A Good Man is Hard to Find

I recently read an article written by a woman that deals with older people who are in their finals weeks of life, due to a terminal illness. She gave a list of the top 10 regrets people have, and it was meant to inspire people today to live well so they don't end up with these common regrets. One of the regrets was that people wish they would have done/worn/liked what they wanted, not what their friends or a majority of people wanted. This someone reminded me of the grandma, who lived her life trying to be and act a certain way. In the end, she ended up being a hypocrite. When she got in the car, she had to look her best. At least for me, when I go on a road trip I don’t exactly care what I look like. I just want to be comfortable. When she realized she was wrong about the road they were going down, she wanted to save the embarrassment and decided to not say anything. It ended up costing her life, and the life of her family. I found it odd that she didn’t even care when her son and grandson were being sent into the forest. After shots were fired, she just continued to beg for her own life. To me, she seemed very selfish in the story. This story was interesting to me, especially when the killer was talking about his view of life, and how he didn’t want to be hypocritical like the grandma. While I don’t see eye to eye with serial killers, I did find that part very intriguing.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

This was another story I really liked. We all get caught up at some point in life, wishing we were older, not thinking about the consequences of our actions, etc. While things did not end well for Connie in the story, we all have had situations that are bitter to think about, and we can’t help but say, “What was I thinking?” For most Americans, after you turn 21 there really isn’t much to look forward to, and it’s all downhill from there. Time really does fly and a story like this made me reflect on my childhood and teenage years. I have learned a lot in that span of time and can only imagine the things I will have learned twice as long from now. I did like how there were underlying meanings in the story. It makes it more interesting after you read, and allows for further analyzing of the story in general. Sometimes it seems like we are naturally inclined to always want something else. When were older, we long for youth. When were young, we long for age. The same is with people and money, relationships, etc. Especially in college, a lot of people get caught up in the party scene, just like Connie got caught up going to the drive-in. At the end of the day, everyone has a realization of themselves, where they are at in life, and what they need to do. I enjoyed this story because it reminded me of what it is like to be young and naïve. You truly don’t know what you don’t know.

One of the Last Convo Partner Meetings

Today I met with Ibrahim, and it was nice to meet on a day when my time wasn't limited, and I didn’t have to run to a class or a meeting right after. We had a nice discussion at the Bookstore, where we talked about his plans next semester and his family. He got accepted to Texas A&M Commerce, and he and his sister will likely move to Dallas. He doesn't want to live on campus, so this would be about a 20 minute drive for him. He did express some disappointment, as there were a lot of people on campus and he did not seem excited to go there. Today he talked to people at TCU, where he found out that he passed the necessary language scores, but could not get in because of his grades from school back home. He told me that back home, there is no pressure to get good grades. As long as you graduate, you can do anything you want. The representative from TCU is expected to give him a call tomorrow and let him know if they will reconsider him. I can tell he loves it here in Fort Worth and really would enjoy to go to TCU. He also said that we wasn't sure if he was ready for the academic rigor that would ensue from starting school. He noted that we wouldn't mind some more "vacation" time, which I can understand.

     He also told me about his sister, who is getting her Masters here at TCU in Nutrition and Health. He said she spends a lot of time reading and doing homework, even though her night classes are only twice a week. We also talked about holidays, and he told me about a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner he had, hosted by a Fort Worth family that invited many international students. He said people here celebrate almost anytime they can, even giving an example of when he brought donuts to class and his teacher got extremely excited. He also told me about his younger sister who is 14, and already could speak as well as him before he came to the United States. After hearing about his experiences here, she is excited to come here someday too.
            I will be meeting with Ibrahim next Tuesday since I do not have a final that day. I plan on giving him a Christmas gift, and already know what I am going to put in it. I thought about getting him one prior to today, but I haven’t known anyone that didn’t celebrate Christmas so I wasn’t sure if it was okay to give them a gift. He told me his other conversation partner did, and he loved it! That makes me happy, and I will definitely be getting him something.

