#3.From Village to Barcelona: A Mother's MBA Journey with a Two-Year-Old Son

Hello, I'm Mei.
I've just graduated from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
(You can find my profile here)

Before studying abroad, I struggled with the conflict between pursuing an MBA and my life plan, feeling the challenges that women face when attempting an overseas MBA journey. However, upon enrolling at IESE, I encountered many "MBA moms" and realized that the world offers diverse paths and joys that I hadn't known before.
Up until now on Note, I've shared my own experiences in forms like "Maternity Retrospectives" and "Parenting Diaries". Wanting others to know about the variety of forms available, I decided to interview the wonderful "MBA moms" around me.

For the third interview,  I had the joy of speaking with Ying, an IESE classmate known for her radiant smiles and positive energy. Always cheerful, Ying has an infectious optimism that lifts up those around her.
What makes her story especially remarkable is that she pursued her MBA in Spain while raising her two-year-old son on her own, with her husband working in China. Despite the inevitable challenges of solo parenting, Ying never let it show—she remained upbeat, driven, and consistently dedicated. In class, she was often seen in the front row, fully engaged and contributing thoughtfully to discussions.
In this interview, Ying opens up about how she navigated the demands of business school and motherhood, what kept her motivated, and how she found strength in her journey.

About Ying

Originally from China, Ying majored in Journalism at university and went on to build her career as an HR specialist.
In 2022, she gave birth to her son, and the following year, she enrolled in the MBA program at IESE Business School in Spain.
During the first year of the program, she studied in Spain, living alone while apart from her family in China. In the second year, she returned to Spain with her son and began balancing life as both a student and a mother.
She completed her MBA in May 2025.

Q1. Can you tell me a little about your family and what your childhood was like?

I grew up in a rural area in China with three younger siblings—two sisters and one brother. I’m the first person in my family to attend university, as my parents are farmers who didn’t have the opportunity to pursue further education due to China’s historical circumstances. After middle school, it was very difficult for them to continue their studies.

From a young age, I was told that if I wanted to change my life, I had to study hard and use education as a path forward. In China, if you pass the national college entrance exam, you can choose universities based on your score. This means that no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you have a chance to study in the biggest cities. In high school, I set my sights on Shanghai. So after taking the entrance exam, I listed only universities in Shanghai on my application.

What made this journey possible was the support I received from an educational NGO in China during high school. I was selected for their program because of my high academic performance after middle school and because I came from a rural area with multiple siblings. They provided free tuition, accommodation, and monthly living expenses. This foundation also helped me connect with other students from similar backgrounds when I moved to Shanghai, allowing us to build our own community in the big city.

Q2. What made you decide to pursue an MBA?
When did you first start considering this path?

The idea of pursuing an MBA was sparked during university when the foundation introduced us to MBA students from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) as mentors to help us practice oral English. This provided my first exposure to what an MBA entails and why people pursue it.

The real motivation came during my internship at a Shanghai office of a US chemical company. I had the opportunity to work with an MBA intern there, and we stayed in touch after the internship. She strongly encouraged me to pursue an MBA, sharing how it had benefited her not only for networking but also for career change. She had joined a leadership program at a Fortune 500 company and explained how such programs are excellent for capability building and promotion.

After her MBA graduation, she relocated to the US headquarters. When she returned to China for a holiday in 2019, we had dinner together, and she earnestly encouraged me to apply for an MBA program. That's when I decided it was time to take action, five years after graduating from university.
I had long harbored a dream of studying abroad, but during university, I believed it required substantial funds and obtaining scholarships was challenging. Being the eldest daughter, I felt a natural responsibility to contribute to my family, so I chose to start working immediately after university. However, the desire to study abroad continued to linger. Hence, I resolved to apply for an MBA program outside of China.

Q3. What was the MBA application process like for you?

Starting in 2019, I began preparing for the GMAT, but it was a very challenging journey. During this time, I met my future husband. Before we started our relationship, I informed him about my MBA plans and the possibility that we might have to be apart for a while. He accepted and supported me throughout the entire preparation process.

In August 2021, I attended a coffee chat with the admission officers and current students from IESE Business School. Prior to this, I had never heard of the school. During the conversation, I felt a strong connection to the atmosphere and the students. I followed up with one-on-one coffee chats with other students from China. The more I learned, the stronger the connection I felt. I submitted my application in December 2021.

Just after submitting my application and while waiting for an interview opportunity, I discovered I was pregnant. I was unsure if I could start the program the following fall, but I decided that if I received an interview invitation, I would complete the entire application process. After all, I had already invested a significant amount of time and resources over the past two years in exam preparation and essay writing.

I had my interview in March 2022. Initially, I was placed on the waiting list, but I continued to demonstrate my strong motivation. Luckily, in May, I had another online interview opportunity with a different admission officer, and finally, I received an offer for the MBA Program starting in fall 2022.
After receiving the offer, I discussed it with the school, and one admission officer recommended that I defer my enrollment. In the end, I deferred my enrollment by one year to fall 2023 so that I could give birth in China and enjoy maternity life, spending time with my son for a year.

Q4. You spent the first year of your MBA program alone, and brought your son with you in the second year. What made you decide to do it that way?

Initially, I didn't want to leave my son in China; I hoped to bring him with me to start my MBA journey at IESE. However, as I learned about the demanding academic requirements and considered the challenges of moving to a new country, I realized it would be difficult.

