First Meeting with my Partner ^^

My first meeting with my partner last Wednesday for the community project was truly successful. I was walking to our meeting place, the Rec Center, with many thoughts in my mind “How do I know who she is?” “How will our first conversation go?” “If she doesn’t want to speak up, then what should I do?”… However, all my thoughts had gone when I met her. When I was walking toward her, it was just like magical! Suddenly, in my mind, I thought “that is her!” and I was sure that she had the same thought as me. “Hi! Are you Cemenca?” I asked (I couldn’t say her name properly at that time - -). “Yes! Are you Jimmy?” she answered (Well, she said my name correctly ^^). That was how we met. Easy going, eager to speak and practice English was my first initiate thought about her.

After brief introductions, we talked more about ourselves. She told me that she was from Mexico and had live in the U.S for 9 years. Before moving to Fort Worth, she lived in Santa Barbara, California. As matter of fact, the cost at California was so expensive compare to Fort Worth. However, California’s weather was much more beautiful than here. Right now, She has worked for TCU for almost 2 years at the residential services. Her main job was cleaning and checking the hallways, restrooms, etc at the Greek houses. She worked from 7am – to 3:30pm. When I heard that, I responded with a surprise voice “Wow! That’s a hard work”. However, s he told me that it was way better than working at the restaurant because she was paid more and had more benefits, etc. She didn’t do anything much after work that was why she thought that this was a good chance for her to practice English and widen her knowledge. Not only for her but also this was a good chance for me to practice and improve my English skills as well. She has been pregnant for 8 months but she didn’t have a name for the boy yet. For a moment, both of us realized that I was so excited about her that was why I was asking her so many questions. Thus, now it was her turn to get to know more about me.

About 10 minutes after that, I started trying to get to know why she was lack of confidence when speaking English in front of people, although her English was truly good. She was telling me her story deeply and slowly that she went to Paschal high school (the one that was right behind TCU). During those high school years, she was teased and made fun of her English ancient. Since then, she was scared of speaking up. However, I explained that TCU students were very nice and easy going. Therefore, “don’t be scare and just talk to them!” I told her with a confident voice. “Everybody has their own accients. I have my own accient as well. So just talk to them and your English will be improved!”.

Then, we was dicussing about what would we do the next day. And finally “Say Cheezz!! Picture time ^^”

The Street I grew up on

Crowded with all the “pin-pin” noise from motorbikes and busy people walking is my first imagination about the street that I grew up on. There is a huge difference between my home country and the U.S that in Vietnam people use their houses for living and also for business, small private business. Therefore, during the day, they open their houses to sell their products. By the end of the day, they enjoy family activities. In contrary, in the U.S, business buildings or offices and homes are separate. On my street, all the houses are next to each other, so neighbors know each other well enough to have an idea what-time-they-do-what :D . My three-floor house is in the middle of the street right opposite to a CDs store, a teenage fashion store and about four or five different kinds of restaurants. Yes! We love eating at restaurants that’s why there are lots of them on one not-too-long street!

My family’s business is about selling electronic products such as TVs, DVD players, etc. The funny fact is that on our right hand-side and left-hand side, they also selling electronic products! The same as us! Competition is going on and on… However, that is not unusual in my home country. You can find three or four stores that selling the same products are next to each other or facing each other! Even though they are each other’s rivals, they live happily together. I usually played soccer with other kids in late evening when all busy works were over. During night, it is time for family activities. Parents take their kids to restaurants, parks, etc to relax and enjoy their time after a hard working day.

I left my unforgettable street for almost five years. However, all the memories are still in my heart. Although, I come back every summer, I still hope that one day I will live on my busy-crowded street again.