iConverse
By: Stephanie Fang
I haven’t met anyone crazy enough to attend four different universities, in four different countries, in less than three years. The more I travel, the more I see, and the more I experience, I realize that what is most important is a good pair of shoes. Without a good pair of shoes, it’s nearly impossible to see what this world has to offer.
White High-Tops
My story begins with my first pair of Converses – a white pair of high-tops. While wearing these white Converse, I travelled to New York for a visit. While walking around the city and seeing all the of the sights, I hoped that one day, my trusty Converses would lead me back to New York as a successful woman. It was at this moment that I finally decided what my calling in life was. I wanted to do venture capital and consulting for new startup companies.
White Classics
My white high-tops began to wear and it was time for a new pair of shoes. My mother took me to the store and I picked out a white pair of Converse Classics. Soon enough, I found myself in China. It was in my white classics that I toured Hong Kong and the rest of China and discovered what my culture meant to me. It was in Hangzhou, peering at West Lake from Leifeng Pagonda that I realized my identity. Although I am Taiwanese, Chinese culture is very important to me.
Grey Classics
From my white classics, I switched to my Grey Classics as I headed over to Washington D.C. with Deloitte and United Way for a volunteering project. In the nation’s capital, I worked with high school seniors in low-income areas, encouraging them to consider college as an option for their futures. While I shared my experiences in college with them, they shared their life stories with me. The troubles they live through on a daily basis, I cannot even begin to imagine. It was really a wonderful experience and I discovered the importance of philanthropy.
Black Classics
From grey classics, I switched to Black Classics as I took my adventures to Europe – Prague and Austria. With a goal in sight, and a new sense of worth through philanthropy, I had been trudging forward relentlessly and I needed a break. With my black classics, I travelled and took time off to discover what the world had to offer.
Red Classics
After a nice break in my black classics, I have headed over to Sydney, Australia where I’m starting the next part of my life in Red Classics. I always thought I would be forever sporting Converse that were gray, black or white – never a another color, let alone bright red. Studying in Sydney is full of adventure. I’ve been doing many things that I would never have thought of doing before such as swimming with sharks, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and sitting on a cliff enjoying the ocean view below. It’s time to push life to the limits.
Let’s see where my Converse take me. The world is full of surprises and lessons to learn – I Converse, do you?
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