Blogging Topic- Pivotal Moment

It's summer. The sun is beaming down, warming your skin. Most people go to the pool, lay outside and tan, or go play a pickup game of basketball or football at the park. Well I was doing something different. The first time my mom pulled into the DMV and dropped me off, I knew this was going to be a wonderful start to my summer. Fortunately, I had some friends in the same class. The driver's ed teacher was short, chunky, and had a lower IQ then most people in the class. That was fine with me, as I joked around, didn't pay attention, and had to guess on every question when it came time for the test. Then there was the actual driving part, where we were randomly assigned a partner and instructor. I was only in 8th grade so boys weren't a huge part of my life. But I knew one thing- this boy was someone I should avoid. I felt bad, as he was really short, overweight, and glasses overbearing his head. I decided this was a good thing, as I would be more apt to concentrate and be attentive to the instructions. The drivers ed instructor also had a weird smell to him, so I instantly dreaded being in a car with these people for an extended period of time. I drove first, and everything went fine. Following me was my partner, and I was not able to rest easy until the car was in the parking lot 40 minutes later. He ran stop signs, couldn't see over the seat to look behind him, and drove 25 mph on the highway. I knew that day that my irish luck had definitely been used up for the time being. After experiencing driver's education for a summer, and finally getting the freedom that came along with driving a car by myself for the first time, I was a changed woman. If only I knew how much trouble that car would be getting me into in high school, I probably would not have been as enthusiastic.

Fishing-Blogging Topic

Whether its trout fishing in a calm lake, or fishing for sharks in the Atlantic, I always enjoy the art of fishing. When your sitting on a bucket, staring at the calm water in front of you as the day is just starting to heat up, you wonder why you signed up to go in the first place, and right then, a little tug on the line changes everything. You automatically perk up, tug on the pole, and reel. Given that you sucessfully reel the fish in, your mood swings dramatically within that small speck of time. When I was younger, I caught a fish and had my dad take it off the line. Being impatient, I cast it out as far as I could, making myself look stupid as there was not bait. Not a moment after my dad expressed anger, I felt a tug and reeled in another fish.While some fishing experiences have been lucky, others have not. There is nothing like being on a boat for 4 hours and not catching a thing. Even though we usually go deep sea fishing in the morning so the rest of the day can be spent on the beach, I am never a happy camper as I step onto the boat half asleep. But as soon as we are out of the bay, I come to life as it speeds forward, motor roaring and water splashing, with the promise of a great morning ahead. The thrill of catching the big fish, and my struggle to reel them in, is enough to make me go deep sea fishing every year. Not only do I enjoy the sport, but I enjoy spending time with my dad. I have always been a daddy's girl, but I still don't bait my own hook. Fishing can reflect the way of life- whether it be calm, chaotic, going your way, or not going your way at all. Either way, it can be memorable when spent with the right family and friends in company.

Blogging Subject- Family Vacation

I wake up to chaos as my mom tries to pack way too much food for the day long trip. My little sister is whining as usual, and I start to question why I ever showed enthusiam to go on a family vacation in the first place. But as soon as we get to the beach, I am relaxed. I was on an airplane by the time I was 6 months old, and saw the beach for the first time then too (even though I dont remember). I have always been fearless to travel, explore, and enjoy nature. Today wasn't any different as I basked in the sun and went out to enjoy the feel of the grainy sand on my toes, the sharp shells in the first part of the water, and the feeling of the waves almost knocking me over as I get farther and farther away from the shore. The best is when the tide extends and I am standing in knee-deep water, but I can touch the buoy. Forgetting all of the pandemonium that surrounds my life, I get a chance to relax, reflect, and remind myself that there are bigger things than me in life- like this ocean. When I was younger, I would avidly search for crabs and snails by the rocks, as building sand castles required too much patience. While I am there, I am strictly on a lobster and steamed clam diet, with the exception of a sandwich at the beach. Since I can remember, I have been going to Cape Cod, Massachusetts every summer. The joy of getting to see relatives that reside on the east coast once a year, plus the joy of that ocean I have always known, have kept me wanting to come back. If I have children someday, I hope they too have a favorite and familiar vacation place, where they can relax, regroup, and enjoy some good seafood too.

