Hussain and I had some
trouble finding a time to meet up following our last meeting. That was probably
the last time we will be able to meet because of our similarly busy
end-of-the-semester schedules. We were trying to meet somewhere that would be
convenient for the both of us, and we ultimately decided upon Union Grounds.
I'm glad that we were able to meet then because the winter weather would have
prevented the chance of any meetings before finals.
Our conversation
started with discussions about what we had to do before the year ended. Hussain
said that they had a lot of tests throughout the semester, so now he was just
finishing up with some tests that covered material building up throughout the
whole semester. I tried to shed some light of what I would be doing the next
couple weeks, and he seemed pretty surprised at how much I had to do. I tried
to explain that it was an anomaly, and that my previous finals weeks weren't
this hectic. I asked him what he would be doing during winter break, and he
said that he'd be staying at his apartment and hanging out with friends that
would be around. He mentioned to me that he was trying to find a roommate
because his sister was moving out. He seemed pretty desperate, and I don't
blame him. If he isn't able to find a roommate, he will be forced to pay for
the empty spot. I don't remember the exact number, but it was upwards of $600 a
month. I couldn't offer any viable roommate candidates for him, and I hoped to
myself that he would be able to find somebody sooner than later. After I asked
about what he'd be doing over break, he asked me what I would be doing. I
explained to him some of the few things that I had planned, including going to
a Jay-Z concert. He didn't know who that was, so I tried to explain that he was
a famous rapper. He said that he had never been to a concert of any sort, but I
told him not to worry because this would be my first one. I then tried to give
him a glimpse of what a Christmas was like in the US. He was familiar with some
of it, but I tried to give him a full rundown. I told him about the religious
origin and then all of the tradition that has been formed since. I told him
about stockings over the fireplace, the Christmas tree and all its decorations,
and I even told him about how devoted some people are to their outdoor
Christmas lights. He seemed to enjoy these stories and he was interested in
hearing it from a unique perspective.
Like most meetings with
Hussain, I left feeling a little bad for him. I felt bad because of the
problems that he was dealing with in the apartment situation. I feel like a lot
of misfortune has struck Hussain throughout this semester, and I am hoping that
he is able to find a roommate so that he can avoid the high rent costs that he
will soon incur. I also felt a little sad for him because of his situation over
winter break. I'm sure he will have fun, but I feel like he will start to think
about home whenever several other people around him are returning to their
homes. This can't be easy for anybody, and I am hoping that he still has fun
over the break.
Considering that that
was probably our final meeting, I wanted to reflect on our overall experience.
I had a good time meeting with Hussain throughout the semester. Some situations
were slightly awkward, but for the most part, conversation flowed. Our talks
were insightful for me, and I am sure they were relatively insightful for him
as well. I think the overall goal of this assignment was achieved for Hussain
and I, and I am glad that I was able to partake in it.
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