Lunch with Nasser

For my last visit with Nasser we decided to mix things up a little bit and go somewhere off campus. We had talked about getting lunch somewhere before so that seemed like the logical thing to do. Nasser suggested that we go to Terra, a Mediterranean restaurant on west 7^th street. Apparently it was one of Nasser’s favorite restaurants and had some of his favorite dishes from home. I hadn’t eaten Mediterranean food in a long time so I trusted Nasser’s opinion and got what he suggested, I really enjoyed the food, plus it was a buffet so you can never really go wrong with that.

Technically this was my last required visit with Nasser, but as we will both be living here this summer I plan to keep in touch with him and hang out with him over the summer. We have learned a lot about each other and our different cultures. Who knew that I would have a friend from Saudi Arabia? There is no end to the things that we can discuss and compare from each of our lives. It really is fascinating to be able to learn firsthand about a person from a completely different side of the world and what its like for them to live in my world for a few years. We always learn about places from textbooks or professors, but there’s something about being able to have a discussion with someone who has the experience rather than just the information. I think its great that we are able to talk to our peers, not just someone from a different country, but also someone whom we can identify with more closely because of our age and our common experiences.

Looking back to a few months ago to our first meeting it seems like its been much longer than just three or four months. I have really enjoyed getting to know Nasser and I hope he feels the same about me. Every time we meet his English gets better and better, I think this last time I only had to help him with one or two words, and we didn’t have any misunderstandings at all. As much as I would like to take credit for this I don’t think I can. I would like to think that I have at least helped him in some small way though, introducing him to new experiences that might be unique to being an American. Its really fascinating to see Nasser learn about something for the first time, especially when its something that he is amazed by. I remember when we went to the TCU baseball game and he finally started to understand the game, it was great to see him watch something for the first time that I have grown up with all of my life. I'm sure that I would be just as awed if I traded places with Nasser and visited Saudi Arabia, which I hope to do someday. But, until then I plan on keeping up with Nasser and continuing this friendship that we have formed.

My Uncle

My Uncle has always been a fun person to hang around. When we still lived in Lubbock I used to spend much of my summers living with him and my cousins on their farm. Although my cousins were much older than me (about 10-12 years) they still enjoyed hanging out with me and would always include me in their plans. My uncle lived in a small town called Plains, Texas which literally had two stoplights. His farm was about fifteen minutes outside of town and he grew cotton and peanuts and raised cattle.

My uncle has always been a very smart person; he has two degrees from Texas Tech University, one of which is engineering. My mom always thought it was a waste that he spent his time farming, but it was something that he really enjoyed and that he was good at. He was always at his shop building some new piece of equipment that would make his life easier. I remember one summer that he bought an old truck of some sort and converted it to help him in harvesting his peanuts. He would usually include me in these projects and give me some small task to do such as drilling some part or assembling something. He even taught me to weld when I was eleven years old. Then he would just give me a bunch of scrap metal and tell me to build something out of it. It was basically like Legos on steroids, I could build anything I wanted and if I needed something cut a certain way I would explain it to him and he would cut it out for me. I used to spend hours on end welding up awesome objects and I still know how to weld today thanks to him.

As I mentioned earlier he also had a farm where he grew cotton and peanuts. What’s cooler to a young boy than getting to drive heavy equipment all day? Not much, and that was the coolest part, he would let me sit on his lap and steer the tractor while we were plowing the fields. As I got older he would even let me drive the tractors by myself, probably not the best decision he ever made, but I never broke anything. He also had four-wheelers that he would let me ride around and herd the cattle with. I don’t know if you’ve ever chased cows on an ATV but I'm pretty sure it would still be fun today, in fact I don’t know that it ever gets old.  He even taught me how to drive his truck, again something most people would probably not do, but it seemed that he trusted me and knew what I was capable of. This was probably the main reason I liked hanging out with him. He would just about give me free rein and rarely said no to anything I asked. He was much like the father figure that was missing in my life since my mother and father were divorced.

Sadly, when we moved from Lubbock to Graham most of my visits to his farm ceased. Now we were six hours away instead of one, so it made it hard for my mom to take me so often. I really have some great memories from my time with him and he taught me many lessons. I don’t get to see him as much as I like, in fact I don’t think I’ve seen my uncle since my graduation. I am hoping to be able to visit him this summer and again spend some time at the farm. Who knows maybe it will be the same as it used to be. 

Graham, Texas

In my last blog I gave a little bit of background about where I come form and how I grew up. I tell everyone that I am from Graham, Texas, A small town about an hour and a half west of Fort Worth. That is all true and I am proud of where I am from, but I haven’t always lived my life there. After I finished the fifth grade we moved from Lubbock, Texas to Graham and I wasn’t too excited about it.

