Making Friends, Middlebury Style

I'm about 85% introverted.

Or at least that is what my Myers-Briggs personality test tells me.

But what exactly does this mean?

Well, when in new situations, meeting new people does not necessarily give me energy. In fact, people often can be pretty exhausting. Those few hours alone in my room every day are much needed. I know most extroverts cannot grasp this concept (Lauren Bliss :), but hey that's okay. Both types of people are much needed in this world.

But here at Middlebury, there's an added twist to meeting people and spending time together: It's all in Chinese.

So combine my introverted tendencies with the challenge of Chinese and you could say I've slowly been making friends.

But this week reminded me that when I risk putting myself out there, it is often worth it. I've seen God in so many people this summer, but here are just a few new friends I've made:

1) 汪雅琦 and 贺静雯 (Two girls in the picture above)

I met both of these second-year students the first night at an ice cream social. A room was filled with a bunch of people I didn't know, and I was all alone to fend for myself. Introvert's worst nightmare. But I decided to approach 贺静雯 and 汪雅琦. And the rest is history. Both Middlebury College students, they have showed me the ropes and even took me swimming today. I so appreciate their inclusiveness and encouragement.

2) 邱老师 (Second-Year Male Teacher)

In the first few weeks, most students, including myself, are scared to talk to teachers outside of class. Every sentence is a test. But 邱老师 and I instantly connected. I decided to talk with him on numerous occasions, and even try to find the words in Chinese to describe my future aspirations. His carefree spirit and never-ending humor remind me that my teachers are also my biggest cheerleaders.

3) The Janitor

I haven't said more than three words to the third-floor janitor, but she makes me smile each time I see her. Obviously only able to speak English, she is not allowed to converse with us when she cleans. But she always has the biggest smile and has put Google Translate to good use. I get a proud "Ni Hao" each time I see her. This reminds me how powerful languages are. People really just want to get to know you or be able to connect, and when they can use your language to do that, it can be incredibly special.

So that's all I have this week: 汪雅琦, 贺静雯, 邱老师, and the janitor. But it's been an encouraging past few days, and I'm starting to get the hang of making friends, Middlebury style.