The Red Convertible

In the “Red Convertible”, a boy loses his older brother after he had gone to war and lost part of himself. It was debated whether or not the older brother jumped into the river knowing he was going to die. I personally think he did, and I found the last paragraph to be pretty powerful, as he talked about the headlights being on as the car went into the water, and eventually the headlights turn off after the wiring goes out. There were two things I thought of while reading this story. The first was my younger sister. In a story like this you can see the impact an older sibling as on a younger sibling. I tend to forget that, which made me realize how important it is that I stay a good role model for my younger sister, and make sure I keep in contact while I am away for college. The second thing that came to mind was the suicide of his older brother, as I had a good friend commit suicide in high school. In this story, a part of his brother died after going to war. It always makes me wonder what gets people to kill themselves, and how heartbreak or war really can destroy part of a person’s soul. Recently, an elementary school teacher at my former elementary school killed himself. He was divorced, with two young kids, and was a war veteran. I never had him as a teacher, and feel horrible for the young children that have to hear that their teacher won’t be teaching their class anymore. I responded to this story because I was able to make connections with it in my own life, whether they were positive or negative connections. After reading this story, I am more aware of the positive role I need to play as an older sibling. I am also more thankful for the troops that serve our country each day, as their lives are not easy, and they are still heavily impacted after their return from war. I am blessed to be a college student pursuing my dreams, and am thankful for the opportunity to wake up and enjoy life every day I can. After reading this story, I encouraged my family to send more care packages to my neighbor that is in the army. I also plan to participate in more activities on campus that involve writing letters, sending packages to troops, and even suicide awareness charities. This story definitely related to experiences in my life and served as a reminder to how I can positively react and help others!

The Lottery

When looking back at some of my favorite reading experiences during this class, The Lottery was one of the first to come to mind. I was confused when the story first started, and as it continued, I started to pick up on the hints but did not want to believe what I was predicting. At the end, when Tessie Hutchinson was the lottery “winner”, and was getting stoned to death, I found myself a little disturbed but could see the stark symbolism in the story. I always like to assume the best in people and situations, so I find myself hoping for the best in a story like this where something really bad is going to happen, but it’s not clearly spelled out. This semester I have been taking a cultural anthropology class, where we learn about the variety of customs entailed in every culture, and some of the rituals, traditions, etc. can be shocking, especially to someone that has not experienced outside cultures. I found myself questioning why certain religions, ethnic groups, etc., do the things they do. When people are a part of a group, they tend to not question their actions. This type of group setting reminded me of cultures I have studied involving human sacrifice. The cults are slightly disturbing but interesting to study, as people get so caught up in following one leader- even though many of these people are crazy. I also found myself thinking about the Holocaust. Through psychology studies, I am aware of how people can react when told what to do by people of higher ranks, a group, etc. In the Holocaust, normal people did horrendous things. This shows just how much influence power can have on others, and it can be scary. In North Korea, people are brainwashed by their leader, and have no idea of the outside world. They think Disney movies were made in their country, and that their leader is a better golfer than Tiger Woods. While I do think the human race is naturally good, it is also important to note the evil that has been a force in history, and to note how susceptible and ignorant some people really are. I did find myself heavily impacted after reading the story, which I liked since not all pieces make you feel something after reading them. While researching the story and seeing the negative responses first given to the author, it made me happy to see many other readers also had emotional experiences to the story, whether they liked it or not.

Coversation Partner

I had the pleasure of meeting with Ibrahim again. It is always a joy to see him, and he seems to be doing delightfully well. We found out we both have something in common- an issue with tickets. I recently had received a parking ticket and a ticket in the mail for running a red light.  He too has a problem with tickets. as he told me about a speeding ticket he got, and explained why it's not fair since he has a friend that consistently goes over the speed limit. I also have a friend that speeds, runs stop signs, and has never gotten a traffic violation. While listening to Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" song, which he really likes, he found himself speeding and ending up getting pulled over. I laughed because I too tend to drive faster when a song I really like is on. He also described the traffic situations where he is from, which sounded even more strict than in the United States. On their hightways, they track the amount of time it takes you to get from Point A to Point B, so they can tell how fast you were driving on the highway. He said many people were getting tickets and weren't happy, so many people started covering up their license plates. I found this interesting as I assumed the U.S. was the most advanced/strict when it came to traffic policies and technology. Hopefully the next time we meet neither one of us has received another ticket or violation!

