I’m currently sitting on a plane from Dubai to Saigon with 9 other members of my DukeEngage crew. We’re all watching movies, staying awake to build up sleep deprivation (our strategy for beating jetlag) after a night out in Dubai and a previous 16 hour flight. Last night, we visited the biggest mall in the world (it was surprisingly crowded for 10PM on a Tuesday during Ramadan), which had the biggest glass panel aquarium in the world, and beautiful views of the tallest building in the world. A lone random tourist took our picture then asked to take a picture with us (it was weird, he made absolute sure he was standing between the only two girls in our group). We took incredibly cheap taxis and crashed back at our hotel at around 12 or 1AM, only to wake back up for a 5:30AM shuttle to the airport. And this was only the layover.
I’ve heard from past DukeEngagers that this is going to be the best summer of our lives. In recent years, we’ve been hearing things like that a lot: college is going to be the best time of your life; you are about to enter the best years of your life; etc. In the past, I’ve never really believed it. How can something be the “best” when there are so many obstacles and difficulties that seem to compound on each other as we enter the so-called real world?
But when I hear that this will be the best summer of my life, that cynicism somehow disappears and I actually believe it. I’m not exactly sure why—maybe it’s because of the insane enthusiasm past DukeEngagers have expressed, maybe it’s the chemistry my group has undeniably already established, maybe it’s because we’re too lucky to have gotten this opportunity to feel anything but over-the-top excited. I know that like all other supposed “bests,” this summer will be challenging, but I’m incredibly excited to face those challenges.
I hope to grow close with my roommate, I hope to love my students and teach them something, and I hope I don’t offend or hurt the community I am trying to help. Above all, I hope to make an impact through personal connections and cultural exchanges. I know that those connections and exchanges will impact me.
I can’t describe the feeling of excitement and anticipation that I have right now, 35,000 feet above somewhere in India, looking out over a bright blue sky with puffy clouds, having just watched a really satisfyingly feminist movie, listening to an epic John Williams/Hans Zimmer playlist, knowing I’ll be in Saigon in exactly 3 hours and 23 minutes. Even if this isn’t the best summer of my life, even if it falls short, I still am so thankful to DukeEngage for giving me this faith that it will be. You can’t beat this feeling.
I’ve heard from past DukeEngagers that this is going to be the best summer of our lives. In recent years, we’ve been hearing things like that a lot: college is going to be the best time of your life; you are about to enter the best years of your life; etc. In the past, I’ve never really believed it. How can something be the “best” when there are so many obstacles and difficulties that seem to compound on each other as we enter the so-called real world?
But when I hear that this will be the best summer of my life, that cynicism somehow disappears and I actually believe it. I’m not exactly sure why—maybe it’s because of the insane enthusiasm past DukeEngagers have expressed, maybe it’s the chemistry my group has undeniably already established, maybe it’s because we’re too lucky to have gotten this opportunity to feel anything but over-the-top excited. I know that like all other supposed “bests,” this summer will be challenging, but I’m incredibly excited to face those challenges.
I hope to grow close with my roommate, I hope to love my students and teach them something, and I hope I don’t offend or hurt the community I am trying to help. Above all, I hope to make an impact through personal connections and cultural exchanges. I know that those connections and exchanges will impact me.
I can’t describe the feeling of excitement and anticipation that I have right now, 35,000 feet above somewhere in India, looking out over a bright blue sky with puffy clouds, having just watched a really satisfyingly feminist movie, listening to an epic John Williams/Hans Zimmer playlist, knowing I’ll be in Saigon in exactly 3 hours and 23 minutes. Even if this isn’t the best summer of my life, even if it falls short, I still am so thankful to DukeEngage for giving me this faith that it will be. You can’t beat this feeling.