By Jillian Suprenant
I know last week was technically supposed to be the last blog, but it would be sin if I went through this entire program without acknowledging the amazing people that made it the experience it was.
To my teammates and friends for life -
Alexander, thank you for always verbalizing exactly what I’m thinking. Your dry sense of humor never fails to make me laugh. You’re the first person I’ve met with a similar familial history and I’ve loved all our discussions about family experiences. Thank you for being a consistent source of knowledge about Chinese culture and language. You’re a linguistic genius and I’ve learned so much from you (side note: I 100% would have died in China without your guidance).
Andrew, thank you for being the best co-teacher ever. You are the most patient human I’ve ever met and I seriously would not have survived our extracurricular class without you always being there. I’ve loved getting to know the kind soul that you are and sincerely hope we stay friends for a long time. Forever my favorite soft tofu :’)
Bryant, thank you for all the shared laughs, all the shared frustration, all the shared English classes. You are a light in this world and I am seriously upset I didn’t become friends with you before Duke Engage. Thank you for being someone I know I can always talk to. I hope I can one day mirror your compassion, grit, and realness.
Elizabeth, thank you for being the organizational rock of our group. Our final performance would have crumbled without your oversight. I am going to miss sitting next to you in the office and watching Korean dramas over your shoulder. The maturity you have for your age is unprecedented and I admire you.
Evan, thank you for being my neighborhood buddy and for always walking and taking taxis with me. You’re quiet, but that doesn’t take away from your four superpowers: your humility, your thoughtfulness, your listening ability, and your love for food. Please keep in touch, and please send me all your foodie recommendations!
Jinjie, thanks for being the subject of all my sleeping selfies. Seriously though, thank you for being the derpiest human in the best way possible. You teach me to not take life too seriously which I definitely need to be reminded about often. You are one of the most hard-working students I’ve ever met and I hope you know that any medical school would be lucky to have you. You’re going to do amazing things in life and I wish we had more than one year of shared time together left at Duke.
Karen, thanks for being the best og roomie. I’m so sorry for all the times you entered the room only to find me sobbing on the bed (lol). Thank you for never prying, for all our spontaneous late night discussions, and for kindling my newfound love of milk tea. You are a Chinese dance star and I’m still so impressed by all you were able to accomplish with your extracurricular class this summer.
Kristie, thank you for never ever judging me for all the weird things I say and do. Thank you for participating in many of those weird things. I’ve loved all our inside jokes and random compliment sessions and I’m super bummed about the possibility of you only being at Duke for another semester.
Shelsea, thank you for being my baddie. You have a magnetic personality that emits so much confidence. You value your friends and it shows. I know I can always count on you for much needed vent sessions and I’ve appreciated those conversations so much. Thank you for also for all the ridiculous jokes and giggles. Sorry for bumping into you all the time ;)
Tessa, thank you for being an absolute ray of sunshine. I don’t think I could ever put into words how happy I am that we are finally good friends. Your optimism and kindness are contagious. From the start, you have made me feel welcomed and loved. Thank you for for all the dance fangirl sessions and for being the reason I looked forward to dance rehearsals during this trip. I hope some day I can provide to others all the happiness you have supplied me these past two months.
Wes, thank you for your magical personality. I truly believe you are the reason why our group bonded so much the first week of this program. Your insightful questions have forced me to question and rethink aspects of my life and mindset. Your unending optimism kept the group alive when a lot of us felt down. Thank you for always checking in and supporting me if I ever needed something. I admire the dedication you put into this summer and I hope you are proud of the relationships you fostered.
To our fierce program leaders -
Hsiao-Mei, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this unforgettable experience. To me, you are not only a mentor for this program, but also a mentor for life. Thank you for keeping us in line. Thank you for always thinking of others first. Thank you for being our steadfast support system throughout these past two months. I really hope we made you proud.
Yanan, thank you for being someone I will never stop looking up to. Thank you for being both a physical and emotional guide during this trip. My experience in China would have been very different without your encouragement and insight. I am truly going to miss you and I hope with all my heart that we stay in contact.
To my new family -
妈妈 and 爸爸, thank you for accepting me with open arms into your family. Thank you for protecting me and enriching my life. Thank you for generously taking care of me these past six weeks. You have proven to me that you don’t always need verbal communication to show just how much you love someone. I hope we are able to reconnect next year when you come to America. I would drop anything to be able to see you again. You are my parents on the other side of the world. No distance could ever diminish the amount of gratitude and love I have for you both.
Sunny, you are the most mature 14 year old I have ever met. I have loved getting to know you and truly think of you as a sister. Thank you for translating basically EVERYTHING that was ever said in the house. I wish we had more time together. I really do. I’ve loved discussing cultural differences with you, singing with you, reading books with you, watching movies with you, washing the dishes with you. You work so incredibly hard and I’m so proud of all the progress you have made with your English speaking and understanding abilities. I hope you believe in yourself as much as I do. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and try to remember to have fun every once in a while.
Jessie, I can’t wait to watch you grow up. I wish I could watch that progress happen in person. You have brought me so much joy and I wish miss you always. You reminded me of what it’s like to experience life as a child, full of boundless curiosity, energy, and love. I will miss our hugs, 不懂, 什么, and 什么意思. I hope I made an impact on your life because you have made an incredibly large one on mine.
Love you all. Always.
