Austin CP5

I met with Mohammad and former CIES graduate Cherry at Pitaria on Tennessee street. We ordered lamb and some strong Turkish coffee which I find delightful. It was really strong and tastes the way coffee should taste (take a note starbucks). However, don't drink too close to the bottom or you'll get the grinds and ruin your whole experience.

Cherry asked me if I could guess where she was from. "China," I said. She seemed shocked that I knew the answer. "How can you tell?" she asked me, astonished. Not sure how to answer that one. I may not be the most worldly and travelled person in the world, but I think I know when someone is Asian, and when someone is not. Trying to sound as least racist as possible, I said "Well, you just have that general look about you. (Am I allowed to say that?) "You must know how to tell Asians apart," she said. "But what dialect of Chinese do I speak," she prodded. Well, I've only heard of two. Cantonese and Mandarin. I'm sure there are more. "Mandarin," I guess. "That's right" she said, even more surprised. I was not going to give away the fact that I was guessing, so I let her keep thinking that I'm a genius. "Yes, once you recognize the accents," I boast, "It's easy to tell the dialects apart. It's quite obvious to me." I am now completely full of shit.

Mohammad asked me if I will drive him and Cherry to Publix. Being a reasonable request, I happily oblige. On our way over, they ask me why "all Americans want to be teachers?" I reply "Not all Americans want to be teachers. It just so happens that all the Americans you've met ARE teachers." That would be like me asking why do all Arabs want to be students?

I'm dropping them when Mohammad asks me "Hey Austin, I don't have a fake ID. Can you buy me alcohol?" "Absolutely not," I reply. "I could get kicked out of TEFL, not to mention get arrested, and get you deported." "Oh, ok," he relents. Another soul....saved.