My conversation partner

Tonight at six, I finally met my conversation partner. Due to unanswered emails, this is the first time I was unable to meet with her. It was rather frustrating the last few weeks to know that I was missing the opportunity the rest of the students in class were getting, but now that is over.

When I showed up, I forgot to ask her what she looked like and didn't give her any information about me. So I was there looking for her for awhile, but after all we met. She has lived in Texas for ten years now. She was born in Mexico, but moved here with her husband. She now has two sons. When in Mexico, she graduated from college. Now she is at TCU to improve her English and possibly change careers.

We come from completely different worlds. I am the typical college student fresh out of high school working on my first degree and planning my future. She is a mother of two trying to better her chances of doing well in a country that expects her to learn a new language. Since she has lived her ten years, she has a good understanding of English. She speaks clearly and better than many of the people I remember from my high school!

I really liked meeting her. We talked about where we were both from. Mine was easy, but with hers I learned what it was like to move away from everything and everyone she knew to a completely different culture. Luckily for her, she does have some family here that she lives close to. I am the person that she speaks English to because with all her family and friends she speaks Spanish. Of course, she wants her children to understand both languages so she speaks to them in Spanish and they talk in English at school, but with everyone else it was just what was natural for so many years.

By learning English, she wants to have a better chance in the business world. For almost any job in the United States you have to know English, and she wants to be in a good position. As of my first meeting, I was surprised that she was taking classes for English. It seemed like she already knew how to speak well.

We talked about all the things we like to do in Fort Worth. Being a mother, her interests were in things she could do with her sons. However, we did have a few things in common with what we both like to do... like shopping! I really am excited to meet with her again. It helps my  understanding so much of the different people that live here in the US that are immigrants.