Another Meeting with Ibrahim

     Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with Ibrahim. I brought him an iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts, and he seemed very pleased! I still find it funny that we have that in common. I was happy to hear that he passed a very important test. He found out a week ago, and now has been relieved and less stressed out. His score qualifies him to attend more schools. He then went on to explain that he could only go to certain schools. I believe this had to do with his government, and wanting students to spread out amongst universities, so they could become more cultured, instead of just solely hanging out with students from their home country. He recently submitted his papers to UTA, and I am going to guess he will end up attending school there this spring. I was very happy to hear that he got the needed score on his test. Since I've met him, I could tell he was working very hard, and even enthusiastic about learning the English language.
      Yesterday was his birthday, and I wish I would have known! I was happy to hear that his friends surprised him with cake and a party. They celebrated with drinks and went on 7th street. It sounded like he had a great time. We then discussed different social experiences we've had recently, and I told him about the recent happenings at TCU, including the "Occupy Sadler" movement. I told him I did not support it, but that many students did. I also explained why this all started etc. He also told me about his trip to Miami, and I talked about my relatives that live in Florida, and how nice the beaches are there. I am hoping we have time to meet sometime next week before I head home for Thanksgiving. He really is fun to talk to, and is a great person! I hope he is able to come to TCU one day, as he would be a great additiono to the university.

Library Assignment #2

I chose to review Life magazine. The date was December 16, 1957. As the issue right before Christmas, the cover donned a statue of Mary and baby Jesus by Michelangelo. Today, it is less common for magazine to publicize Christmas that much since there are people of many other religions that don’t celebrate it and become offended by its popularity. I also noticed that there were a lot more “letters to the editors” at this time than there are today. This may reflect the way the media seems to care less about what the people think, and instead tries to dictate what people think. They had a “speaking of pictures” section, and in this issue you had to try to match dogs’ noses and imprints. I have never seen anything like that before, and I found it kind of funny.

There was also a big section on missiles. The first part described the grave disappointment felt after the launching of the nation’s first satellite resulting into a burst of flames just seven seconds in the air. At a time when the United States’ technological reputation was low after the domination of Russia, the event proved to be quite humiliating. Afterwards, it depicted various clubs and schools where youth were launching rockets. In some pictures, the boys looked very young. Today, safety and rules are a big part in our school, so I know that launching rockets of this scale would not be allowed today.

                In London, a train crashed due to heavy fog. Right before the holidays, I found this very sad to hear that 90 people died. Today, we tend to take advantage of the fact that we make it safe during basic parts of our day like driving a car, riding a train etc. Today technology is better, so the risks associated with those things are smaller, but still prevalent.

                The advertisements that seemed to show the most holiday spirit were the ones with alcohol. I found this fitting, as this is a common part of holiday festivities. The second most popular advertisement was for camera light bulbs or cameras in general. Extremely large compared to the cameras today, the main selling point was Christmas morning pictures.

                Soviet science was once again mentioned in the magazine. As an American at this time, it must have been intimidating hearing about all of the progress Russia was making. Even today, we hear about all of the progress China is making, and it naturally makes us uneasy. Many Americans take pride in living in the best country,  a world power. When other countries are catching up or excelling more than we are, it might not be a good thing, if positive intentions are not there. The section on Russian science was extremely long compared to other articles or topics.

                Many advertisements included Santa Claus. With the lack of the internet, magazines were a big part of the advertising world. After the December 16^th issue, there was a special 2-in-one issue for December 23, 1957, where Christmas was even more a part of the advertising. The double issue topic was “America’s world abroad.” The main idea for advertisements in this section included advertisements about accessories for a holiday party.

                One article I found interesting was an article on the nation’s commitments all around the earth. Within this, a table with government spending for military and non-military, plus loans and investments, to various countries around the world were configured. I found this so interesting because today, our magazines don’t just map everything out so easily like that. I assume that I would struggle to find a table with last year’s spending on foreign countries. This may be a result of again the media today, and the government control of it. I think more people should question the things that are going on around us, and especially question the people in power. When information is less hard to find, we should be speculative about why that is.

                I saw and advertisement for Singer sewing, which I have heard of, especially since that brand is still around today. I find it interesting how certain brands are unable to make it in the business world, while others have been leading products for years. The differences between the two always spark my curiosity, especially since I am a business major.

                In part of the America abroad section, one family moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to a small city in India. The differences in life there were highlighted by pictures, and stories of how each member of the household had a changed life. I found it interesting that four servants were in the house, and how the children adjusted to being in a different country, with different food, culture, etc. The global aspect of the whole magazine highlighted the increasing awareness of other countries, and how they too are making an impact in the world, whether through increased science or business practices.

                Overall, the magazine did tailor to the spirit of Christmas in its advertisements. However, the articles gave a completely different mood as topics such as increased Russian power, American identity, the opinion of other countries on America, etc. The special section of Americans abroad signified the existence of increased global awareness.  

