Final Meeting with Tatiana

          Tatiana and I met for one final time a few days ago.  This semester went by so quickly, and I am saddened that I will not see Tatiana as much anymore.  While we still plan to meet up next semester, Tatiana is a busy person so we will not be able to see each other too much.  I am so thankful to have met Tatiana, as I have learned a great deal from her throughout the semester.

            For our final meeting, I asked Tatiana some general questions about how she is liking her life at TCU.  Tatiana said she loves absolutely everything about TCU, especially her professors and the architecture.  She claims that everyone here is welcoming, and she appreciates how people go out of their way to be kind to each other.  One of the main reasons why I decided to come to TCU is the kindness of the student body.  Students here look out for one another, and often think of each other as family.  I am glad Tatiana notices this trait as well.  

When I asked Tatiana if there was anything she would like to change about TCU, she said she would not change a single thing.  The only things I would change about TCU are the parking and the food.  I love all the people here, and the only things that could make this school better are offering additional parking and improving the cafeteria food.

            I also discussed the Intensive English Program with Tatiana.  She said she loves the interaction the teachers have with the students, and especially likes all the new friends she has made.  I think it is neat how the IEP brings together many different cultures and ways of life.  Tatiana stated that the IEP is perfect to her, and she would not change a thing about it. 

            When I asked Tatiana about what she loved most about America, she responded that she appreciates how people here value respect and commitment.  Apparently, people in Brazil don’t value these concepts as much, and Tatiana went as far to say that these two words are “abolished” from the Brazilian dictionary.  If there was anything Tatiana could change about America, it would have to be the food.  Unfortunately, she has not yet found any restaurants that are as good as her home-cooked Brazilian food.

            Overall, it was a pleasure getting to know Tatiana better and learning about Brazilian culture.  I had not known much at all about Brazil until I met Tatiana, and she opened my eyes to this amazing culture.  Not only did I get to learn more about Brazil, but I was able to learn about cultures from all over the world.  Through speaking with Tatiana’s friends and attending the IEP events, I met people from all different walks of life.  Listening to different people’s stories was fascinating.  While the IEP students come from all different cultures, they all share a couple of characteristics in common:  courage and determination.  While I have said this countless times, I truly am impressed with the students’ ability to leave their native countries and come to a small school in Texas without knowing a single soul in America.  If someone asked me to accomplish this same task, there is no way I would be able to do it.  I am inspired by how passionate the IEP students are about learning the English language.

             While I am sad that Literature and Civilization II is coming to an end, I am so fortunate for all the opportunities it has blessed me with.  If I had not taken this class, I would never have been introduced to the IEP, and I would never have met Tatiana.  I am glad I was able to learn about multiple new cultures and make some new friends from all over the world.