Yesterday
I had another meeting with Ileana after a week of issues with her phone that
she needed to be resolved. This time, we ate lunch together, which I have
learned is a critical part of Venezuelan culture. It is nearly mandatory for
everyone to share meals with others, as opposed to eating alone.
Since
Ileana is doing well with the English language, I have started using more
advanced vocabulary, colloquial terms, and idioms. Considering we usually
venture into the subject of social justice, she shared with me a phrase used
frequently in Venezuela, “ojos vemos corazones no sabemos,” which roughly
translates to “We see eyes, we don’t know hearts.” This played into our
conversation on social justice and empathy well, and that phrase perfectly
summarized my thoughts on the matter. She believes strongly that people should
take the time needed to understand someone as they truly are, and not simply as
the persona they present themselves to be to the general population. She also
believes that people need to be more genuine and open about their unique
qualities and idiosyncrasies. We both have noticed a lack of openness on the
TCU campus, and believe that the educational experiences at the school could be
enhanced if people lived openly and honestly without holding judgment over
other individuals for being themselves. While I realize that this is wishful
thinking, it would be a beautiful way to live life.
So
far, this experience has far surpassed all of my expectations. Not only have I
met someone who is likeminded, but also I have made a good friend. We teach
each other idiomatic expressions in our language, furthering my knowledge
of Spanish and her knowledge of English. In addition, she brought me
hazelnut-filled chocolates for the meeting. She said they are extremely popular
in her country and that I had to try them. I see why they are so incredibly
popular. Now I need to think of something Texan that she has yet to try!
I really enjoyed reading your blog post, Austin! It’s cool how you and Ileana are clearly friends, not just conversation partners that meet once a week, for example. However, it also seems like you discuss meaningful things and the conversations are valuable to you both. That’s so neat that not only can you share idioms in English with her but she can also share Spanish idioms with you; how cool that your both learning each other’s native language! I’ve asked my conversation partner, Hussain, if he has much trouble with idioms. He said he sometimes does, but he’s getting the hang of it because he hears them enough. I feel like I hardly hear any idioms in Spanish at all, so I’m not well-versed in them at all…I guess now I can ask you!
ReplyDeleteIt’s also cool that you can learn things other than language-related lessons from Ileana, such as the social dynamics and norms of her culture. I like that everyone eats together at mealtimes. I feel like that’s so different from my routine. Usually, I go to the BLUU by myself on weekdays because I have short windows between classes and meetings. But I like Ileana’s way of doing it better—I’d much rather eat with friends than do homework! Anyway, I learned a lot from your post. Great job!