I had spent most of my life in Lubbock, at least since I started school. We had family close and that’s where my mother had gone to school and all of my friends were there. My mother had always talked about moving out in the country somewhere where we could have our horses and she could get back into rodeo. I had always thought this was just talk and maybe something she would do when I left for college or when she retired, I had no idea that she was so serious about it. I think after my grandmother died, who lived in Lubbock, there was nothing really keeping my mother there anymore. We had a lake house at Possum Kingdom Lake, close to Graham, so we began looking for a house in that area. I was less than trilled during this whole process, I had always considered myself a city kid and really didn’t have any interest in living on a ranch with horses and participating in rodeos. However, my voted did not constitute a majority in this decision so I was out of Luck. My mother found a nice house in Graham, and we decided to move the summer after my fifth grade year.

It was a big adjustment moving from a college town of nearly 250,000 to Graham with a population barely over 8,000. I thought I was trapped in the middle of nowhere with nothing exciting to do. I didn’t like living on a ranch and I didn’t like all the work that came with it. I started the sixth grade that fall and began making friends easy enough, and to my surprise these people were pretty normal. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, especially since my graduating class was less than half of what mine was in Lubbock. It became apparent that I would know everyone in my class, and most of the people in the classes above and below me. As my school years progressed I formed many close relationships with these people. There is nothing quite like going to school in a small town. It forces you to be close to a lot of people, and more than anything it makes you appreciate the small things in life. In Graham there wasn’t a whole lot to do except hang out with people, which is what I spend a lot of my time doing. Going to school in Graham also allowed me to do many things, such as play multiple sports, be involved in many club and organizations, and participate in the theatere program. There weren’t any cliques in Graham because everyone knew everyone and everyone interacted.

Looking back I can’t imagine growing up any better way. I had so many experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have living in a big city. There is just something about small town life that is classic Americana. Sometimes I feel as if I grew up in one of those movies you see about how life used to be, and I think that’s awesome. I also made many close friends in Graham and plan to have those friends for the rest of my life. Living in a small town forges stronger bonds between people, because that’s all you have, and honestly it’s the same people you see all the time. While I am excited to be at TCU and in Fort Worth I love going back to Graham, and I’m proud to be able to call it home.

Pets

My house has always been like a bit of a zoo. When I was twelve we moved to our ranch in Graham, Texas. The whole reason for our moving there was about being closer to our horses and being able to ride them more. I was not used to having to take care of all the animals full time so it was quite an adjustment for me. There were times when I had to get up at six in the morning to get all the horses fed before I went to school. At one point we had twenty horses, among various other animals, and that was more responsibility than I really wanted to deal with.

Most people think horses are so much fun and they dream of living on a ranch with horses. The part they seem to leave out is all the responsibility that horses bring. Horses seem like a lot of fun in your head, but when you have fifteen to twenty of them to deal with on a daily basis things change real fast. Horses aren’t the most cooperative creatures either; they’re actually quite frustrating and difficult to deal with. Oh, and they never get along with each other, its like having a bunch of little kids running around, except they weigh close to 1000 pounds and don’t even consider listening to you.

All this isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy having horses, because I did, its just that I think of the work before I think of the fun. I participated in my fair share of rodeos and won money, and belt buckles just like people imagine, except probably much less glorified. I made a lot of friends at these rodeos and it was always something fun to do on the weekends. Plus having horses is nice because a lot of your friends a envious and want to come ride. Just like anything else that takes skill its fun to watch those friends who don’t know how to ride horses attempt to do so, especially if they talk like they can ride. So don’t let my first impressions set the tone of this blog, I do enjoy living on a ranch with horses.

What’s strange is that I live in small town Texas and people still are surprised when I tell them that I own horses. I mean its Texas; people do still ride horses here. Of course at the opposite end of the spectrum you have those people who assume that everyone in Texas rides horses and still fight Indians and have gunfights in the streets. Either way it usually provides an interesting conversation.

So although horses can be a lot of work I think that I'm better for growing up on a ranch. It has taught me responsibility and more than anything patience. When I take that into consideration along with the fun that having horses does provide I realize that it wasn’t so bad after all. However, I don’t know that I could live on a ranch with horses later in life; I guess I’ll just have to see.

A Time I was Injured (by myself)

Last year in Milton Daniel hall I incurred a injury that will be with me for the rest of my life. Its actually pretty funny, something that myself and those who were there still get a laugh out of today. At least I left my mark on Milton as it left its mark on me.

It all started on a Thursday night, the week before Easter if I recall and we were all hanging out in the basement of Milton, doing homework and talking. I'm not sure how it came about, but for some reason we, or maybe just me decided to try and jump up and touch my head on the ceiling. After a few close attempts I decided that it was because I didn’t want to hit my head too hard on the wood panel ceiling in the basement. So someone suggested that we go into the hallway where the drop-down ceiling would give if I did hit my head on it. This seemed like a logical solution so we proceeded to the hallway to attempt the feat there. After more attempts I decided that it would be beneficial for me to get a running start in order to get more height. So I stepped back and took a running jump at the ceiling. I’m not sure who designed that ceiling but I question their decision to this day. There is about a 3 or 4 inch lip where the drop-down ceiling meets the wooden ceiling. Needless to say I did accomplish my goal, I touched my head on the ceiling, but I also hit the lip. When I landed I just thought I had bumped my head on the lip, but then people were staring and I felt something drip down my face.

