‘If every American has a chance to travel to China for a week and vice versa, there wouldn’t be so much misunderstanding between the two peoples.’ I heard this quotation on the welcome ceremony. Since then, I always considered this trip as a privilege to learn about what the world and the people are like on the other side of the ocean. Now, through this trip, I am convinced that the US people are friendly, righteous, and humane.
It is you, the faculty and staff in Georgia Tech, the executives (even those who worked backstage, whose extraordinary effort is all clearly visible) from the language institute, the friends with whom we so quickly got acquainted and so well got along, and the total strangers who waved us hello with a big big smile that form my picture of the nation, the people of the United States of America. Then I hope you do not simply see me and my people as your debt collectors after all…
In those weeks, I have studied and experienced the vivid history and the desperate struggle of different peoples on this continent; I have carefully shaped my skill of serious paper writing and have accomplished the challenging mission of a research; I have conveyed, discussed, argued, and debated on various ethical issues and pondered, reflected, meditated, and contemplated on the discrepancy and the reason of the discrepancy between my country and yours. And many more, yes, many more things have I learnt. To name a few, I learnt about befriending people with different culture and opinions, I learnt about the criterion of respectable scientific conduct, and about always consulting the peers for reference and information.
But even more than that, I have found many real role models to be emulated. Kurt is more than the only male instructor in my ASP courses -- he is a man (I remember Walter Lee was also called that). Shuangyi and I are constantly discussing and admiring his descriptive and stimulative lectures, his inspiring sense of humor, his elegant American pronunciation, his gentle and determined manner, and the most important, his radiant charisma which overwhelms every student like the mighty fall of Niagara and even the poncho would fail. America Study is not yet ended, not until I leave this land, for the US is a place where history come to life. I took photo with Rosa Parks in Madam Tussauds, New York City; I recited Martin Luther King Jr’s famous speech at exactly the place he delivered it; I visited the place the United States born.
And Melisa is not the first writer I have met, but she is so special, and always inspiring and always within reach to help us. Beth is a great teacher; I cherish every second to discuss with her or to have her listen to our discussion. I cannot spare enough space for every loved one, but they are only equally impressive.
But I have to save my last words for Jason, the Electrical Engineer, the Chinese son-in-law, and the jolly good fellow. I know not why he is so willing to dedicate this much to the ASP, however, I was deeply moved. I definitely will try my best to show the same hospitality to him and his CSP group members, for at least I am indebted – and the check is going to be cashed as long as the bank of justice is still running. Hanging out with Jason is not an elective in the ASP, it is compulsory, and you cannot even play truant because Lucas is right there waiting.
I am very happy to return to my beloved country, my beautiful Tianjin University, and I cannot wait for the Chinese delicacies; yet I am melancholy to say goodbye to Georgia Tech, I feel so hard to say farewell to the US. Will this experience haunt me in my dreams? I suppose so.
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