This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Shanghai. And while my mind was preoccupied with the exciting prospect of being in a new city, learning and growing from this month of exploration, there was still a nagging hesitation in my heart.
I would be totally alone in a country I hadn’t visited in five years; somewhere I no longer knew how to exist in. I wouldn’t know my roommates’ names until I asked them in person, and I had no idea if there would be a single student in the program I could get along with.
But the reality is this: I met my soulmates in Shanghai. Every one of my worries were null, because I somehow found myself with a group of girls I can’t imagine life without now. Maybe it was because we knew we only had a month together and may never see each other again, but there was something in the air when we were together. Something like a soothing balm that allowed us to open up and spill secrets we’ve hardly told anywhere else, something almost tangible and magical.
This is my thank-you letter to them. They have truly given me a summer I will never forget.
Maya —
I first saw you when I walked into our classroom and held the door for you. I thought you were beautiful and had an impeccable fashion taste. I was horribly nervous that first day, and I cannot thank you enough for talking to me. It amazes me how one moment of eye contact — just a stranger holding the door for another stranger — led to the bond we had. From matching our outfits, going to the club or karaoke to dance and sing regardless of how crazy we looked, to renting a studio to learn choreography together, I cannot believe I found someone who matched my energy so well. I miss you and I often think about the insane life stories you spilled in that Hangzhou hotel room. Please come to New York one day and let me baffle you with how much everything costs here.
Yunci —
I met you at the Bund, when a group of our classmates went there together. I’m so sorry I thought you were Australian and not British, and that I spelled your name wrong for a whole week. I first got to know you when you came over and got everyone talking about their love lives. Something about you is so kind and genuine and easy to open up to. You also usually come off quite composed, but the night in Hangzhou when we went up to the roof in our pajamas to goof around with Maya is one of my fondest memories. You and your Gudetama-themed deck of cards was one of the biggest reasons why we all became so close. Thank you for teaching us how to play Cambio and letting me slap you when playing Egyptian Rat Screw. I’ll miss hunting for the best douhua and egg tarts with you; they will always make me think of you.
Jessica —
You were my flatmate and the third person I met. You were really shy at first and I wasn’t sure if I’d have the chance to get to know you, but I am so glad you opened up because our group was not complete without you. You had this subtle sense of humor that made me feel so warm. Thank you for dancing with me at the jazz bar — that is one of my favorite memories with you. We were really feeling down on the last day when everyone had left and it was just us, but I am glad you left before me so that you didn’t have to sit alone in that empty apartment. You are the one person that I can easily visit and it’s insane to think we both grew up in Queens, so I’m looking forward to seeing you soon and often.
Nell —
You were my flatmate and the second person I met. We decided to get dinner together that first day and accidentally stumbled across the premiere of Jurassic World: Rebirth. We stood there for nearly two hours, feeling incredulous and very sweaty, until Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey were suddenly in front of us. I said to you that I don’t know how anything would top that moment. But in the month to come, you would give me so many memories to hold even dearer. You are truly someone who feels deeply and I thank you for never holding it back.
Earlene —
I am so glad you interjected yourself into Maya’s and my conversation; having you two with me that first day meant I could take a full breath and calm my heart. Thank you for your magical ability to find the best restaurants (with the best deals). The hours-long talk that you, Maya and I had in that restaurant with the incredible squirrel fish was the first of many deep talks we had, and the first time I realized I could trust you girls with everything. I miss you and your hilarious impressions of the guys in our classes. I hope you had an amazing time in Malaysia with Maya a few weeks ago — I wish I could’ve been there.
Thank you to my girls. I love you, I miss you. We will see each other again.
Harmony Liu is a junior from Queens, N.Y. studying English.