There was much debate of whether I should go to the hospital or not, I was opposed to going, but some people thought it would be a good idea. So, at midnight I arrived at JPS hospital and took a spot in the ER. By this time I had stopped bleeding heavily so I didn’t think I had any reason for being there. They put me in a neck brace, which was more frustrating than useful. I was then ushered back to some other area where they were treating patients. No one knew what to make of my story, which is understandable. Anyway, I eventually saw the doctor and he informed me that I would need two stitches in my forehead. And of course the night wouldn’t be complete without people taking pictures of me getting a shot and stitches in my head. I finally left the hospital at about 1:30 AM feeling pretty dumb, but oh well.

I still have that scar today and I still don’t know exactly why I decided to hit my head on the ceiling. It was definitely a poor life choice and one that I regret making. But there is nothing I can do about it now so I just embrace my stupidity and go on with the rest of my life until I find some other dumb thing to do.

The Oldest Person I Know

The oldest person I have ever met is my own grandmother. She turn 99 years old just a few weeks ago. Its amazing to think that she’s almost to 100 years old, quite a milestone in anyone’s life, assuming they even get there. I can remember when we were celebrating her 80s birthdays and even then it was pretty impressive.

For a woman of 99 my grandmother is pretty sharp. The years have taken a toll on her body just as they would on anyone else, she can still walk, feed herself, and perform most basic functions, just at a much slower pace. She has lived on her own up until about five years ago. Her mind though doesn’t seem to have aged nearly as much. She and my father will spend hours recalling people, places, and events from their past, and she usually remembers anything my father will bring up. Of course, she has her good days and her bad days, but even on those bad days she never fails to impress me with her memory.

I can’t even begin to imagine all the things she has seen. The changes and innovations she has witnessed must have been incredible. If you do the math, she was born in 1913; this means she witnessed World War I, the roaring 20s, the great depression, World War II, John F. Kennedy, The Vietnam war, the space race, the fall of the Soviet Union, television, the evolution of transportation, computers and those are just some of the things that come to mind. It must have been amazing to see the future actually come about, especially in an era where change was so rapid. Not many people have had this kind of opportunity. This is why I try and take advantage of this and listen to the stories she has to tell. Most of them are filled with humor, which she still has a great appreciation for.

I just hope that I will get a fraction of that experience that she has been given. I have already seen many amazing things in my short life and there is no telling what the future may hold. In the mean time I will continue to cherish the gift that is my grandmother and I hope she will live many more years and who knows, maybe even set a record.

Ladies' Home Journal 1958

Today I read an article from the March, 1958 issue of “Ladies’ Home Journal”. The piece was about drug addiction in America’s youth and I was curious to see how this would be different from today’s opinions and stories. The article also contained one personal account from a young Hispanic boy living in New York city who was addicted to heroine.

The article starts off by explaining that drug addiction in teens is a fairly new principle. It seems that typical drug abusers used to be adults in the latter parts of their lives. The article makes a point that drugs are a “big-city problem” and that most teen users come from poor neighborhoods, however that doesn’t mean that all youth in poor neighborhoods use drugs. An interesting point that the piece makes is that drug abusers aren’t usually related to gangs, which we would now, and maybe even then say isn’t true. Especially given the drug manufacturing and trafficking nature of many gangs. At any rate the article suggested that teens in gangs who abused drugs would often lose favor of the elder members, or even lose leadership positions because of their addiction. Back in the good old days when gangs had values and morals, or not. Overall the article seems to point out the problem, but then try and suggest that it isn’t really that big of a deal.

The more personal story is that of a teenage boy named Manuel who is growing up in the various neighborhoods of New York city when he becomes addicted to first marijuana, and then heroine. It all starts when he is smoking pot in the club with his friends and cousins who are all in a gang together. This quickly escalates to using heroine and then eventually cutting it with sugar and redistributing it to fund his habit. After being put in rehab for the first time Manuel realizes that he has a problem and wants to stop using and marry his girlfriend. Unfortunately, like so many addicts he is back on heroine weeks after he leaves rehab. He will ultimately battle with his addiction for several years and revisit rehab many times as well as be arrested for selling to an officer. The article never concludes what happens to Manuel in the end, but one certainly hopes he has learned his lesson and comes clean. Hopefully all of this has been a coming of age for Manuel and he is now ready to face the world as an adult.

It’s interesting taking a step back in time and reading something from over half a century ago. The writing style, the word choice, and the overall content is very different from publications today. There were several instances in which I laughed because they had to explain to readers that “down means ready for anything” or when Manuel talks about buying diddybop clothes, which I still have no idea what that means. Its weird to imagine what an entire world of this would be like, but that probably explains a lot about why my parents are so strange. 

