Well everyone, this experience has finally come to an end and I made it home safely. It was absolutely amazing to participate in this program and I learned a lot. I have so many people to thank for this amazing experience. First I should thank STEP for helping me pay for this experience, I’m not sure if I would have been able to afford it without this funding. Then I should thank Jian Laoshi and the rest of the Chinese Department, without him and the department this program would have never happened. I should also thank Jia Laoshi, who took her summer and decided to go to Suzhou China to teach us. I also want to thank all of my friends and family for their support throughout this whole process. Finally, and most importantly I should thank my parents, but not just for this Suzhou program, but for so many more things. They have always been there for me. They encouraged me to take risks, capitalize on opportunities, to learn from mistakes, and let me make my own decisions and supported me when I did. Going into my freshman year of high school, I decided to take a Chinese language course. My parents encouraged me to explore all the opportunities that it could offer, and it has led to wonderful experiences and adventures. Without their support, love , and encourage, I would have never been able to participate in a program like this.
Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this program a reality and have supported me along the way.