Charlene CP #1, Meeting on Saturday, February 27, 2016

I met with my conversation partner, Isak, who also happens to be a student in our class, at Panera Bread on Blairstone Road. We had decided in advance to keep things simple and to have coffee together to get to know each other a little better.

Isak is quite an accomplished woman. She has a PhD in Sociology and teaches at a college level. Somehow she pulls this off while being mother to her 13 year old, bilingual daughter. She told me-and, I do not think that she would mind me telling the class-that she graduated from her program in Turkey, married, and moved to the United States with her husband within ten days. (Did I get the time period right, Isak?) So, I believe I would add adventurous to her list of positive attributes.

It was fun to talk about politics, economics, and (of course) sociology with Isak. I know so few people these days who like to discuss serious topics. I suspect Isak is very good teacher; she is knowledgeable, and I left our meeting knowing more about globalization than when I arrived.

We found that besides valuing a knowledge of how the world "works," we have a sense of time in common. I was late for our meeting on Saturday and was worried that Isak would think I was rude or careless because of this. But, Isak was "late" also. She explained that in Turkey, the culture has a more fluid sense of time than what I am apparently used to, having lived my life in the United States.(I should probably visit Turkey. I hate to feel rushed.)

Whenever I am speaking with someone whose first language is not English, I try to be careful about not slipping into the southern accent that I grew up using and did not lose (in self-defense) until I went to college. Since she only asked me to repeat myself once, I think I was successful. As for listening to Isak, I had no problem understanding her. I did notice that she spoke with a lower, softer tone than I did. I wonder if that is a Turkish cultural convention, or maybe I just tend to be louder in public places. (I grew up in a family of extroverts.) I will have to ask Isak about this.