The House on Mango Street

I knew almost immediately that I wouldn’t like The House on Mango Street I read the introduction and that was all I needed to tell that this would not be a work that I would have fond memories of. I don’t know exactly if it was the content or the structure or perhaps something else about the book that I didn’t like, but it was something. However for the purposes of this discussion I will try to put my disagreements aside and look at the book from a neutral point of view.

The House on Mango Street is a collection of short stories from the Author’s past growing up in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago during the 1980’s. The short stories are brief experiences from the author’s childhood and incorporate a number of characters, family and non-family, real and fictional, that had a significant impact on her life. The stories range from her experiences moving into the neighborhood, to her life at school, to games she used to play, and much more. Although there is no real plot woven through these stories the reader can see a definite pattern, that the author is not satisfied with her living conditions and ultimately wishes to have a house of her own. At first she doesn’t understand why her family lives the way they do or why many of her friends are doomed never to leave Mango Street, but in the end the reader does get some sense that she is beginning to understand that her way of thinking in not in the majority and that many of her peers have simply come to accept the life that they live and that they are destined to live.

Personally, I think the author could have done just as good a job of illustrating this point by writing a full novel with a plot and a continuous storyline. The disjointed nature of the work is one of the most frustrating factors to me as reader. It seems that she starts developing on thought in a story only to abandon it and move on to the next short story. Maybe the thought will be picked up later, or maybe not. Having said all that I can understand how this work is applicable to the coming-of-age theme that we a pursuing in this class. I discussed earlier that the author is not like the other kids in her neighborhood in that she has dreams and goals, and is not satisfied with here life. That isn’t necessarily the coming of age aspect that I see, it is the change that we see in the author from the beginning of the work to the end, which conveniently ends with almost the same narrative. The author describes Mango Street setting her free and recognizes that there are some on Mango Street that cannot leave.

All in all the work did provide examples of the coming of age theme, however I think that this goal could have been met in a more traditional way. I’m sure the author has good reason for writing the book in the style she chose, it just happens to be a style that I do not agree with. 

Food and Home

I didn’t get to meet with Nasser last week since it was cut short and we had some scheduling conflicts for our original plans, so I was looking forward to meeting with him this week. We were going to try and play tennis, but we realized that we didn’t have time so we decided to postpone tennis to a later date.

I usually try to think of some suggestions of things to do or places to go so Nasser can get the full Texas experience. These conversations usually turn into a mutual exchange of ideas since Nasser does some pretty good exploring himself. One of the first things that came up was restaurants since we both like to eat. He told me about a Mediterranean place that was just down university that he really enjoyed, so I’ll be sure and check that out. We then traded restaurants for various types of food: Steak, BBQ, Italian, Asian, etc. I think we both came away winners there, and we talked about maybe trying out one of those places for our next meeting. I didn’t bring up the food politics of our last conversation, yet I am curious to see if his views have changed or not.

I asked Nasser if they finish their English program when we finish school, but he said he wasn’t sure when they would finish up. I told him that I was excited for the end of the semester so I could get a break from school. I thought he might be going home to visit over the summer, but he told me that he probably wouldn’t be going back for another seven months or so.  I can’t imagine what it would be like to live half a world away from in a completely different culture and then only be able to go home once a year. Luckily Nasser has his sister and his brother-in-law here with him so he does some family to be with. Even then I'm sure it would be difficult to do though.

I think Nasser has adjusted well to life here, and even though he admitted to wondering how he would manage when he first got here I think he is feeling more at home. I can imagine the difference in coming to American from Saudi Arabia, but then on top of that you come to Texas. I will have to ask Nasser what he thought Texas would be like before he got here. I know there are still people in this world that think we ride horses and chase around Indians. Not that I think Nasser would make those presumptions, but I am just curious to see exactly what he had in his head.

I am disappointed that my visits with Nasser are coming to an end, but fortunately he isn’t going anywhere and neither am I for the most part so we should be able to stay in touch. As always, I look forward to meeting with him next week.

My Favorite Teacher

My favorite teacher is someone that I am a still close friend with today. He had a large impact in my life during school and continued to do so after he left the school and after I graduated. His name is Michael Carmichael and he was the drama teacher at Graham high School.

It’s interesting that we became such close friends considering that our first meeting wasn’t exactly a friendly exchange. I enrolled in one of his technical theatre classes as a freshman in high school, a class that he didn’t want freshman in for one reason or another. Needless to say, when he found out that I was a freshman and that I was in his class he almost sent me to the office to change my schedule. However, he never actually did, and eventually throughout the class I showed him that I was not only capable of being in his class, but also could do well in it. Anyway, throughout the course of that year we became pretty good friends and I reenrolled in that class for the next year.