One option was for either my parents or parents-in-law to come to Barcelona to help care for my son. Unfortunately, neither could make the move abroad. After discussing it with my family, we all agreed that the safest choice was to leave my son in China, where my parents-in-law could take care of him well.
At that time, I reassured myself that since he was just a little baby, he wouldn't fully grasp that his mom was leaving. This provided some comfort. However, as the date of my departure approached, the sadness intensified. I didn't want to leave him, but I also knew how hard-won this MBA opportunity was. Ultimately, I decided to leave him in China, knowing I could visit him during any breaks or holidays.

Q5. What was it like being away from your son during the first year? How did you cope with that time?

It was incredibly difficult. I remember being easily emotional - not just crying, but getting emotional whenever I saw any baby, not only on campus but also on the street. Every time I saw parents with strollers or babies on the bus, it would remind me of my son.

I think it was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced. But soon, when life became busier with all the case readings, assignments, and interview preparations for jobs, it became much better. In addition, After entering school, I made some good friends. Having close people nearby and staying busy helped ease this separation experience.

I made video calls with my son almost every day, and my parents-in-law took care of him very well - they're excellent at it. They created a good routine for him with regular sleeping and eating times, managing his diet with meat, vegetables, and fruits. I really appreciated their support.

After the first term, during Christmas, I went back to China and spent one month there with my son, which made me really happy.

During the Easter holiday, between the second and third terms, I flew back again for three weeks. I requested online permission, and the school allowed me to take classes online for one week, so I could stay longer with him.
(For all classes in the full-time MBA program at IESE, we have to participate in the classroom - there's no online option. But for special occasions, if approved, we can take classes online.)

Q6. In your second year, how did you manage to balance your studies and taking care of your son?

During the Easter holiday in March 2024, I started thinking about bringing my son to Barcelona for the second year, starting in September 2024. 

I knew the second year would be more flexible with elective courses that I could choose based on my schedule and interests. During the first year, I also talked with some students who had come here with their children and had put them in daycare, so I realized it was not impossible.

I had a serious discussion with my husband during Easter break. He asked me several serious questions: "Are you sure you can handle this well? What's your plan?" He wanted to make sure I was very well prepared before bringing our son to Barcelona.

After going back to Barcelona from holidays in China, during the third term, I searched for options, visiting different daycares, hearing from other parent students, and finding a new apartment that was more comfortable for my son. I finally registered for a public daycare for my son, and found a new apartment. I did my summer internship remotely from Shanghai, which allowed me to prepare all the documents for his visa application.

My husband helped me communicate with his parents about this decision. Even though they could understand logically that it was important for the baby to stay with his mom, it was very hard for them to be separated from their grandson, especially after living together for a year.

During the summer, I also trained my son to stop using diapers and eat food by himself, which would be important skills for daycare.
In late August 2024, I came back to Barcelona with my son.

For managing daily life, I used daycare and sometimes a part-time babysitter. When help was needed, I also asked my IESE friends, including Mei, the interviewer for this article, to take care of my son.

But when my son was sick, I had to skip some classes. Maybe a babysitter could have taken care of him, but he needed emotional support from his mom during illness.

The most important thing for me was having very clear priorities - my son was always number one, ahead of everything else. When he needed me the most, I would always be there without doubt, even if it meant missing something else. I accepted this trade-off.

Q7. Were there any particularly challenging moments when balancing your studies and parenting felt especially difficult?

I still remember very clearly one incident last December, before exams. There was a lot of sickness going around, and my son got sick first. He was coughing heavily.

I took him to see the doctor, and he said it was normal coughing and just to observe. But I couldn't sleep well because of his coughing during the nights. After two or three nights of his coughing, I got sick too.

When I had a fever and my son was still sick, I still needed to prepare dinner and take care of him. I also thought about emergency situations - what if I had breathing difficulties or if my fever got much worse? I made a plan in my mind about what I should do and even where I should take my son in case of an emergency. I was also thinking about asking a babysitter or close friends to help.

But fortunately, after I got medicine, my fever disappeared after several hours and I felt much better. I felt that maybe I didn't need help from others.
At that time, I truly felt how challenging it was to be alone with a sick child while being sick myself. But preparing myself mentally to ask for help if the situation had continued gave me some relief.

Q8. What were some of the things you enjoyed doing with your son while living in Barcelona?

There was a student moms' group, and we organized family gatherings frequently. This gave the kids a social community where they could meet new friends and play together, while we moms could also connect with each other.
I really enjoyed going to the beach with my son on weekends - he loves the beach so much. I also went to Sitges, a beach town close to Barcelona, with my classmate Mei and her daughter.

We also enjoyed exploring different parks in Barcelona and discovering new restaurants together. I registered him for swimming classes in February, and after three months, he can swim a little - he can do some floating, jump in the water, and climb out by himself.

Q9. Finally, do you have a message for young women who are currently struggling to balance their personal and professional lives?

I think my first suggestion is that it's very important to get mental support from close family. That's the fundamental thing that made it possible for me to be here now.

My second piece of advice is: don't overthink things. If you know you really want to accomplish something in your life, go for it. Prepare as much as you can, but don't wait until everything is perfect.

If you think too much before you move, you may feel worried about all the details, which puts you in a difficult position and makes you lose the courage to get out of your comfort zone. So just be positive. When you have to face challenges, you have to deal with them at that point, and you may find the solution then. Sometimes you just need to take that leap of faith and trust that you'll figure things out along the way.

Thank you for reading until the end!
Please check out other interview Series.