, I will talk about my experience so far, my expectations, thought about my future classmates, Cambridge, Judge Business School, and St Edmund's (my college at Cambridge)! This is just like Gryffindor in Harry Potter. 

Catch you all next time!

UWA Macroecon

12 July 2025

 I feel behind.

I have an extroverted side, yet I enjoy spending time alone. I love my alone time.

I feel:

I have a lot of things to do, with so little time.  

down, because I feel behind.

I need to catch up on some seminars, lectures, notes, and exam practices, yet finding the motivation is difficult.

I have high expectations for myself, and I know I need to prepare for exams every day. It's only 5 days away.

I need to cook, prepare for the week ahead. Finding the right recipe plan has been difficult.

Being inspired to do things has been difficult, too.

Hier, aujourd'hui et demain.

 Bonjour,

Les gens. aujourd'hui, sans plus marquee 6 mois depuis j'ai déménagé a partir de Melbourne a Kalgoorlie. 

Ma vie est change, j'attandais une nouvelle routine. 

Keeping myself accountable; being hard enough to myself, but not too hard. Yet not letting myself loose and being too soft. Finding the right balance to get to my full potential and able to do the routine repetitively in the long run without getting myself burnt out. I guess, understanding myself better is the key. listen to my gut more, knowing when to push through hard, and also know when to slow down and take a little (or as long as what my body/soul need for a) break.

ok that's pretty much what I have been thinking in the past few weeks.

Let's continue in the next post !

Embracing, actively seeking discomfort and being open to new ideas and perspectives (23 March 2024)

 Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

Hi people. The audiences, I believe no one reading this anymore so I am writing for my publicly published life diary. 

Life update, I have moved away from Melbourne, the city I have lived in since 2016. I have been living in Kalgoorlie for the past 3 weeks and so far enjoying it (half of this is a lie). 8 years ago, I came to Melbourne carrying over a heavy burden/trauma that I am still recovering from. I will most likely never get over of this trauma, the invisible scar will permanently there. Without getting into too much detail, it was on accepting myself and being my total self. Until this second I am still neither 100% accepting who I am nor knowing who I really am as an existing human being. It is a journey I am taking and will take my whole life if I may. We are not in a rush, I am enjoying the progress and every steps life offer. In the past year, the journey got intensified and I have been seeking of who I am. two hours ago I saw photos of myself before I moved to Melbourne, and I looked happier, more relaxed and did not take life too seriously. My 7 years in Melbourne, I was living life too safely, avoiding pains, discomfort, staying away from the real world really. I was still growing, but seems my personal awareness was reversing backward. I was lost. being in relationship did not help as I was too focusing on the other person and shaping my future based on what I think my partner wants, neglecting my own needs and built a fortress around my feelings not even myself can access them anymore. the past year I was trying to know who I am and embracing myself much more. being kind and honest to everyone.

Why have I moved to Kalgoorlie? A mining town 700 km away from Perth, far, far away from Melbourne. I want to move away from Melbourne, anywhere I can get away to be myself, be independent.

I have been missing Melbourne in the past week. I miss my tennis mates, my other tennis mates from Victennis, my pilates classes, my routine, and my "past 7 years of life" that I left behind. Being back in contact with my ex does not help either. I detest this feeling of unknown, something I cannot control, putting my feelings on the line again to the same person who have caused my intense suffering, unbearably distressing situation last year. I would rather die, I said to myself that time. But then I know I am a resilient person, some says I am stubborn, I want to look what life can offer me beside this relationship bullshit. I am extremely furious about the situation and I needed to channel the energy to something beneficial for myself. I tried meditation and it does helped on my view to life. I let go most of the negative feelings and use the rest to push myself harder to get better life. Then I know I want to do much better in life, be independent and get my life goals sorted and start to work on them. I forgot I have ambitions in life. I forgot to be competitive and reach my goal. I forgot to live life.

If I am being frank to myself, I moved to Melbourne mainly for a boy/man. I do love the city but it was not the wisest move to get my career started there. Melbourne is not known as the place for engineers to start their career. People moved to rural towns to do so. I have been thinking about the "what if" lately. Anyway, I am being outside of my comfort zone now. Living in a new town, does not know anyone except one person. Far away from the hustle and bustle of a city, it does bother me a bit. I quite like walking by myself in the crowd, but then thinking about it, I was also alone there. It was more like alone together. I do feel a bit lonely here. Work has been quite taxing with the long hours, but it is very much interesting and I do have goals I want to achieve career wise in the next couple of years. I know I can get through this. I just need to embrace the discomfort and grow better.

This is just a beginning, I will keep working on my dream. Own that house I have been dreaming of in Melbourne. Open that hybrid pastry shop/cafe/bookshop I always wanted to own, keep challenge myself and do what other people think I cannot do. It gives me extra motivation to reach my dream when people do not think I can do certain things or it is unreasonable. I am being stubborn but I still listen and take notes on what I can improve. I value people being honest with me on how I goes, as temporary discomfort is much better than never knowing where/what I can improve.

Bonne nuit mes amis. Je te verrai le prochaine fois. J'adore parle français, mais ma vocabulaire n'est pas beacoup encore. Peut-être a mon prochaine article, je peux poster en français. J'adore mon nouvelle vie a nouvelle ville.

Bisous xx

5th August 2023

 My family is here in Melbourne, and they are going back tomorrow. My ex just texted me this evening, said that he know my family is here and wished me to enjoy my time with my family. He just dropped of several boxes of most of my belongings, as it would be helpful for me being packed up and delivered them and help him to tidy up as well.

This does confuses me what is actually in his mind? Why he takes months to do return my stuffs? I know I should have done take my belongings earlier, but I was not 100% sure if I want to end this relationship with him even though I know in the end he cheated on me. I still believe in him. Does this this mean he is over me?

Life is tough, I need to hang on and move forward. I do still think of him everyday, hard to admit it. I do want to move on, but part of me still holding on to the past, does not want to let it go. What we had was real, I know I was not being my best version for years, but I am capable of being better, I am working on this everyday. Thinking about where should I live is also daunting as I cannot live at his relative's house forever, but also I need to consider the financial aspect of living by myself. Being an adult (gay asian man) in a foreign country is tough, but challenge is a privilege and I live in this beautiful country which accepting me of who I am, even though I can still feel that I can be discriminated by my looks or my sexuality. I will make these as my fuel to be a better and successful person. I know I do not want to be stuck here, we will see where the future brings.