Over the next year he would assign me to new projects and often even give me the responsibility to take the lead as he grew to trust my judgment and abilities. I was in charge of one of the main fund-raisers for the drama department, and was also the head technician for the One-Act Play competition that UIL Texas holds every year. We almost made it to state that year, not nearly because of anything I did, but it was a great experience that brought not only all the students together, but also Mr. Carmichael and the other teachers involved. Sadly, at the end of year he announced that he was retiring from teaching school and that he and his wife had bought a local photography studio.

During the time that he was teaching high school I worked part-time for him along with some other students on his bird-farm. (This is another subject altogether, so just take it for what it is) So when he announced his retirement I would still work for him on the farm during the summer or when I wasn’t in school. He also asked me to help him out with some of the technological needs in the photography business, which I gladly agreed to do.

Throughout this whole experience we grew very close and his family was like a second family to me. I would have dinner with them, help coach his kids in their little league sports and work on special projects with him on the farm and in the studio. Since my parents are divorced and my father lives in Dallas, Mr. Carmichael became something of a father figure to me. I still stay in regular contact with him and try and visit him every time I go back home. If the weather is nice we try to go play golf or do something to catch up on what’s happening in our lives. The truth is Michael Carmichael started off as a favorite teacher, but ended up being much more, a mentor, a father figure, and a friend.

To Kill a Mockingbird

It’s been roughly six years since I last read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.  Some of the details I remembered as if I had just finished reading it for the first time, like the judge chewing on his cigar, or Boo Radley saving Scout from the attack of Mr. Ewell, but mostly I just remember vague instances or the general plot line. Its like many movies, the more you watch/read the work the more you understand, especially considering my understanding then and my understanding now.

For some reason I had it in my head that Atticus won his trial with Tom Robinson when he made the point that it was seemingly impossible that Tom could have beat up Mayella, which was a very sound defense. After re-reading the book I realized that my assumption was wrong and that that scene was just one more example of the blatant racism of the time. The book is full of other themes and motifs that I'm sure were explained to me at the time of the first reading but that I either didn’t comprehend or simply forgot, most likely the latter. This book is one that I believe makes the best case of the “coming of age” theme of our class. Although all the works we have read have been made relevant I think this piece does the best job of portraying the change. The reader can see the progression of Jem from boyhood into manhood as he loses patience with Scout and takes more interest in his father’s work and the affairs of the town. But most poignant is the change that occurs in Scout at the end of the novel, when she realized that Boo Radley is a person, just like her. He isn’t some giant with blood stained hands that eats cats and squirrels and terrorizes the neighborhood, but is almost the exact opposite, a protector of the neighborhood in some ways.

What is interesting to me is the fact that Harper Lee never again published any of her work. I find it strange that after such widespread success of her work that she didn’t continue her writing career. Maybe she knew the value of going out on top. Regardless the work has no doubt had a large impact on a great many readers and will forever go down in history as a great American novel. 

A Serious Matter

It’s been over two weeks since I last saw Nasser. Unfortunately I was too busy in the week leading up to spring break to meet with him, and both of us were out of town on spring break. Turns out he went to Orlando and Miami for spring break with his sister and brother-in-law. He said he had a good time but that it was very crowded and hot there. I told him that we went to a different part of Florida and we discussed the differences in our breaks.

Apparently somewhere Nasser saw the documentary Food Inc. and was immediately affected by its message. This was the starting point for much of today’s discussion. I have never seen the movie but I understand the point that it is trying to make. Nasser explained to me how the chickens were raised in inhumane conditions and all the growth hormones that they are given. Being a business major, and a conservative I generally disagree with most of the views that films like these try to convey. I’m sure everyone has had a semi-heated political discussion at some point, but it gets even more difficult when the other person has a different first language.  Our conversation took us from the food industry to government regulation, to the economy, socialism vs. capitalism, and other related topics. We both shared our viewpoints on each subject and most of the time we just agreed to disagree.

It was interesting though to get Nasser’s opinion on these various issues. He told me that in Saudi Arabia this kind of thinking was discouraged and that he had very different views from most of the people in his country.  There was even the possibility that he could get in trouble for such thinking. He jokingly said that some people have even called him a socialist, but I think it was more in jest than an actual insult. This is nothing really new as my understanding of Saudi culture is that there is a need for conformity and questioning of the government is generally discouraged. Which is a bit ironic in that Nasser was in favor of more government regulation and intervention of industry here in our discussion. Yet his own government is regulating his speech and thinking in a way. I doubt that it would be possible to make or even show movies like Food Inc. in Saudi Arabia, but luckily here in America we can.

After all of this serious political discussion we agreed that next week we would discuss something much lighter and try to do something more fun than just sit around and talk. Its great to get each other’s views on serious subjects once in awhile, but its important to just have fun too. We did learn a lot of new words through this discussion, I am getting better at understanding what he is trying to say and having the word that he is looking for. This generally makes things go much smoother and helps avoid confusion as he is trying to find the right word and I am trying to understand what he wants to say. I am still impressed at how good his English is, and I think that it takes a pretty good grasp on the English language to have such a serious conversation and effectively convey your meaning. As always I look forward to next weeks meeting, which hopefully won’t be quite a serious.

