So I realized the other day I have never posted any stories about Patrick. Patrick is a student I met when I was working at Presby Hall during the construction phase. He was one of the very first students to sign a lease for the building. He was 15 when he first called. Yes that's correct, 15 and about to be a freshman at the UI. And did I mention he was from Bejing China? True story. Can you imagine your parents sending you to a foreign country when you were 15 to go to college?
Patrick would call our office about once a week the year before school started. I think part of the reason he called was to begin to make friends in the US. And I also think he wanted to learn more about the culture. I found him fascinating.
Patrick comes to the USA
About a month before school started he called to let me know he was coming to school early and wanted to move in the dorm. However...the dorm would not be finished in time. His parents proceeded to book him a room in the Red Roof Inn near the mall. The primary reason for coming early was that China was hosting the Olympics (2008) and air fare was ridiculously expensive.
I told him to tell his mother a 15 year old, in his first two weeks in America, could not stay in the Red Roof Inn. So I invited him to stay at my place. We had a blast. I made sure all of the task items like getting a phone, registering for class and attending cultural adjustment programs all happened, but I also had the privilege of learning about his culture and sharing some of "America's finest" with him. Papa Dels Pizza, Legend's Fish Sandwiches, American Chinese food, and "salad" were all fun explorations. We became fast friends as a result. School started, he moved into Presby and we touched base periodically during the semester. I'm pretty sure he joined our family for Thanksgiving and I know he became close friends with my step mom and sisters during his first year.
Patrick tours the USA
After he first year in school Patrick decided to transfer to Northwestern. NU is on a slightly different calendar than the University of Illinois. As a result Patrick had to move out of Presby in early August and couldn't get into his new dorm in Evanston until mid September. One day he calls and asks me if he can store some things at my place and then asked, "what are you doing between Aug 15 and Sept 15. As is happened I was planning to visit my sister in Boston. Patrick asked if he could come along. Why not?
We expanded the tour to include the Northeast corridor, adding New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Off we went. An hour into the trip Patrick calls his mother. Two hours, he calls her again. Hour three, another call. I ask him what's up with his mom. He tells me that him mother is paranoid about us driving to Boston. She fears in the roads are terrible. I laugh and he explains, in China the roads deteriorate quickly as you leave major cities. People don't drive across the country, they fly or take the train. Patrick wants to know how the roads will be all the way to Boston. When I assure him the road are great throughout America he calls his mother again and says, "this is the last call, American roads are fine."
Our first stop is in Pennsylvania. My family is based near Erie PA and I thought it would be fun to visit. This is Patrick's first "rural" engagement and he totally enjoyed spending time with my cousin's kids, Drew and Brandon. We walked the back roads, got into the fields and he learned about farming in America. His grandmother lived in rural China so he could totally relate.
My Aunt Peggie prepared a wonderful feast, including a rather large pork tenderloin. The table was full of fresh veggies and lots of sides. We stuffed it all down. Now Peggie is one of America's finest pie bakers and tonight there were two freshly baked pies waiting. She asks Patrick if he is ready for a slice or two. He politely says yes. Then she asked if he wanted ice cream. We all tell him it's a must.
Peggie brings out the pie, apple I believe, Patrick takes a bite and a huge smile crossed his face.. He says this is the best thing he has ever eaten. Here is what we didn't know. In China a pie is often a meat pie. Patrick thought Peggie was bringing him a meat pie with ice cream. While he politely agreed to eat it, his stomach was turning over. He was pleasantly surprised, and by the way, he had a few more slices during our stay.
Off to Maine
We decided to add on New England to our trip. We stopped in New Hampshire and hiked in the White Mountain Area. I decided to take the back roads through New England, leading to the most beautiful drive I have ever taken. So many small, charming, towns to enjoy. I particularly loved going through Bartlett New Hampshire as it made me think about my favorite all time tv show, The West Wing.
We stopped in Bar Harbor, Maine. Acadia is an amazing National Park with stunning views of the ocean. We hiked through the woods and drove the coastline. Another day we walked through Bar Harbor. This town attracts many cruise ships and is filled with little gift shops and nick knack stores. Of course I love ice cream so we stopped at Ben and Jerry's. Patrick had only had soft serve ice cream in his life so this was another new experience. He asked me to order for him and I chose "Cherry Garcia." His smile grew with every taste. "This is the most amazing thing ever." He thought this was just a New England thing. I told him Ben and Jerry's was in every grocery store and most gas stations in America. "I love this country!"
Our last stop in Bar Harbor was to a dock on the south east side of the peninsula. There was a restaurant serving lobster fresh from the boat. We picked a big one from a huge tank and a dozen clams as well. The chefs cooked it all in front of us. We ate this incredible meal on a picnic table at the dock.
Finally Boston
The goal of this trip was to visit my sister in Boston. I love Boston, the history, the food, the coastline. It is one of my favorite places in the USA. We walked the Liberty Trail, ate at a few restaurants downtown and saw the sights. And of course we visited with my sister and her family. Patrick was a huge hit with my nephews, no surprise here of course.
One evening my sister asked if we could leave earlier the next day on our sightseeing trip. The preschool representatives were coming for a home visit, share time with the family, and check out the surroundings. On the train to downtown Patrick offers, "Geez what if Kris and family don't do well in the interview? Will that mean that Arlo, (my nephew) can rule out Harvard?" We had a great laugh.
Patrick is a special young man. A have enjoyed learning about the culture and comparing stories. He graduated from Northwestern with straight A's, spent some time working in Chicago, started his own company, and is now working on his masters at Harvard.
He promised me a guided tour to China some day. I'm still waiting.........
No comments:
Post a Comment