nautilussoul

My school has a program for international students learning english to get a conversation partner(CP). I volunteered because it seemed fun, interesting, and i could use more practice with small talk, especially when first meeting people. I talked to my partner for the first time today and it went great! of course there were pauses, but it was nice! she even complimented me on my ability to understand her etc, especially since it was my first time being a CP.

To be honest, later I ran into someone I knew and I asked her “how are you?” at least 3 times!!! I guess it was reflexively, and also that usually works to make people start talking about themselves. Not my best conversation, even for one of those passing greetings.

It seems simple enough, since I’m here and my friend is away for the summer, but I’ve helped her get ready to apply to medical schools by picking up/dropping off materials to her advisor.

My best friend has a summer job in another state. She didn’t want to drive there alone, so when she asked if I would ride with her I said yes. I mean, she’s my BEST friend, what’s a 10 hour drive? I did have to go a little out of my way, but it was fun, and she bought me a plane ticket back.

I made brownies for myself, but fortunately it occurred to me to bring them to work to share! College students always love free food.

I’m passing through the produce section when I find $40 on the ground! I look around but the only person in sight is behind me, and couldn’t possibly have been the one to drop it. I ask anyway. I imagine what it would be like to use the cash to buy my groceries, allowing me to spend that much less this month, but just holding it in my hands I feel very weird. It has that soft dollar bill feel that is rarely found in a 20, as if it came straight from a denim pocket. It is important to note that while I am thinking these things, I am walking through frozen foods towards the front checkout lines. Because I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that nothing I could buy with the money could ever make up for the permanent damage it would do to how I saw myself as a person. I desperately want to escape the feeling of being in a notorious hypothetical situation, so I take the money to the customer service desk. I am holding out the money and explaining that I found it, when the man’s face lights up and he points behind me. “See that women in the white pants, with the coke? It belongs to her.” I am amazed that I am immediately able to return it to the owner, the customer service clerk is amazed that he has actually been able to help this woman find her money, and when I hold out the twenties to the woman, who is already in the checkout line, and say “This may help you pay for your groceries” she is floored. Her shaky voice says “Oh my god, thank you” and I proceed to another open register. It felt perfectly natural, like the simplest thing in the world to do, but that realization may have even contributed to it being the highlight of my day.