The Sea Change

The Sea Change was one of the more controversial works by Hemmingway that we read in class, although many of them were controversial in one way or another. In brief summation The Sea Change is the story of a young couple in Paris, France who are caught up in a peculiar argument. The woman has cheated on the man with another woman and he is trying to deal with his views on homosexuality. At first there is much anger and confusion from Phil, the man, which then transitions into some form of acceptance and curiosity. He finally gives her permission to revisit her lover and asks her to tell him about her experience.

There are certainly many different interpretations of this story and exactly how homosexuality plays into the story and how it affects the different characters. On the surface level it is obvious that the girl is open to bisexuality, as she has already told Phil that she has cheated on him with another woman. The real character in question though is Phil. We see a change in his attitude, the sea change for which the story is named, as he gives her permission to fulfill her wishes. It is generally agreed that throughout the course of their discussion his views on sexuality have changed and he becomes more open to her relationship. However, is there more to this change? I believe that there is some evidence that Phil is questioning his own sexuality, and gaining some experience though the girl. As I mentioned before he asks her to return to him and tell about her experience suggesting that he is indeed interested in the concept. In addition after the girl leaves the bar Phil approaches the bar and proclaims to the bartender that he is “a different man”. Now this could simply mean that the experience has changed his views on his relationship with the girl, but it could also mean something deeper. This only adds to the argument that something has changed within him regarding his own sexuality.

As is traditional Hemmingway we are left largely to our own interpretations of the work as he has intentionally used what is referred to as the iceberg technique, meaning most of the meaning is under the surface. There are many different ways to look at the young couple’s experience, and indeed it may mean something completely different to each reader.

Baseball

This week I decided to mix up my visit with Nasser a bit. When we met up at our usual time in union grounds I asked him how his day was going along with all the normal formalities. For some reason the music in Union Grounds was turned up so loud that I couldn’t hear myself think. That’s not relevant but I thought I would add it in there. Anyway, I asked him what he was doing that night and told him that we were going to watch TCU play Baylor in baseball. Nasser told me that he had never watched baseball but would be very interested to go and see what it was all about. I explained to him that this game was going to be a big game since Baylor is one of our big rivals.

I thought I would try and explain the rules of baseball to him so at least he would have an idea of what was going on when we got there. “It’s a pretty simple game” I told him, but as I started going over all the positions, strikes, balls, outs, innings, etc. and I realized how confusing it could be to someone who had never seen it before. I decided to draw it all out on paper, but I’m not sure how much that helped. Anyway Nasser got a quick rundown on the rules of baseball and we agreed to meet at 6:15 and walk over to the game.

So I met Nasser at 6:15 and he brought along his brother-in-law, Mohammad, and Brian’s partner, Khalifa, and their cousin. They also did not know anything about American baseball but were excited to go to a game. It was all of their first TCU sporting events since they had only been here for about two months. We got to the game just as the first pitch was being thrown and took our seats above the TCU dugout. Nasser named many of the positions that I explained to him that afternoon, and I was surprised that he had learned that much from my poor explanation. As the game went on I explained things as they happened to Nasser and Mohammad and they seemed to be understanding it as well as one can expect for the first time. They told me that they would be sure to go home and look up the rules so that next time the came they would be able to follow the game more closely.

The highlight of the game for Nasser was the Baylor team. They were chanting various things about the TCU team and cheering on their team. I’ll have to admit, even as much as I don’t like Baylor they were somewhat funny. Anyway, I had a lot of fun at the game and I think that even though he did not fully understand how it worked, Nasser had a good time as well. It was good to get outside of Union Grounds and allow Nasser to experience a new aspect of American culture. After all, baseball is America’s  pastime.

Nasser and the arts

I met with Nasser for the second time on Wednesday, and again it was a great experience. Since we met in Union Grounds the subject of coffee and tea naturally came up and I was reminded how uniquely southern iced tea is. Nasser told me that he liked drinking hot tea as is usual in the rest of the world, he told me how odd it was that we put ice in our tea and serve it cold. I admitted that this was indeed odd, but that’s how I’ve grown up and I quite enjoy iced tea. We finally agreed to disagree and he settled on hot tea and I my iced tea.

The theme of the day seemed to be the arts. First he asked me where the art museum was and I pointed him in the direction of the Kimbell down university. I admitted that I hadn’t been in a long time (five or six years) but from what I remember it was a great experience. Actually I prefer the performing arts so we transitioned into theatre and the symphony. Nasser said that on one of his trips downtown he had seen Bass Hall and really enjoyed the architecture of the building. I tried my best to suggest other notable buildings in the area that he might want to go visit, but I don’t think I did a very good job of it.

