My MBA is in Atlanta. So Why Am I in Paris?

Aaron Fondal 27MBA, Goizueta’s inaugural Global MBA Fellow, is sharing his experiences abroad throughout the school’s new one-year Global MBA program.

After exploring happiness, business, and the Nordic model in Copenhagen, Aaron’s journey has taken him to HEC Paris for a semester-long exchange.

In his latest post, Aaron shares why international study drew him to Goizueta, what it’s like to study finance while living in Paris, and how the experience is shaping his perspective on business, community, and personal growth.

Before business school was even on my radar, I’d already made up my mind that I wanted to live abroad. I practically had bags packed, just waiting to figure out where…and how I would get there. I knew that I wanted to spend enough time somewhere new to learn the pace of everyday life; taking the trains, discovering my favorite cafes, and get to know the rhythms of a new city, a new culture, beyond what you experience as a visitor.

Now, I’m a Goizueta student spending the fall as an exchange student at HEC Paris. I’ve dreamed of calling Paris home for years, and I still find myself grateful for the most ordinary days here.

As Goizueta’s first Global MBA student, I shared my reflections on the Copenhagen module in my first post. This time, I wanted to introduce you to the program that brought me here, why I chose it, and what the experience has been like so far.

First things first, what exactly is Goizueta’s Global MBA?

It’s a one-year MBA with international learning built into the experience. We began our core coursework in Atlanta this summer before traveling to Copenhagen to explore happiness, business, and the Nordic model. From Copenhagen, I went straight to France, where I’m now at HEC Paris for the fall semester, with global immersions in Washington, DC, and Mexico City still ahead. This international dimension was the very reason I applied.

Why was the global aspect so important to you?

My love for international affairs goes back to an elective I took at the University of Georgia called The International Politics of Food. The title immediately caught my attention, and I’ll admit, I was also hoping there might be some free food involved. (Spoiler: there wasn’t even a bite on offer!) But by the end of that very first class, I was so fascinated by the subject that I went straight to my academic advisor and asked to change my major to International Studies.

I’ve been following that curiosity around the world ever since.

I’ve always been fascinated by how the world around us works, why we’ve organized our societies the way we have, and how decisions made by everyone from multinational corporations to neighborhood businesses can shape people’s lives. That curiosity eventually led me to a master’s degree in international relations and work at the State Department, USAID, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, where I worked on development investments across West Africa. I wanted an MBA that would strengthen my business and financial skills while allowing me to continue exploring international affairs and social impact.

When I discovered Goizueta’s proposition, it felt as though it was designed just for me: one year, three continents, and a top-tier MBA education. I was hooked. What I hadn’t anticipated was how much I’d come to appreciate the alumni network and the genuine sense of community. Those are things you can read about on a website, but experiencing them firsthand is something else entirely.

How has HEC Paris compared with Goizueta?

I’ve appreciated experiencing two excellent business schools with different approaches.

At Goizueta, I’ve loved the flexibility to explore courses across disciplines and the collaborative atmosphere of our summer core. The people in my cohort, beside me during core, has always felt like a peer rather than a competitor. That sense of community extends to relationships between students, faculty, and staff, and I’ve certainly missed it while abroad.

At HEC, I’m specializing in finance, and my courses were assigned as a set. Initially, I found that rigidity a little jarring. But I’ve come to appreciate the benefits. Concepts from advanced corporate finance reappear in entrepreneurial finance and structured finance, reinforcing what we’re learning across subjects. It’s demanding, but the way the courses fit together has been especially helpful.

What’s been the most memorable part of living in Paris?

Honestly, and not to sound cliché, I think it’s simply getting to live here! As I mentioned, long before I had a thought in my head about an MBA, I’ve had an admiration for France.

I deliberately chose to live in Paris rather than near HEC’s suburban campus. The trains and I don’t always see eye to eye, but there’s so much to experience here, from art and fashion to conversations about climate and development finance at the OECD down the road. I’ve made wonderful friends and had some of my favorite moments here simply by sitting at a street-facing café terrace or striking up a conversation with someone while waiting for an event to begin. There’s something I love about how an otherwise ordinary afternoon can turn into an unexpected friendship, a wonderful conversation, or an invitation to experience something new. Perhaps this is why I find it so difficult to identify one extraordinary moment, when simply getting to live here has already meant so much to me.

What’s been the most challenging part?

I’ve lived abroad before, but leaving my family, friends, and community in Atlanta is still difficult. Life back home doesn’t stop simply because I’m in France. Between my involvement with Goizueta, the Business & Society Institute, running my foundation, recruiting for U.S. jobs, and a demanding finance specialization, I’m juggling two time zones and four email accounts. It’s a balancing act!

Spending the fall abroad also means missing some in-person recruiting events. My career coach and Goizueta’s Career Management Center have been wonderful in helping me navigate that, but it requires planning.

More than anything, I’ve also had to learn to give myself some grace. Sometimes I need to close my laptop, take my journal to a park, and enjoy the city I’ve wanted to live in for so long. Simply to be present in that moment, and not split across 3 time zones and trying to function in 8 different capacities.

What advice would you give someone considering the Global MBA?

I’d start with curiosity, but also an honest assessment of your circumstances. I have friends in the traditional MBA program who are parents, and spending a semester abroad simply isn’t feasible for everyone. Family, financial, and other responsibilities matter.

Consider what needs you at home, what arrangements you can make before leaving, and whether the trade-offs are manageable. For instance, I knew I could continue running my foundation while abroad because I’d put certain things in place beforehand.

But if you can take an honest look at your circumstances and conclude that you really can make it work, I’d encourage you wholeheartedly to go.

There will almost always be a reason to wait, and sometimes those reasons are entirely legitimate. Other times, though, I think we can talk ourselves out of wonderful opportunities simply because we can’t quite imagine what they’ll look like.

And we let expectations bring us down; you don’t have to fall in love with your host country, return home determined to move abroad permanently, or have some grand, life-changing revelation for the experience to have been worthwhile. You might discover that living abroad isn’t for you, and that’s perfectly fine. You might make a lifelong friend, stumble upon an interest you never knew you had, or find yourself looking at something familiar through an entirely different lens. There’s no telling what the experience will give you, and I think that’s part of its beauty.

I know how much can come from taking that chance on yourself. There’s a special kind of satisfaction in arriving somewhere completely unfamiliar and gradually learning to find your way. Because somewhere along the way, often without even realizing it, you begin to trust yourself a little more. The things that once seemed intimidating become ordinary parts of your day.

You realize that you’re capable of building connections, finding community, and creating a sense of belonging in places you once knew only from photographs or stories.

I think that’s what I’ve always loved most about traveling and living abroad, and what makes this Global MBA experience so meaningful to me. Of course, I’m grateful for the education, the international exposure, and the opportunities to learn from people whose experiences differ from my own. But I’m equally grateful for the chance to keep discovering what the world has to offer, and what I might discover about myself in the process.

Take your MBA beyond borders with Goizueta’s Global MBA. Designed for students who want to immerse themselves in international business, this MBA blends academic rigor, cultural immersion, and real-world experiential learning across multiple continents in just one year.