EPGY: How do you measure four weeks?

I came to the EPGY program viewing it as a job, nothing more. The first meeting of the counselors at Stanford had left me with a very lukewarm impression, and the administrative issues with the program had been evident from the beginning. However, once you got past those persistent admin problems and the general chaos created because of them (especially during the first two weeks), the EPGY program was much more of an experience than a job, and i think most if not all of the other counselors and i got almost as much out of it as the kids did. Sure it was a job. During the first week, we literally worked from 9am until 11pm, and there was often a stack of papers to grade or research to do for Matt. And the trips to Silk Market did get tedious. Even so, it was definitely the most fun job I have ever had, and I learned a lot about what it's like to be a Chinese high schooler and what it would have been like to be an American high schooler in China without knowing much about the country or language.

Undoubtedly, the group of kids made the program amazing. Sure, integration was difficult at first, and there were more than a few moments when i wanted to knock some sense into a few of them. But by the last week and a half, it was evident that some sense of integration had been achieved and cross-cultural friendships had formed. Still, for me, it was the fun moments spent with the kids that I will remember. There was ping pong and capture the flag, chatting in Starbucks, our weekend addiction to mah jong, Karaoke, "chao er," truth or dare as well as a debate with a few of the Chinese kids - both in Chinese.

Then there were the other counselors/staff members. Working so closely together, even though it was only four weeks, I got to know all of them very well, and I couldn't imagine a better group. There was mafia and poker, fun nights out at hou hai and san li tun, gossiping like high school girls again, and wonderful (and wonderfully silly) conversations. Now we're all going our separate ways - some of us staying in Beijing, others returning to Stanford, others off to Paris and Tokyo - but I hope we'll see each other again some day. At times, the four weeks seemed to last forever, but now that they're over, it seems as if they flew by. I met so many amazing people, both among the kids and the staff members, and I made some great friendships, that I truly hope will continue.