Dear students,
It was in March 2019 when I flew from Vancouver to Hong Kong to do my job interview at CUHK and I stayed overnight at Lee Woo Sing. I remember arriving at my room, exhausted after a 12-hour flight, looking outside the window and gazing at the view of the mountains and the trees and I thought, Whoa this is such a beautiful campus. In the evening, I had my dinner of char siu and noodles at the cafeteria and walked around. Students were busy preparing for a festival of some sort and were building props, chatting, laughing, dancing and rehearsing different skits. I remember chatting with some of them, and how they were so friendly and warm and made me feel so much at home. And I thought, This is what makes university so special. This sense of community, this kindness.
I slept soundly that evening, and I woke up refreshed and ready to do my interview. I guess it was good enough that it landed me a job and I’m here at CUHK. And this is why there was no question about it that when it came to choosing a college to be affiliated with later on that I knew it had to be here. Lee Woo Sing is a special place, and for me, what makes it special is the people, the community, the kindness, the caring for each other. And I hope you always remember this, when things get tough, when tests and assignments pile up, and you’re only getting two hours of sleep. That in the end, how we treat each other, how we act and speak with kindness is what matters. And that years from now when you go on to do your own job interviews, and find yourself in new buildings and new rooms, that you remember this special place and be kind and brave and hold on to the things that matter.
————————————————————————————————————————————
About Prof. Ron Darvin:
Assistant Professor at the Department of English, joined WS college in 2020. He has a wide range of academic interests, including digital literacies, digital repertoires, online genres, second language acquisition (SLA), translanguaging, unequal Englishes, identity, investment, social class, critical literacy. If you would like to know more about Ron, please visit http://www.eng.cuhk.edu.hk/category/people/academic-staff_rondarvin.php.