Snow!

Conversation 3

After a week of not being able to meet with Alya, we finally found a time that worked for both of us. Unfortunately, her son had been sick last week when we had planned to meet and she caught the same cold after him. I was pleased to see that she was feeling better and was available to talk. I asked her about her experience with the doctor here and said it was surprisingly easy. This was the first time since being in America that she had the need for a doctor, but found the process better than she had expected. I was glad to hear this because I know that some doctor offices are slow and usually behind schedule. Alya told me about her insurance she gets from her University in Saudi and how they pay for everything! I was surprised to learn that, especially because of all of the recent debates about Obama’s health care plan. Alya said she loves that her insurance pays 100% of her needs because they also pay for new glasses every year (which she informed me was a blessing because she often losses or breaks her glasses so she requires new ones often).

Among other things that I had missed in just that one week with her, Alya told me that her father-in-law was visiting her family for a month. She told me about their future plans over spring break to try and show him as much of Texas as possible before he must leave. Last weekend they went to Dallas for lunch (apparently they serve amazing hamburgers that her entire family loves); after which they went to a petting soon and her son got to feed some animals for the first time. It was great to see her reactions to the stories of what her children are able to experience living in America. I can tell that she is making the most of every day here in Texas. As for spring break, she is hoping to go to Austin with her father-in-law and show him the city there. She hopes to be able to take a few days off to spend there but is worried about making time to study.

Currently Alya is studying for the GMAT. She already took it once, but says she did not get a high enough score to qualify for some of the schools she had hoped. Since next week is spring break, her goal is to study while her children are in school and take the test after break when she has been able to study for a few hours each day. I know what Alya is going through in terms of stressing over a test because I am studying for the GRE. We talked for a while about studying habits and good study fuel and tried to lessen each other’s stress. She is a kind person and can tell that she really means everything that she says to me. I honestly think that is part of the Middle Eastern Hospitality.

Another aspect of school that Alya confessed she was stressing about was her talk she has to give about marriage. She asked me to fill out a survey for her class and I was happy to help! She told me a little about the project and admitted that she does not feel comfortable speaking English in front of people because she is worried that it is poor. I am not sure where she gets this mentality from because she has beautiful English! Rarely does she ever not know a word or miss uses one. I hope that she does well on her project and has the confidence to speak with pride. It was funny when she talked about her family. Both her husband and her brother are here at TCU with her to learn English. She said that her husband was in the same classes last semester but now they are separated. I asked which way she preferred and she admitted that she liked being with her husband. She jokes now, that her class is ahead of his and he always asks for her help on assignments.

Near the end of our conversation I asked Alya what she wanted to see most about America and without hesitating she said snow. This made me smile because it seems like such a small thing, but for someone who has never seen snow, other than in pictures, it can be breathtaking. She said that next winter she hopes to be stay in America to be able to see some snow, because this year she was home visiting family in Saudi when Texas got a white Christmas. Being a lover of snow myself, I hope that one day she is able to see snow!

As this next week is spring break and I am going out of town, I know that I will not see Alya for a week and was a little sad about this. Even though we have not known each other for a while, I have come to enjoy our weekly meetings and even text her throughout the week.