A personal spring: the spark

The Incoming Students BBQ Party has already started, but that is not a problem for Youseff, a Middle Eastern. Life flows and is not tied to a watch. As he walks by the bookstore, at the Student Union, a magazine cover grabs his attention. It´s about the Arab Spring, now turning into the Arab Winter.

His excitement for being at the place he dreamed about for so long is being disturbed by recent news. It is impossible not to be worried about his family. Will they be safe staying where they are at? Even though his father would do everything possible to protect the family, it was natural for him to be concerned, being the older brother. He remembered the contingency plans to have the family evacuated to a neighbor country, in case something more drastic happened. His childhood memories included those long hours playing hide-and-seek inside those tunnels dug by his father and uncles, forming a complex labyrinth, leading to well disguised entrances, or exits, in a family farm near the border with that other Arab country. Only family members had access to that tunnel, which was accessed through a fake cabinet filled with homemade fruit jam jars, in the basement of their home. That spacious and cozy area, with a large rustic table and chairs, referred to as the “dungeon”, was normally used for family time.

Youseff though, remembered that his father sometimes used the privacy provided by the “dungeon” to hold more private meetings with close relatives and friends. Business stuff, as he used to say, making sure the children were kept away from it.  After a short walk being entertained by these memories, he finally arrived at the place where the reception party was being held. He was suddenly struck by a different vision and sensation. Great live music was being played by a professional band. Something he had never experienced before.

Different nationalities and accents together. Concerned and highly motivated people sharing the same food and enjoying one another, making jokes and laughing, yet respecting the differences. It was as if they formed a family, bonded by the same ideals and dreams. There was a different spirit, entirely different than that shown in the news. Two different worlds.  The future in a BBQ party. He knew he was in the right place, at the right time. He was about the enter his personal Spring

When was the last time you had this feeling? Did you ever feel the same way, at one point, in your life?

The future in a BBQ Party

Classes will start in a couple of days. In the meantime Youssef takes care of the red-tape, paper work and so forth,  in the university administration Office. He meets other grad students. He´s eager to find out who will be taking classes with him. He promptly accepts an invitation to a Barbecue Party, as part of the “welcome activities” for incoming students. He is afraid he will not fit in. Will there be any other student from the Middle East? Will people think he is a radical, a Fundamentalist?

Did he do the right thing going to study International Relations in the US? How does this moment fit into his future? Only God knows. At the same time he believes the future walks hand in hand with him. We plant the future in the present, says Youseff to himself as he walks towards it. His future. Something inside says it is about to happen. The future in a BBQ Party.

This is not America

Youssef arrived in DC around dinner time. He was picked up by two Grad students, one typical american and the other a british fellow. They were a bit uneasy at first. On the way to the university campus they stopped at a pizza place.

Youssef was amazed at the atmosphere, the people, the laughter, the free spirit, the music in the background was great. As soon as they stepped in the song being played was “This is not America”, by the Pat Metheny band, which he particularly liked. The coincidence was quite interesting, he thought. He was in America, at last.

Icons of a dream world

The typical Fall scenario allowed for a beautiful landing in New York. As the plane approached the city he was able to see Manhattan and the Central Park. Icons of a dream world. After he got through Immigration and Customs he found his way around rather quickly. As he rushed towards the gate H-55, where he would get his connecting flight to DC, Youseff was able to see the world passing around him, going in every direction. Strangers of all nationalities, away from home, heading somewhere, perhaps back to their families or loved ones. Or, perhaps, like him, away from them and going to an unfamiliar place, where no one knew him, except for some of the University staff, who knew about his enrollment in the International Relations Graduate Program. They had information about him, his nationality, his DOB, address, passport number, but that was all. He was going to a place strange, to him. Not only that, for a while, he would be a stranger to those around him, in that new place. He would look, speak, dress and act like a stranger. And he knew it.

Departures and Arrivals

It had been a long flight to the JFK airport in New York, including the connection at London´s Heathrow. He had just finished his breakfast as other passengers moved around the cabin getting their stuff together. Some near him still sleep. Flight attendants do their usual job in preparation for landing. Fortunately the children seating behind him  kept quiet most of the time. Family images, younger brothers and sisters, loving and dedicated parents, cousins, nephews and nieces flash through his mind while glancing at the clouds, near and distant. He misses everyone already, even the family dog. He can´t wait to see the first signs of the Big Apple, its buildings and highways down below. Something he dreamt for since his teenage years.

He is taken over by a mixture of anxiety and excitement. Ipod plugged to his ears listening to his Jazz collection. Tries to relax.  A great deal of preparation, investment and hard work on the part of his parents and study, on his part, have been put into it. Will it be worth it? Shouldn´t he have had remained in his country to help his father in the family business? There is no turning back.  Future will tell. He is on his own now. The thought of having to catch another flight makes him apprehensive. There won´t be much time to get off the plane, go through Immigration and Customs and find his way around JFK´s madness, find the gate for the connecting flight to Dulles International airport in the Washington DC area, his new home for the next couple of years for his graduate studies on International Relations.

Once at the airport, a couple of people from the university will pick him up and take him to the University campus. This is what he had been informed anyway. Will they recognize him as he comes out the Arrival area? Will they have one of those signs with his name – “Youseff so and so” - on it? Is his English good enough? Zillions of questions go through his mind and make him even more apprehensive. Is he ready for everything he is about to experience? Off course not. No one is.