I also learned a little more about Nasser and his family. He has one younger brother and an older sister who is studying here at TCU with him. His family also grows dates back in Saudi Arabia. In fact his whole city is known for the dates they grow and date production is a major industry there. He said that next time he would have to bring me one next time we met because they way better than any we have here. Somehow we got on the subject of gas prices and he told me that gas is about $.40 in Saudi Arabia, which makes sense with all the oil they have. I told him I was going to have to move there so I could save money on gas.

I would say we did better than last time with our translation, as we didn’t have too much confusion about words and their pronunciation. We learned how to pronounce exaggeration and maybe a few other words. Having said that, his English is extremely good and it’s no trouble at all to talk to Nasser. I did try to explain “sneaky” to him but I couldn’t seem to find a word to define it for him so we had to let it go. Its always interesting to learn about him and his experiences both here in America and back home as well as see his reaction to my life. I look forward to visiting with him again next week.

Huck Finn Experiences

1. Have you read the novel –Huck Finn- before?  If so where and why?

I have read Huck Finn in high school because it was required.

2. What was your response to reading Huck Finn, and what do you remember from your reading?  Also, did you actually read the whole novel, or just parts of it?  Did you read Cliff Notes or Monarch Notes instead?

Once I stated reading Huck Finn many of the scenes and characters came back to me, most notably the wreck scene and the King and the Duke. Prior to this all I could remember is the basic plot, and a few of the characters, namely Huck and Jim. I think I read most of the book the first time, but I'm sure there were some cliff notes involved somewhere.

3. If you were assigned to read Huck Finn in a previous class, either here or in high school, how did your class as a whole react to the novel?  Why do you think your instructor assigned the novel?  How did he or she try to “teach” the novel?

I believe that we read the novel because it is a classic piece of American literature. I believe that we read the original version and did discuss the views and wording of the work. Other than that I can’t recall much more about the lesson.

4. If you were required to read Huck Finn in a previous class, what sort of assignments were you required to complete, and what exactly did you do during the classes when Huck Finn was being discussed.

I wish I could tell you, but I think we also watched the movie.

5. Huck Finn is still one of the most controversial and most banned books in America.  Why is it so controversial? 

For the most part its conflicting views on slavery and blacks in general. Arguments can be made for either side of the work, but its more about the pure content rather than the meaning behind it that earns its spot on the list.

6. Is Huck Finn still relevant to you as college student today?  Should it continue to be taught in college classrooms?

I think that it is still relevant, if nothing else just for the fact that it is a classic piece. But there are many other themes within the book that pertain to college classrooms. Some of these include the coming of age, the humanity of Jim, reflections of society through writing, and determining what is historical fact from historical fiction.

7.  The general consensus among critics is that Huck Finn is a brilliant and powerful novel, but also a flawed and problematic novel.  What do you think might be flawed and/or problematic about the novel?

I think in some parts the plot structure is a bit flawed, namely in the ending of the book. Its almost as if such a book needs an ending that will sum up the events and provide some sort of moral guidance to the reader. It is also this lack of moral guidance that I feel makes the book problematic. Some of the things Huck does in the novel are not exactly models all people should follow; yet sometimes they are portrayed as the right thing to do.

Meeting Nasser

I sat down today to speak with Nasser Almousa or as he informed me Nasser “Moses”. At first it was a bit daunting where to start with someone so culturally different than myself. We of course started with introductions and a little bit of background. I learned that Nasser is from Saudi Arabia and has been living in the US now for 2 months. He informed me that his intent was to major in sociology with a minor in political science upon completion of the intensive English program. I wasn’t quite able to determine when he began speaking English, but I had not trouble understanding what he was trying to say. It became apparent that I am not exactly the best English teacher either, which was no surprise to me, however I was able to help with a few things such as “pronounce” and “poem”.

Gradually we learned more and more about each other and he encouraged me to ask him questions about his home and his background as did I. We talked about Saudi Arabia and I told him I was interceded in visiting the United Arab Emirates. Nasser said that he had been there before and that I should definitely go if I get a chance and that the UAE is a lot more exciting for tourists than Saudi Arabia is. He also suggested that I visit Qatar, as that was one of his favorite places to visit. I asked him if he had been to a rodeo yet and he told me that he went about a month ago, I then told him that I grew up on a ranch and ride horses and he told me that he also had horses back home and enjoyed riding. He explained to me that Arabian horses were the best horses, and that was not just because he was predisposed to them. I told him that we mainly had quarter horses and he wasn’t quite sure what I meant by that so we had a good discussion about different breeds of horses and their qualities. In the end he stood by his Arabians.