Meeting #2 with Convo Partner

Last week, I met with my conversation partner for the second time. After our bond over Dunkin Donuts last time, I told myself I would find out his favorite drink, and bring it to him at our third meeting. Since Americans are viewed negatively in some countries, I wanted to make sure he knew that Americans were nice, caring people. I was pleasantly surprised when in fact he showed up with a gift, which was one of those on the go Dunkin Donuts coffee containers. Not only was this something I really need and will enjoy, I was happy to see that he too thought of bringing a gift. That shows me that people in other cultures are also caring when it comes to establishing business, relationships, etc.

During our talk, I asked him more about his classes and his experiences here so far. I learned that his class is structured by days, where three days a week he has a speaking class, and two days a week he has a writing class. He was hoping they would get a fall break just like TCU students did, but they still had classes. I asked him about the attendance policy for his classes, which I learned is pretty much nonexistent. He said many students are unenthusiastic about learning, and hardly come to classes. For him, things were starting to get difficult as far as memorizing words. They learn about 3-5 new words a day, which he used to be really good at. I think he is starting to learn a lot, and maybe the process of memorization gets more difficult as you know more information. I am happy to say he is still enthusiastic about learning, which I think helps him stick out from his classmates. He also voiced appreciation for his teachers, saying they may be old but they are nice, understanding, and willing to stay after class to help anyone out. I told him of my similar experiences with the staff here at TCU.

He mentioned watching a video where people had British accents, and said he had trouble understanding them. He also told of a time at a fast food restaurant when an African American woman was talking to him. He had trouble understanding her, but got through it. When he went to his car, he opened the lid to his drink and discovered a bug of some sort. He went inside to ask for a new one, and I guess the staff there was very rude. Eventually, he just left after the woman starting laughing at him. I felt bad hearing this, and tried to emphasize the fact that not everyone is like that, and sometimes I can’t understand fast food people either. Hearing about various situations where he may have been under scrutiny have made me really appreciate the opportunity to get to have speaking partners, and develop relationships with these people so they can see what the typical American student is like. It can be too easy for people to base opinions on negative experiences, rather than positive ones. I look forward to hearing more about his life here in the United States.

Library Day Response

                I chose to review the popular magazine Time, with this specific volume dating back to 1936. Over seventy years later, it is obvious that things have changed in society. The most notable indicator of this would be prices. You could buy a Plymouth for as little as $510 dollars. I find this scary, because I hate imagining the differences in current prices to those when I am seventy years old. You could also get a yearly subscription to Time for $5. There are also a lot of cigarette ads without any warning labels, which shows that tobacco was very popular, and most people were unaware of the negative effects. People today would go crazy if they only had to pay 15 cents for a pack of 20 cigarettes.

                At this time, the telephone was still in its early stages, with the Bell Telephone System, dominating the market. This is likely names after Alexander Graham Bell, the noted inventor of the telephone. There were a lot of pages dedicated to foreign affairs and war, which I thought was interesting since this is a few years before the start of World War 2. I noticed one insert about France, saying they had a national surplus of wine and oysters, so their daily half pint of wine got upped to a full pint, along with added oysters. I thought this was very random, and wonder if the French Army is still served that much wine today.

                There were numerous articles with cruise ships, which I thought was interesting since this was 20 years after the sinking of the Titanic. I thought this was interesting since the United States was technically still involved in the Great Depression. With that being said, the financial section of the magazine wasn’t noticeably long, which makes me wonder if the people were tired of hearing about the economy, and maybe things were starting to look up.

                One of the more humorous ads included an ad for Saraka, a natural laxative. The selling point they used was that it would help keep you in shape, since constipation would no longer get in your way. My favorite ad was an ad for a tanning machine, which looks like a computer sized box projecting UV rays at the person being tanned. I found this interesting because I did not know that at this time people had the desire to be tan, like many people are today. The company would also send it to you for free, where you could use it for 7 days. If you liked it, then you could keep it and pay for it. I do not know of many companies today sending things to people for free, initially.

                In the science section, I found one article about a man who housed multiple colonies of chimpanzees, who at one point stayed in a penthouse.  As far as scientists, there were multiple incidents of scientists dying because of exposure to a disease or bacteria they were working with. There was also a vaccine to prevent against infantile paralysis, which I had never heard of.  This vaccine was under scrutiny because some children that received the vaccine soon contracted the disease.

