Yesterday, I met with my conversation partner for the second time. It was interesting meeting him again with a pre-established knowledge of each other. Because of that fact, we were able to bypass small talk and get more in depth in our conservation. I feel like I know JP on a deeper level, and my knowledge of his country increased.
JP and I started talking about his week in general. Through that I learned that he has a big test coming up that will determine if he is able to stay at TCU and become a full fledge student. I offered my help with any studying that he may need, and we agreed that we can devote some of our next meeting time to studying. Our conservation then moved onto his spring break plans. JP explained to me that he was going back to France to compete in swimming nationals. Apparently, JP didn't just swim for fun; JP swam to win! Back in New Caledonia, JP went to a high school completely devoted to improving one's athletic abilities. He was boarded there with fellow committed swimmers, wrestlers, soccer players, and horseback riders. I also learned that JP had competed to be apart of the French Olympic swimming team and made it to semifinals.
I was fascinated with JP's life. Not only did he live in a different country than I did, but he lived a completely different lifestyle. While his life was consumed with school, swim, and sleep, I was allowed to pursue a more relaxing lifestyle, filled with family and friends. It is so interesting how many different backgrounds people come from, yet we all ended up at TCU. On the outside, it may seem like JP and I have nothing in common. However, we both have a similar appreciation of football, heart-break story, and enjoyment of the university we attend. It really is amazing how everyone in TCU has at least one thing in common; we are all horned frogs.
After JP told me about his life, we were able to discuss some overarching themes of New Caledonia. While Texas is emerged in the Bible Belt and many students attend church, this is not the case in New Caledonia. JP informed me that many people claim Catholicism as their religion, yet Mass is not an important part of their schedules. We were able to discuss religion, thoughts on family, and thoughts on love. I appreciated how open JP was with me in all that we shared. In all, I really enjoyed my time with JP, and feel like I can learn so much more from him. I still want to see his opinion on humor, and possibly see examples.
P.S. We were able to narrow his dream girl down to a certain sorority. While the search still remains, we are making progress.
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