In the wise words of Disney’s Pocahontas, “You never step in the same river twice.” I remember being overwhelmed by those words as a child. What did that mean? She obviously was stepping into the same river! Duh!

            As our class explores water on a deeper level, this quote has replayed in my head again and again. In the last few weeks we have explored the symbolism of rivers in both A River Runs Through It and The River Why. In these films, we discussed the rivers representing a rebirth and finding peace. To Pocahontas, a river is never the same. Each water molecule passing through a river is new. Maybe this is why rivers can be a sense of rebirth. When a person is reborn they are not leaving themselves, their bodies, just like the river never looks like it changes- from the outside. What makes up the river, each molecule, is different though. As a person is reborn, they are made up of new thoughts and ideas too.

            I love Pocahontas’ view of rivers because she refuses to fall into the repetitious lifestyle that many of us tend to accept. To Pocahontas, every experience is an adventure, a chance to explore something new. She refuses to take things at face value as she dives deeper into everything she does and everyone she meets to find out their purpose and what makes them tick. This philosophy allows her to want to know more about John Smith which leads her to find not only love but find peace between two societies. Her mindset was the only thing that allowed her to give strangers the chance to show her who they really were.

            Nothing in life is certain except for death and uncertainty. Embracing uncertainty and exploration can be life changing in the best way possible. Maybe we should all try to be a little more like Pocahontas and never step into the same river twice.

Friday’s Social

            I was ecstatic to hear that there would be an International Student Social for the conversation partners to get together! I had been dying to meet my peers’ partners because I had been reading about them on my peers’ blogs and they simply sounded wonderful. This social sounded like the perfect way to meet and welcome the international students to TCU.

            I texted Hannah a few days before the social to make sure she was going, and I was thrilled to hear that she indeed was going and her friends were going also. She exclaimed how excited she was to see me! It had been way too long. I thought the same thing. We haven’t seen each other in two weeks because of our busy schedules and Fall Break.

            When Friday rolled around, some of my peers and I were sitting inside the rec center because we got there a few minutes early. All of the sudden, all of the international students came down the hall in a clump. I strained my neck to find Hannah. Her hand found my arm before I even saw her and she quickly embraced me. “Hello! I have missed you!” she cheered.

            Immediately, the pair of us began chatting and heading outside to find a seat in the shade and catch up. She reintroduced me to three of her friends and I introduced her to Sarah and Olivia. I also got to meet two international students from China who were so funny and full of energy.

            Most of the lunch social, Hannah and I discussed her “big English test” she was driving to Oklahoma to take on Saturday. I didn’t realize until almost the end of our conversation that this test that she had spent hours studying for was similar to the SAT and was required for all international students. She was taking this test to try to get a score of 5.5. A 5.5 would allow her to be accepted to the University of Tennessee. She explained that her best friend is transferring there and she wants to go with her. I asked how that would affect her brother whom she currently lives with. She laughed and said, “I would much rather live with my friend. My brother and I are not that close. We have very different…personalities.” Now it was my time to laugh.

            I was surprised to hear this news. Hannah had mentioned wanting to transfer to Texas A & M, but she said that her father would not let her. Now she is going all the way to Tennessee. The news made me sad. When my peers and I were in the car on our way to the water gardens, four out of the five of us admitted that our conversation partners were transferring or wanted to transfer. All of us were so surprised to hear such news. Why do they want to transfer? Is TCU not including enough? What is it about TCU? Can we do something to change this?

            Hannah continued to tell me all about her four-hour test. Suddenly she turned to me and said, “You know. I think I have, what is it called? Alzheimer’s!” This made me laugh out loud. She was joking, of course, but she continued to tell me how she had lost her passport and keeps losing her glasses.

            Before I realized it, it was time to go. Hannah walked me back to my dorm, hugged me, and walked off to the bus stop.

Namaste 

There is something about it. A calmness. I can’t quite put my finger on it, and I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself. Namaste.

            Growing up dancing, I never set foot into a gymnasium for sports, weight training, or really anything. I found peace in having another place, another family. I loved growing up in my dance studio. It felt like home. When spending 10-15 hours there a week since the age of 12, it had to.

            When I came to college, I didn’t quite know what I was going to do. Freshman year, I found a love for running (I definitely had to dig deep for it, but I eventually found it). Having never been allowed to run as a dancer, it was freeing. It was an inner challenge and a goal-oriented exercise that I quickly got addicted to. Unfortunately, over the summer my running habits fell a bit as I got back into ballet. While I had enjoyed running, I realized that nothing could really compare with the complexity of ballet- the desire for unattainable perfection. It is a full mind-body intricacy, but again I struggled as I ventured back to school. What can I try this year?

            A few weeks into school, I decided to do my first proper yoga class. I hated it. It was hard and I was frustrated that I wasn’t strong enough to hold myself, but the week following that class, I was calmer, happier, and more energized. All of my aches and pains vanished, so I figured suck it up and try it again.

            I got a group of people together and we walked to a yoga class about a mile and a half from campus. We rolled out our mats and let our bare toes form crevasses in the foam. A soothing music filled the negative space in the room and our instructor began with breathing. I learned new things about this activity that I have been participating in every minute of every day for my entire life. I had no idea the power of breath. This first class I began getting frustrated but the instructor saw the tension that I was holding and announced to the class, “Let your body do what it does naturally. Don’t try to make it pretty. Do what feels rights.” With this, the stubborn part of me diminished and my muscles unclenched. Not caring what I looked like, a sense of fluidity came across my movements. Before I knew it, the class was over. “Namaste,” the instructor said as she bowed. I closed my eyes and pushed the palms of my hands together and bowed back. “Namaste.”  

