How could I not know AGAIN? How could I forget? I'm in the Bay Area! Anything can happen here if you get out of your house. I guess in the past week I was writing so much that I forgot what it's like to get out there. But thankfully, my inner instincts did not forget one crucial thing.
Once I got back from the East Coast, I wrote to every person we had further plans with to catch up with each other. That was the reason today I met Carmen, the person responsible for events organization and volunteers at SJSU (well, okay, she is the boss lady over there, a real QUEEN with capitals). Boy I am lucky to have met her. Well, define lucky. Okay, it was not luck. I'll tell you the sequence of events:
1. I decide to apply for Fulbright
2. I win
3. I come here
4. I decide to volunteer (twice) to meet people and give back to the community here
5. I meet Carmen (twice)
6. We get on well, she is interested in my story, I'm interested in hers
7. We agree to meet up later
8. I text her after getting back from the east coast
9. We meet and hit it off instantly
10. We make future plans
11. I'm overwhelmed with joy.
You see? I'm grateful, I got to experience today. Carmen is an amazing lady working her ass off to first, get herself educated. She is the only person I know that handed in more scholarship applications than I did. She has amazing plans for the future, and we also made some together. It was one of those discussions when you just really truly connect in a tiny (not so tiny) Mexican restaurant in the heart of San Jose, while watching the world cup, sadly Mexico just lost the game. But we connected and Carmen truly made my day! She even arranged for a bracelet for me from the store owner, who was from Mexico, and was making jewelry by himself. I'll cherish this bracelet forever.
In the morning, I had a marathon. Well, not a real one, just a marathon of thesis workers consulting and presenting their thesis for me, just as a mock defense. They are good. All of them would deserve a 5, so I believe they will all get a 5. Am I exaggerating? No. Am I biased? Absolutely.
Tomorrow: I'm flying to Chicago with Yuka!!!! Can't believe it's tomorrow. Hope we'll have fun. Getting up will certainly not be fun, around 3:45 in the morning. Anyways, you remember what I said about travels and getting up early. It is only a small price to pay. Cheers and see you from Chicago! (Or probably from the Zephyr, where I'll have more than enough time to write – and that is an understatement.)
30 November
YOU ARE READING
Memories I am afraid I'll forget
Non-FictionWelcome to my American Days' Journals! I do not particularly have any talent in writing things up from scratch, especially not my own experience as a Fulbright scholar, but you have got to start somewhere, especially if you are too afraid that you'l...
