Experiencing the Unexpected (I)

The first three weeks of my graduate program at Penn are full of wonderful and stressful surprises. I am mixing them in the next few blogs to help you visualize some of those moments for me and feel the ups and downs I've experienced...

My Cohort - 

       This is one of the most diverse, collaborative, caring, genuine, and passionate groups of people I have ever been part of. We represent different ethnic and cultural groups, come from various stages of life (some straight from undergraduate programs, some with a few years of work experience, and others still working full-time while studying part-time at GSE), bring in unique academic and professional experiences, and share the SAME passion for education. Pretty awesome, isn't it? 

In Front Of the Constitution Hall
with Some Cohort Members the Day Before Orientation

        However, just before my husband and I started our journey here, I was having mixed feelings: I felt very thankful that my husband would come with me at the sacrifice of giving up his job in Wisconsin; I  was very excited to be able to soon dive into the new learning environment at Penn, a place that I had been longing for for a long time; yet I was also very sad about leaving my job, my colleague and students, all the other friends that we had grown very close to, and the place that we were very familiar with. All of these feelings reminded me of my first time coming over to the U.S. as an international student to pursue a bachelor's degree: I was nervous about making new friends in a brand new place, wasn't sure how long it would take me to get comfortable in the new environment, and had doubt about the stability of relationships that were built in this fast-paced society. Even though it wasn't a cross-continent journey this time, it was still a cross-country experience, and to me, a feeling of my second time "studying abroad."

       Well, both my husband and I were pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to bond with everyone in my cohort after all. I didn't think that we even tried hard to, and yet had already been well connected with them before school started. The day before our Orientation, a Facebook invitation was sent out to everyone in our program about our start-off gathering. My husband was also invited, which I was very grateful for. Our smart phones (actually my husband's and colleagues') got us connected at the Reading Terminal Market where we met some members for the first time and enjoyed a wonderful meal with one another. Following dinner, we all went for a two-hour self-guided tour around Center City where we continued to bond and get to know each other. That night ended with another two-hour game-playing activities at Katie's apartment, leaving everyone assured that this was going to be a fantastic year with one another.

        The first three weeks are now over. Our friendship continues to grow. We haven't spent much time playing games at all, but have definitely been meeting each other for study groups or casual chats to encourage and de-stress one another. This is a group of people who not only care about one another within the cohort, but also reach out to others like my husband, which to me meant so much more!

        Every one at GSE has been emphasizing the importance of collaborative learning with one another. On Orientation day, Dean Andy Porter encouraged all of us to look beyond the end of our nose, and to make an intentional effort to learn from faculty and our cohort members. Our Assistant Dean Lois MacNamara reminded us to be considerate, open-minded, and respectful toward one another. Some alumni at the Student Panel also shared their experiences of building a culturally inclusive community during their study at GSE, and inspired us to go out of our way to leave a legacy.With the school's deep commitment to creating a mutual learning environment and my cohort's genuine support for one another, I have no doubt that it is going to be an amazing year, despite the bumps I will hit (wait, actually have hit). *More on my bumps in the next blog...

This scene by the South Street reminds me of part of Confucius' Analects:

"When I walk along with two others, I regard them as my teachers." (三人行必有我师）

To me, I am very blessed to have all of these wonderful cohort members as my teachers. :)