            I don’t know if it is the “yoga breathing,” the stretching and strengthening, or the soothing music and gracefulness of the Sanskrit language but since I have started this weekly yoga regime, I have seemed to find a new home, a new exercise, and a new home.

River Reflection #2

A small smile appeared on my face as I leaned against the gray cement wall. The sun warmed my sunburnt face, and I couldn't help but think how glad I was for putting sunscreen on today. For this river reflection, I chose a different part of the Trinity River. The wind at this location was much more noticeable and constant. I first noticed this as I brushed wisps of hair from my eyes and looked into the murky water. It looked almost like a mosaic. Winds from all sides made waves every which way creating divots that looked like the grout between different pieces of a mosaic. It was actually a beautiful thing to witness.

The trail that I was standing on was not busy (I think most people had celebrated the Frogs' win so much yesterday that they needed a few more hours of sleep). This made for an especially relaxing experience. A couple strolled by. They were both wearing work clothes. I guessed that they had just come from church. They smiled, waved, and kept walking. Another couple came by, but they were power-walking. The pair each had a curly-haired dog and were both wearing neon yellow shirts. They smiled and continued on their mission. Two bikers sped by and then it was quite again. 

In my daze, I noticed a very large turtle just off the bank of the river's surface. Alone, it popped its head out of the water and felt the rays of the morning sun. A large truck passed over the bridge to my right and it scared the turtle back to the dirty depths of the Trinity. 

The two bridges on either side of me hummed with their loads accompanying the buzzing of the huge dragonflies that danced around. 

The other side of the river contained a line of large green trees, but a little left of where I was standing I suddenly noticed a huge emptiness. Green tarp lined the soil leading down the steep hill to the river. I could only imagine it is for drainage when it rains. Facts about Texas' extreme drought popped into my head. I couldn't help but remember the terrible storm from Thursday. Everything is really bigger in Texas. And when it rains (though only for a few minutes), it pours. 

Beginning to feel my skin get hot, I decided it was time to go. While this river experience didn't contain much action, the same feeling of serenity had come across my entire body. I was so relaxed and at peace. Sometimes I forget how wonderful being outside and breathing fresh air is. The simplest things in life, are sometimes the best. 

Cheers to Family!

            Last week, Hannah suggested that we go have authentic Saudi Arabian food! I was ecstatic! I couldn’t wait to see a glimpse into her culture because while I feel like we have done a great job of explaining to each other our different ways of life, experiencing them brings everything to a completely new level.

            On Wednesday, Hannah and I met and headed to Terra, a restaurant on West 7^th. The whole way there, she explained that she cooks every night (either chicken or tilapia with rice) and that Terra is the most authentic place she has been. In fact, she said that she and her friends come weekly to enjoy the buffet of Mediterranean food.

            Terra is a popular place. I knew I had heard of it so a few days leading up to our adventure, I asked some of my friends at TCU if they had been and what it is like. Everyone I talked to raved of the food. They all said that the lunch was simply fabulous, but they all called it Greek food. This made me curious.

            We arrived and were seated next to a couple that was enjoying lunch together. They were both significantly over-weight but very bright and friendly. I noticed that when Hannah and I got up to help ourselves to the buffet they began to whisper saying things like, “what is that head wrapping called again?”

            Hannah pointed out several foods and urged me to try all of them- everything from Tabuli to “meat” (when I asked her what kind she just said “meat”).  When we came back to our table, her plate full and mine overflowing with delicious-looking food, the couple leaned over and loudly began to talk to us.

            “Where are you from?” the man asked.

            “Saudi Arabia.”

            “My roommate in college was from the UAE. Y’all have some very hospitable folks!”

            “Yes.”

            “Isn’t this food great? I mean only $12.99 for all this! And let me tell you, this is quality food!” The woman inquired.

            “It is! And it’s delicious!” I chimed in.

            “Now, this food is Greek. Is Greece near you? You know, they say that American’s are the most ignorant when it comes to geography…” the women continued.

            I was ashamed. While these two were very kind and welcoming to someone different than themselves, they appeared very ignorant, and they represented almost all of the negative stereotypes of Americans, which is something Hannah and I had talked about previously.

            Throughout lunch Hannah and I mostly discussed our families. We talked about how few children Americans have on average compared to Saudi Arabians. Hannah is one of five, which is an “all right” number of kids. Her mother is one of fourteen.  When I gasped in amazement, she replied, “Each child is a gift from God, and with each child, God gives the family a gift. For my mom, my dad got a promotion during one of her pregnancies. Another time, they bought a new house. Another time, my dad came into a bunch of money. Here, people don’t have as many kids. Why?”

            I had never really thought of it. “Kids are a lot of responsibility.”

            “And a lot of money!” she chuckled. I loved hearing about her family and how her culture treats family. She mentioned that her grandmother was 12 when she was married, but she claims, “now things are different! People are getting married at 18 or 19!”

            My jaw dropped. I am nineteen. I can barely brush my hair and get to class everyday. I am NOWHERE near to getting married (and when I say nowhere, I mean nowhere).  She admitted that she is not either, but when God sees it fit to present her with the right man, how could she not?

            Our conversation continued as I drove her back to her apartment. I can truly call Hannah a friend now. We have only met twice but I cherish every minute I get to spend with her! I am still trying to talk her into coming to the game on Saturday because everyone needs to experience a little American football! Either way, I cannot wait for the next time we hang out! She says that next time, she is cooking!