Page 190 - Never Too Far Away? The Roles of Social Network Sites in Sojourners’ Adjustment
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                                Acknowledgements
This book you are holding now is not only a product of years of theorizing, research, and learning, but also a culmination of my experiences of excitement, anxiety, elation, sadness, success, failures, laughter, tears, passion, self-doubt, determination, insecurities, etc. But no matter how I felt about myself and my PhD project, there was always a fervent hope that I would someday complete it. And so, I did... but not without these people who kept the fire burning in my heart. I would like to express my most heartfelt gratitude to all of these amazing people who made my PhD life meaningful and memorable.
First, I would like to thank the two most important people in my PhD life, my supervisors, Peter and Catrin. I consider myself very fortunate to have been guided by two excellent academics with the perfect combination of great minds and generous hearts. As supervisors, they did not only teach me about science, but they taught me so much about life. They accepted me not just as their PhD student, but as a part of their wonderful family. Peter, where do I start? Should I start with the fact that I would address you “Sir” during my first few weeks here in the Netherlands and that you would lightheartedly respond “Yes, student?”? You have been a source of strength to me. Our weekly meetings enriched my research, as well as my life, in so many ways. I am super grateful for your invaluable guidance in my academic, as well as in my non-academic pursuits. Thank you for your incisive comments about my work, as well as for listening to my happy, not- so-happy, sometimes silly, stories, my fears, and my woes. I will never forget the time when I was in your office (crying), telling you I am close to giving up. And you responded, “No, I believe that you can do it, you have it in you”. Please know that these words have given me so much courage to go on and finally finish. I will forever be grateful to you, Boss. My dearest, Catrin, you are my role model. You inspire me to do my best. You are unbelievably generous and tireless in helping me in my research and in any challenge that comes my way. From the very start, you made it clear that I can always run to you for anything, big or small, and everything in between. You even made sure I would never get cold here in the Netherlands! Anyone who knows you would agree that you are truly awesome - as an academic, as a mentor, as a human being! I always looked forward to your comments and suggestions because I knew that they would immensely improve my work. But the thing I love the most are your emails! I have saved all of them. And whenever I am
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