I really enjoyed being able to sit down with someone from a completely different background and learn about them and what their life was like. It’s not everyday that you get an opportunity like that.  Even now I can think of several questions that I would like to ask him about what his life is like back home. I am also interested to learn what he thinks of my life and of life in general in the United States. I feel that we now have some basic background that will facilitate more in depth questions. After all I didn’t want to interrogate him or anything the first time we met. I am looking forward to learning more about Nasser “Moses” Almousa.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn brought back memories from freshman year high school. However, I feel that now I can appreciate the work of Mark Twain rather than just trying to make my way through it. Honestly I'm not sure how much I ended up reading and how much was spark notes. This time I did read the full book and I'm glad I did. I was able to pick up on some of the more subtle jests that Mr. Twain mixed into the text.

Huck has some great adventures along the mighty Mississippi River. There are times when Huck plays the coming of age character very well, but then he seems to slip right back into his old self. One of my favorite aspects about the book is the way Mark Twain pokes fun at all the characters along the way. The reader runs across some pretty backwards people that makes you question how these people managed to get through a day in their lives without killing themselves or each other. It seems that everyone in the book is dumb enough to get fooled by the twelve-year-old Huck Finn. But after all, how entertaining would it be if Huck wasn’t able to fool all of them. One of my favorite parts in the book is the when they venture to the town of Bricksville and old Boggs is drunk again riding up and down town yelling for Colonel Sherburn to come out and get what’s coming to him. Then when Sherburn finally shoots Boggs and the mob comes for Sherburn he is able to scare them off by convincing them that they are nothing but cowards and they won’t do anything about the death of Boggs. And, once again the characters are so dumb that they just walk away and leave him alone.

One of the most frustrating parts of the novel for me is the very end. Tom Sawyer decides that they need to come up with an elaborate plan to break Jim out of captivity and to make him look like true prisoner. I can understand the comedic value Twain has taken in this approach, but I personally feel that he took it to far. Once you get past the fact that they’re going to dig him out everything else is pointless and Twain is just beating a dead horse, and then keeps on beating, then beats a little more just for good measure. Finally Tom decides to tell everyone exactly what he and Huck are planning to do and he ends up getting shot for it. Poetic justice at its finest. But that’s my only major criticism of an otherwise enjoyable classic American tale.

Huck is put into many situations that force him to act more like an adult than most twelve year old boys would, however at times they young vulnerable boy comes out and we see a more realistic side of Huckleberry Finn. Throughout most of the novel we can see, for the most part, that Huck is maturing in his worldviews, especially pertaining to Jim. However, as Huck is saying his farewells he explains to the reader that the and Tom must be off to the “Injun Territory” otherwise Aunt Sally was going to try and civilize him, and he can’t stand that. Which leaves the reader with the question, how much growing up did Huckleberry Finn actually do?

Byron Nelson

Byron Nelson with the 1937
Masters Trophy

I am an avid golfer and a huge fan of professional golf, so to be flipping through an issue of Time magazine from 1937 and find a piece about legendary Byron Nelson was a great excitement to me. This issue of time was published April 12, 1937 just weeks after the Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Even if you are not a golf fan you surely know the significance of this tournament, or at the very least have heard of it. The Masters is the first of four majors on the PGA tour, and winning any one of those tournaments was quite an accomplishment, but especially the Masters.

This particular year the young golfer from Texas, Byron Nelson came from behind to win the tournament by two stokes and seal his first major victory. During this tournament Nelson set the record for the lowest first-round score at 66, this record wouldn’t be broken until 1976. At the time Byron Nelson was known by some on the Professional tour, but he wasn’t a significant player in the field. But with this first major win Nelson put his name on the map. He went on to win four more major events, had two Ryder Cup appearances, and won 52 professional events in all. Anyone who is from the area also knows of a tournament that takes place right here in Fort Worth in early May, The Byron Nelson Championship. So for me to grab a completely random issue of time magazine and be flipping through the pages and find someone who is so relevant to my life and my interests was awesome.

Though this article may not be a stereotypical coming of age story I can definitely say that this was a coming of age experience of sorts for the young Byron Nelson. Winning the masters launched his career as a professional golfer to a whole new level and put his name on the map. I can only imagine what it must have been like to be in his position on that day. For me it would be an amazing experience to just set foot on the grounds of Augusta National, much less play in the tournament and then go on to win it. An event like that surely has to have some sort of significant impact on all aspects of your life, especially as an aspiring golfer. So in my opinion there is no question that this was a coming of age experience for young Byron Nelson.

What intrigued me most of all about the magazine as a whole was flipping though the pages and reading articles that I now know as history, using Byron Nelson as an example, I know that he went on to win four majors, and have a tournament named after him, but a the time none of the readers knew that. For all they new this was the first and only tournament he would ever win. I obviously understood this concept before I undertook this project, but actually looking over the materials as they were when published added a new dimension to this exercise. The publication as a whole was so very different that what I am used to seeing today. There are hand drawn ads depicting new products that everyone must have and pictures of people that only exist in history books today. All of these are so simple and plain compared to the vivid and sexy images in today’s publications. It is really like stepping back into a time machine and reliving history as it was actually happening.