                In the “Letters” section, I found it interesting to see from one reader that they are removing their subscription because “they despise Republicanism”. If this is true, it tends to contrast the majority of magazines today, as they are mostly supporting Democratic views. In one section about other countries, I found it humorous when it was said that “confusion and contradiction was the reaction throughout Great Britain, where portions of the President’s words could not have been spoken in all of Ethiopia’s five languages at once.” It seems that sarcasm and bluntness played a bigger role in magazines at this time.

In Germany, the government had recently decided to declare no wedding ring can be sold of a quality purer than 8 carat gold. Also in Germany, Adolf Hitler had recently barred from German radio all broadcasts with advertising. It pointed out that he owns a newspaper company, and needed revenue from advertising in the newspapers. In addition, subscribers would have an identification booklet they were always told to carry, which was said to “give the holder a comfortable feeling of being quite safe in Germany.” I found this chilling, since I know that shortly after things were not that way.

                While Time didn’t have too many bizarre incidents, there were advertisements that could be used to describe the daily life of a person at this time, as well as news articles that showed how foreign affairs were right before World War 2. I think a lot can be learned about American society at this time, and I would find it very interesting to look at other magazines and other dates to uncover some of the history we tend to forget about on a daily basis.

First Meeting with Conversation Partner

I met with my ESL partner Ibrahim recently, and really enjoyed the experience. From Saudi Arabia, he grew up speaking Arabic. A little over a year ago, he came to the United States in hopes to learn English and go to a good school. The universities where he’s from are not as good as the universities in the United States. He described the universities there as not very nice, very crowded, and with less prestige as American schools. He plans on returning home after his schooling here, which I could understand since he will be away from his family for at least 5 years.

I was surprised to know he was not yet a college student, but is hoping to be one next semester. He is currently taking ESL classes on TCU’s campus, and attends a TCU club called “Toastmasters”, where you practice public speaking. I had never heard of this club and thought it sounded very interesting, since public speaking is the #1 fear of most students. Since being on TCU’s campus, Ibrahim has fallen in love with TCU, and would really like to attend school here. Since the scores on his English standardized tests are not high enough to get in, he is working very hard to practice to he can increase his scores, and hopefully attend TCU next fall. Schools like TCU, SMU, UT, etc. all have higher standards for their tests in comparison to a school like Texas Wesleyan. He recently toured Texas Wesleyan, and admittedly did not like it at all. With only 2,000 students, the classrooms and buildings were not as nice as the ones at TCU, and the school seemed to lack the excitement and prestige he was looking for. I think he is going to take a tour at UTA, and see if he likes that better. I could tell by the look on his face that he has really fallen in love with TCU’s campus and atmosphere, and I truly hope he has a chance to come here!

  He is going to major in accounting, which I thought was good since TCU has a very good business school. I told him about various clubs and programs he could join and enjoy once he is here. He asked me about things I was involved in, and I told him about academic clubs, special interest clubs, and intramural sports. He had never heard of the word “intramural”, which I thought was funny because he at first thought it was a type of sport or something. I explained to him how intramurals worked, and told him I have played different ones like soccer and basketball. He apparently has seen people playing soccer on campus and asked if I was one of them. I replied no, but it was cool to see that he did like soccer. I was not surprised since soccer in so popular internationally.

We also found out we have a lot in common when somehow the topic of Dunkin Donuts came up. I was not aware that they had Dunkin Donuts in Saudi Arabia, and he laughed when he told me that his dad kept telling him to buy coffee here, since it was so much cheaper. This reminded me exactly of my dad, who growing up on the east coast grew accustomed to drinking Dunkin every day. Moving to Nebraska, where there are no Dunkins, so my dad would have large amount of their coffee mailed to our house. It was funny to see that both of our dads had a similar obsession. Ibrahim told me there was a Dunkin Donuts in Fort Worth, which I was not aware of. Knowing this, we will likely meet there sometime in the future for our conversation.

Talking to Ibrahim was a great experience. For only knowing English for one year, I thought he spoke very well. You can tell that he has been working really hard to learn the language, and he seems to be very enthusiastic about learning. I really hope he is able to come to TCU next year, because he would be a great addition to our campus. It was cool to see that we had a lot in common, when I had assumed prior to meeting him that it might be hard to find some common ground. With that being said, I am definitely looking forward to our next conversation, and learning more about his life, in relation to mine.