I enjoy hearing about people’s life stories. Sharing anecdotes is perhaps one of the things I find most interesting. At this point in life, I do not share the urge that some people of my age and even younger-I am talking about 18-20 years old- have to get married and settle down. There is so much to do, so much to see, so many people to meet around the world and by getting married, all that is accomplished is closing out the opportunity to experience all of the above. There are many delightful experiences that marriage brings, and they will still be there in a few years. It is important before you get married to have a professional and economic success. Relationships, and more so marriage are nice- I do not question that-; this is why people want to share their lives with a special other, but a balance is right and timing is the key to success and happiness. As colloquial the saying is, it is true: there is a right time and place for everything. In today’s world the younger you settle down, the more probable you will end up getting divorced, especially if you did not get a chance to experience the world at its most. Having the chance to talk to someone you might have to work with in a class or even someone you might encounter out on the street is of extreme value. On one hand, you may end up building a great friendship with the person, on the other just learning from this person’s history is better than watching a movie or reading a book. I had to adjust to the environment in Coronado and some portions of the U of A in which people do not visualize this scenario. If you exchange a couple words with someone, most of the time it will be blatant and short; and just for this, you better have a good reason to talk such as needing help, paying or asking to get out of our ways. It is almost as if people freak out when you approach them. There is this mental wall, between them and your persona, which takes a lot to break through. I am not saying that everyone is like this, of course the previous statement is a generalization; however, it is one that represents a great percentage of our university’s society.
In my case, the above scenario has a more significant impact on me perhaps because I am an international student. I am away from my home country and embarked in an adventure that I hoped would grant me the possibility of meeting many new people and having a chance to hear their journeys. I have exploited this chance to a great extent, yet I feel that every year that passes, this possibility narrows down more and more. A main affecting factor is that all of my classes are at the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering building. Since this building is drawn away from the mall (central part of campus) I do not run into as many people as I used do and do not get the chance to exchange words. Added to this, as a junior, and considering my case, which is that most of my friends and acquaintances are of older or equal age, everyone is reaching a level of business where they have trouble managing responsibilities and having enough time to have a relaxing talk. Part of my desire to go to Paris, is attributed to the fact that I believe that Europe offers a greater potential to rendez-vous. I have greatly enjoyed my experience at the U of A and being an RA this year granted me the possibility of calming my thirst, although Coronado has an environment in which that wall is strongly built in most residents minds. Next year will be interesting and decisive but I sure hope I get the chance to meet you.
