Convo with Chris: Part 4

To celebrate my last meeting with Chris, we decided to meet at Sweet Frog for some froyo.  Because of my poor eating earlier that day, I decided not to get my own frozen yogurt.  When Chris came back to the table with his yogurt, he informed me that he got enough to share.  The precious boy even put an extra spoon in his cup.  I was pleasantly surprised by Chris sweet gesture and took it as a sign of our friendship.  Earlier in the semester, I voiced my disappointment in Chris’s lack of disclosure.  However, through the rest of our visits our friendship has gradually increased.  This meeting time we talked some more about his family, as well as the family dynamics in China.  Chris explained that he was an only child, mostly due to the one-child policy in China.  His mother is a homemaker, while his father is a businessman.  He is equally close to his parents, but sometimes wishes he had siblings. 

Later in the conversation, we talked about our favorite desserts.  Chris shared that one of his favorite sweets is a cake eaten during the Chinese Moon Festival.  Apparently, the Chinese hold a festival in the middle of autumn in celebration of the full moon.  During this festival, fully lit lanterns are used to decorate the streets, traditional games are played, and sacrifices are made to the moon god.  The Chinese, as well as some neighboring countries, use this festival to celebrate unity among the family and close friends.  The moon cakes, as shown below, are split up between each member of the family and eaten in celebration.  Chris described the cakes as having different fillings, and being quite delicious.   I enjoyed hearing about this Chinese holiday and the significance it has in Chris’s life.

Typical mooncake

The Moon Festival

Later, Chris and I discussed our living plans for next year.  For the past two years, Chris has been living on campus, first in Waits then in the TCU section of the Grand Marc. He shared his excitement to finally move off campus with an international friend.  They will living to a local apartment complex that is within walking distance to campus. He was most eager about getting a new roommate.  Although Chris and his current roommate don't fight, they aren't necessarily friends either. After about 45 minutes, we ended our conversation so that both of us could get some much needed studying done. Chris and I gave each other warm wishes and a hug as we walked off in our separate ways. 

Reflecting back on my time with Chris and JP,  I am grateful I got to meet such great guys. Although they come from different cultures and backgrounds, I appreciate the time they both spent with me.  They were patient with all my questions and were eager to explain their cultures. It was cool to see the progress, in the english language and American culture, that each of them made as well. Through this service learning process, I feel that my knowledge of other cultures have been broadened. I sincerely hope that I am able to see Chris and JP again next semester and catch up on their lives!