Hometown and Country: Johannesburg, South Africa
Most Recent Employee and Job Title: Google (Mountain View, California), Global Process Manager
How did studying business in Spain enrich your learning experience? I really enjoyed studying together with my classmates from all over the world. When I was choosing a business school, I was considering between programs in the US and Europe. IESE’s cohort diversity became a major selling point for me. I wanted to be in a place where I could learn from people with completely different experiences in life while also sharing my own perspective.
Being at IESE I also had the opportunity to learn through the case method which gave me many opportunities to express those views through the lens of education. This experience made the study intellectually and personally enriching.
What has been the most difficult transition to living in Spain so far? What did you do to overcome this problem? I think I underestimated how difficult it would be to live in a country where I couldn’t speak the local language. There were many times when I felt scared if I didn’t have my phone as a translator.
Over time, I took it upon myself to learn and adapt. Thankfully IESE offers Spanish language classes alongside the MBA program which I took advantage of. My confidence grew over time.
Which school service has been most helpful in the transition to living in Spain? How did it help you adjust? Beyond the Spanish language learning service, the student clubs were instrumental in helping me feel included. Having people with the same values, interests, or the same upbringing made me less lonely during times of homesickness or adjustment.
Through the Startup and Entrepreneurship team, I explored business ideas and met my current founders for our startup, Loop and Loom, a tech-enabled fashion design company. IESE Africa Business Club has also been important in connecting me with African alumni and looking for job opportunities across Europe.
What has been the most interesting cultural nuance of people living in Spain? How did this strike you? One of the things that struck me the most about living in Spain is the people’s amazing ability to enjoy life. Coming from San Francisco, where everything moves fast, the slow pace felt strange at first.
People take time to enjoy the little things. You see families gathered in public spaces and children playing while parents sit nearby drinking coffee. Barcelona is a vibrant city that reflects the warmth and hospitality of the Catalan people.
Are you looking for a Visa to work in Spain after graduation? If so, what obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them? Yes. I want to work and live in Spain. One of the biggest challenges is finding companies that work mainly in English, as many jobs require fluency in Spanish.
I also want to find opportunities different from my experiences in Finance. My goal is to build and scale businesses that create technology, business, and community.
What did you do to make it easier to make friends with people from outside your country at business school? Joining clubs is one of the easiest ways to connect in the community. Whether it’s the gym, running club, or hiking, shared activities make it easier to build friendships.
I also participated in IESE’s Summer Entrepreneurship Experience, a program designed to help students start businesses in Barcelona. It pushed me to overcome my fear of saying “Spanish is broken” because the success of our startup depended on it. During the 10-week event, I spoke with many locals in the sewing industry, some of whom I still speak to today and consider friends.
What piece of advice would you give to an international student looking to study in a Spanish graduate business program? Be open to stepping outside your comfort zone. My view, as a South African, is that I am already making a big difference by pausing my job to continue my education abroad, to take every opportunity to grow.
Doing my MBA at IESE has been one of the best decisions of my life. When I think about who I was at the beginning of the program, I feel proud of how I challenged myself. Anything important requires us to push beyond fear and rise to meet our potential and I’ve been able to do that here.
DON’T MISS: 2026 MBAS ABROAD: LIVING AND STUDYING ACROSS EUROPE
© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced, rewritten or distributed in any form without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poet & Quants, please submit your request HERE.
#MBAs #Khanya #Modipa #IESE #Business #School
