Tuesday, April 28, 2015

A Very Successful Night!

They say all you really need is good food and good company, in regards to this evening- I must say I agree. After a short car trip to the BART Station, my mother and I quickly found the rest of the cohort, Don, Ms. Kronenberg, and our chaperone Ms. Neal. Introductions took place and some of the details of the event were gone over. It was really nice to meet the rest of the cohort and get to know them better.

While waiting for the train, I spoke a little with Gabrielle, Erin, and Esme and we took a few pictures. The BART train wasn't too crowded, and my mother and I talked with Erin's mom for the duration of the trip. I was a bit nervous about speaking later but I didn't want that to stop me from enjoying the evening.

It was a short trek from the station to One Market in San Francisco, but I was already starting to regret my decision to wear heels. One Market was beautiful, and we quickly got escorted to our room. Alums and sponsors started arriving soon after, along with the hors d'oeuvres. I had a few of the boneless chicken wings and a mushroom risotto bite- both of which were absolutely delicious! Komal, Erin, and I got the chance to the speak with Jonathan Speed a Brown alum class of '84. Conversation was free flowing and very interesting, we talked about summer plans and school subjects we liked. We were also joined by Mike Terry- a sponsor, as we discussed Scandinavian food and Brown University.

After finding our seats I was pleased to find myself sitting next to Alice Pineiro a Brown alum- who had also been one of the people who interviewed me when I first applied to the program. Others at the table included my mother, Diana, her father, and Simon Hong another Brown alum class of '05. Ms. Kronenberg went over some of the logistics of the night, and before I knew it- it was time for my speech. It went by smoother than I thought it would- although at times I did not feel incredibly articulate. Mr. Speed then gave a very informing speech about Brown, which was followed by Ms. Pineiro's very heartfelt one.

The company was great, I enjoyed it very much. I received invaluable advice from Simon and Alice, and the conversations were great. I very much enjoyed talking to Diana, and hearing about her personal life story as I found it similar to my own. We talked about cricket, school, soccer, and a plethora of other topics. I found myself laughing and having a great time. The food- by the way was also incredible. I had ordered the beef short rib, which was just the right amount of tender, and the creek caeser salad was also delicious. Dessert included sorbets with flavors I did not quite recognize- but were delicious all the same.

After dinner, Simon introduced me to Donna Chung a Brown alum of '12 who is currently teaching at the same elementary school me and my siblings attended. After promising to visit, Don positioned all of the students and alumni for a photo and before we knew it- it was time to leave. We returned to the BART station and after a very packed ride home, during which I got to talk to Don and Ms. Kronenberg, we said our goodbyes. My father was waiting for us in the parking lot, and my poor, aching feet and I returned home after a very successful night.

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