Dear Hanh,
What you have brought to the English department will be hard to replace:
Panache, spunk & highly inappropriate Gifs and memes!
We will miss your effervescence & gallows humour
We will miss your «Don't mess with me bucko!» attitude
We will even miss the clacking sound of your wheelie suitcase on the cloister cobblestones!
You have always brought a pop of colour to Riverside, and as Holly so aptly put it: your ability to coordinate your outfits as early as 7am nonetheless impressed us all. Riverside will certainly be less stylish after your departure.
You are a person who is never afraid to voice her opinions. Nonconformity is knitted into your maverick bones!
You have always been unashamed of having needs that need to be met, without excuses or justification.
One thing you have taught us is that self-maintenance is an act of love, and that commitment is reflected in one's values, not in one's sacrifices. That self-preservation is not synonymous with selfishness, but with assertiveness.
You have taught us that dedication is not what you give up for your job, it is what you give to your job.
You have always been reliable and professional, but now it is your time to drag that wheelie case to destinations unknown with the energy and zest to do so! Remember this is merely one of the many stories of your life, the rest are waiting with bated breath to be written!
You have always viewed time as a gift, so we know you won't squander it …
We know you will plant seeds and watch them grow
We know your mind will remain open and receptive to new ideas
We know you will read for pleasure, not for potentially teachable texts
We know you will love with every fibre of your being and hence be loved in return
We know you will look back on the rich memories you house and be inspired to create new ones
We know you will remember the grief of finishing a career amid a pandemic and therefore live life even more to the fullest
But most of all, we know Hanh, that if the world ever saddens you, there is always a tomorrow that will wrap you tenderly in its arms until you find strength again.
Otherwise, I'll pop in with a bottle of bubbly:)
Finally, I want you to know that we as a department will sorely miss your provocative banter that was always peppered with proverbial pearls of wisdom!
So dear Hanh,
As you well know «a ship in the harbour is safe, but that is not what a ship is for!» Ergo, hop on that «pig's back» and let the horse find its own bloody way to the water!
God bless you and all the best for these golden years!
