Will Stone - CP 4

 

I met up with Hamad again after he had finished his classes for the day, in the CIES lounge. He was talking with some friends when he saw me and came up to greet me. I asked how his weekend was and he told me that he had to see a movie, The Dictator, with some of his friends. He introduced me to a couple of his friends who were standing nearby, but I failed to catch their names. Hamad also mentioned that he moved into a new apartment complex down on Tennessee street. I asked him what the name was, but when he told me I couldn’t quite understand what he exactly said. Between his pronunciation and the similar sounding apartment names, I didn’t catch what apartment complex he moved in to, but he did tell me that it was on the third floor and he showed me a picture of the view of the trees and retention pond from his balcony (the pond looked a lot nicer than most retention ponds). He said that he really liked his new place and that he had moved in with a few friends from CIES. That lead to a discussion about what we both liked to do around town. I told him that enjoyed biking around and playing music with my friends. He was surprised that I enjoyed biking around in this weather. Apparently he found Florida’s weather abhorrent. He hated the heat and humidity. Hamad told me that back in Kuwait he would play soccer outside all the time, but that he did not enjoy playing here because the available FSU field was not very good and that the humidity kept whatever games started, relatively short. Instead here in Florida, he and his friends enjoyed bowling in the evenings. Our conversation was cut shot when Hamad abruptly said that he had to go to his apartment to help his roommate move some furniture. I have had similar experiences with both Yasmina and Shaykhah as well, where they abruptly had to leave. I am not sure if it is do to some sort of cultural misunderstanding or linguistic shortcoming or if it is sheer coincidence.