When Gregory and I
last met, it was our last meeting of the semester. Through out this experience,
I have made a good friend. I must admit that at the beginning of this assignment,
I was reluctant to do it. I felt like it would be a burden on work schedule. I
could not have been more wrong. Meeting with Gregory was always a great experience,
and each time I not only learned more about his life and culture but also more
about myself. Our last meeting talked about the Conversation Buddies program
and what he has learned from his time here at TCU.
Both
of us had mixed feelings about the program. While Gregory did voluntarily sign
up for the program, he had no idea what it would be like. I asked him, and he
explained that he thought it would be an awkward, forced-upon friendship. While
he was excited to begin the program in order to help his English, the last
thing he expected was to become friends with his conversation partner. I could
not agree more. I was assigned to meet with him, and the first meeting felt
like an assignment. However, as the semester went on and we met together, I
began to find myself wanting to hang out with him. He had so many interesting stories
and perspectives that made me think. This
program has pushed both me and Gregory to talk about topics not normally
discussed.
In
our last meeting, I wanted to learn about Gregory’s impression of TCU. He will
be leaving schools after this semester because his English program has ended.
Like I mentioned in a previous blog post, he will be moving to Orlando for next
semester. I am absolutely obsessed with TCU, and it always breaks my heart when
I see a student leaving the school. Gregory, on the other hand, was a
completely different circumstance. He mentioned that he is lucky if he can get
into a university here in America, and the opportunity in Orlando is a once in
a lifetime opportunity. He told me the high lights of his semester, including
meeting so many people, suffering through the BLUU’s food, and mastering his
English. TCU, in his mind, will always be the place that he first encountered
America and the English language. He loved it here, and he said that he will
miss it. I could tell, however, that he didn’t say this is sadness. He said it
out of pure joy. Gregory sees his family struggling, his government failing,
and people starving in his home country of Venezuela. It is devastating. In his
mind, however, Gregory sees TCU as the “first person” to reach out his hand to
give him a shot at making a difference in the world.
I
admire Gregory’s ability to enjoy the moment and not take things for granted. I
take things for granted daily, and Gregory has helped me be more thankful for
my surroundings. I walk the campus of TCU sometimes forgetting how lucky I am
to be here. To be surrounded by such amazing individuals and opportunity is a
gift from God, and Gregory has helped me see that.
Sadly,
Gregory will be leaving tomorrow. He has finished his finals, graduated from
the English program, and packed up his dorm room. Gregory explained how hard it
was to pack everything up, closing a crucial chapter of his life. But at this
moment I truly saw who Gregory was as a person. He said ‘thank you’ to me, and
I could tell that while he was sad to leave the campus he was overjoyed with what
was in the future for him. Gregory will have a few weeks to reconnect with his
family and share the stories that he shared with me, explaining to them the
lessons he learned and the relationships he made. I truly hope to stay in
contact with Gregory, for I have seen his potential. He is relational,
intentional, and quick-minded. Good luck to Gregory in Orlando!
