Paper
Speech has always been a subject that I have hesitated to take in college, not only because I am usually uncomfortable speaking in front of any sort of audience, but because it would give me no choice but to step out of my comfort zone in a way that I would otherwise never do. On the first day of class, similar to any other class, I remember going over the syllabus and the different assignments that I would be responsible to complete throughout the course. The one assignment that caught my eye was the buddy paper that required me to meet and associate with another classmate, and later discuss the details of that meeting in a paper. I am usually open to meeting new people, so this aspect of the assignment was more than bearable, however knowing that the meeting would then have to translate into a paper made it bit more daunting, especially given the parameters of the paper having to be between five and ten pages long. Little did I know that the meeting would give me more than enough to write about because of the amount that I was able to listen and learn about my “buddy.” For the purpose of the meeting, we both mutually decided upon meeting at Lucky Strikes. Pool is considered to be an enjoyable pastime by most men, and we both figured it would be appropriate for this particular assignment. We both figured that playing pool would be more comfortable than meeting at a Starbucks and talking face to face, which had the potential of arising awkward moments of silence, because pool provided enough intimacy to talk but enough distance to feel that we still have our own personal space, while relishing in the competitive nature that most men thrive on. While playing pool we also drank some beer and conversed with a few women we saw playing on a neighboring pool table. During the game, we began to divulge our personal histories to one another – who we were, where we came from, out ethnic backgrounds, and any major experiences that we have had through life that might seem relevant to the assignment at hand. The more time that passed during this social meeting, the more we learned about each other, and the more comfortable we felt with one another as a result. During our conversation, I found out that my buddy’s name was Sash and that he had emigrated from the country of Ukraine. I found out that he had emigrated to the United States alone in search of better opportunities so that he can aid the rest of his family in Ukraine financially. It is difficult for him to do so since he is also a full-time student at East Los Angeles College. This realization gave me a sense of ease and comfort, and this even reflected in the way I was playing pool. At first, when I was a bit uncomfortable, my game was a bit compromised, but later when we both opened up, I felt more at ease and my game improved noticeably. His being from Europe also birthed a conversation about soccer, among other sport. He was enthusiastic to tell me how soccer is a respected sport in his home country and all across Europe. I told him that while I don’t watch soccer on a regular basis, which I always follow the World Cup because it is huge phenomenon all across the world like the Super Bowl is for the United States. Aside from soccer we also talked abut basketball and how it was the most popular sport in the United States, just like soccer is in Ukraine and Europe alike. Besides discussing sports, we also discussed different makes of automobiles and realized that we had some things in common. For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan of Mercedes-Benz, and it was no different for Sash. Although it is an expensive car and one worth dreaming about, it is also a safe and dependable vehicle that Sash said he strived to drive as soon as he was able to afford one. Aside from Mercedes-Benz, we also shared our commonality in the preference of Italian supercars like Ferrari and Lamborghini, and even in British vehicles like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. I took this