Fourth Meeting With Hashim

     Keeping things consistent, Hashim and I met outside Union Grounds on Friday. If you don’t remember, Friday was a Texas version of freezing. Hashim definitely felt as I did! While winters are getting colder in Saudi Arabia, he said Friday was colder than he would like. To get the conversation going, I asked him how the parade was last week (this is why he couldn’t meet). He was so excited over the parade. Hashim thought it was a great way to celebrate homecoming. We both loved the firework show at the end of the night. I was surprised to hear that he stayed around campus for all the events considering he lives off campus. Inversely, he was surprised that I had only watched the fireworks from my dorm window. Hashim also didn’t know that homecoming was an annual event. I am assuming they don’t have an equivalent in Saudi. We talked a little about the game. Hashim and his friends left 5 minutes before the last quarter ended and heard screaming after they left the stadium. I couldn’t believe he had left before the game ended. But then again, soccer is the popular sport in his country. Although he follows soccer, Hashim is getting more into football. We ended up talking about Pachall. Hashim is still surprised that Patterson took him out of the football program. Furthermore, Hashim was surprised we are having a freshman, Boykin, play quarterback; he thought there would’ve been older players to choose from. Our opinions differed on who should be playing but we're both are impressed and proud of Patterson’s decision to remove Pachall for Pachall’s best interest.

     Moving away from that conversation, Hashim brought up that Friday was a holiday for him. IEP gave the students a day off in respect for the Islamic students. For Friday and a few days prior, a pilgrimage known as the “Hajj” took place. The fifth pillar of Islam says everyone must go on a pilgrimage, a duty that must be carried out once in his or her lifetime. Hashim’s sister had sent him a picture of the large crowd gathering at Mecca. When he first showed me, he only explained that it was a pilgrimage. When I asked him the name of the pilgrimage in Arabic and he told me, I told him that I had learned about it in school. Hashim was shocked that I had been taught about the Hajj. He was especially surprised that I knew it as Hajj, not just a pilgrimage. I am glad I was able to share that with Hashim because it widens his opinion on our education system. After more talking, we started talking about a book his class is reading, The Life of Pi. It was a day for surprising Hashim. He was amazed that I have read the book, not only once but twice. The first time I read the book was with my grandfather when I visited in middle school. The second time was in high school, in the same class I had learned about the Hajj. While I agree that the United States does not have the best education system, I am glad Hashim was happy to hear that I have learned about Islam in school and read The Life of Pi. I hope Hashim and I can continue to teach each other about our cultures and gain respect for the other’s. 

Third Meeting with Hashim

This afternoon Hashim and I met again by Union Grounds. I feel like I'm really getting to know Hashim based on our conversations. We were able to sit on the couches and talk for an hour without any lulls in conversation. We covered a range of topics from fall break to the elections. Hashim stayed in Fort Worth for the break because going home is a little out of the question. He shared the story of his failed attempt at going to the football game. Hashim and his friends had to park far away from the stadium and trudge through the cold to the gate. At this point, Hashim realized he forgot his ID. Instead of going to get it, they all gave up and went to do something else. The subject of football led us to Casey Pachall. Hashim was surprised by the degree of reprimand. To him, it wasn’t a big deal that Pachall was caught behind the wheel. I’m not sure if it is a personal opinion or cultural difference, but we had a difference of opinion on the punishment. Talking about our football team led to sports in general. While we both played soccer in the past, Hashim is an avid fan and player of many sports. On the weekends, a group of the IEP students play soccer and volleyball. Hashim also played handball back home. He quickly explained the game and his ability. Apparently, Hashim was a top player in his country when he was in middle school. Athleticism runs in the family, the large family! In Saudi Arabia, Hashim’s family gathers together every weekend at his grandfather’s. His mother is one of seven children and the only girl. Hashim grew up with family around all the time and remains close to them.  We ended up talking about the difference in families. Most other cultures place importance family. While family is important to me and many others, I couldn't honestly say I am close to all of my cousins, aunts and uncles. Hashim on the other hand considers his uncles like brothers. Differences like this amaze me. I would love if I was closer to my extended family but the dynamic is so different than that with my siblings.

We also hit one of our favorite topics – movies. Hashim had excitedly told me about the new movie Looper. In our previous meetings, he had talked about how great the movie was meant to be. He planned on going with some friends after our last meeting. When I asked him about the movie, he could hide his disappointment. The movie didn't stand Hashim’s high expectations. After admitting it was good, not as good as he hoped, he pointed out some of the flaws in the film. The minor flaws won't keep me from seeing the film at some point. So, if you are thinking of seeing Looper, it is a do! I decided to tell Hashim about the movie I’m planning on seeing tomorrow, Pitch Perfect. Before I told him, I was a little embarrassed to tell him because I felt the movie wasn't of the caliber he likes. But he was so excited when I told him! Turns out, Hashim went with his friends over fall break. He gushed about the movie and how funny it was. This just showed me the concept of universal humor. Hashim enjoyed and laughed at a feel-good movie. When I go see it tomorrow, I'll be wondering what Hashim found funny.