Follow up from World Cafe
I mentioned in the first Anatolia Congress post that I was dissapointed with myself in not having "real" conversations with friends and roommates with whom, in only 2.5 months, I've grown up. Fortunately that changed on Tuesday night.
Monday and Tuesday were off days because of the Anatolia study tour. These were well needed and well deserved (of course), so I used most of those two days to regain consciousness after a few busy weeks and a completely crazy weekend. A big group of trainees went to Junior under the Galata Bridge around 9:00 PM for some beer and nargile. We ordered apple nargile (I got shit for ordering a water), and relaxed admist an incredible view of Northwest Istanbul. Some people left early, leaving Igor (NYC), Saurabh (India) and I up to no good. Fortunately for us and our wallets, we were too tired to order beers or do much else than just sit on those incredibly comfortable Istanbul bean bags.
For those who know me well, you know I ask a lot of questions, my favorite being the one about the most important experiences and moments in your life that have made you who you are. On Tuesday night, I didn't even have to ask that; we started up on how unprepared we were for our traineeship experiences, and began talking about why we were right there...there on those couches, talking to each other, in Istanbul, in July of 2006.
Without revealing too much of Saurabh's life, I feel obligated to my own reflections to talk about this incredible, inspiring, goofy-as-hell, friend of mine. When I first my Saurabh the first week of my traineeship, I thought (and I've told him this) he was a total wierdo. Haha, I mean he showed up with like 4 cartons of cigarettes, and the first thing he wanted to do upon arrival was to play some sweaty ping pong. It was the only the next day, I believe, that I saw him outside our dorm playing the harmonica, and playing it damn well! Regardless of those first impressions, this guy is my best friend here in Istanbul and we'll be friends for a long time to come.
Saurabh told me a few weeks ago that he holds a Guiness World Record for the longest single playing of a harmonica. I thought that was hilarious. I really first thought it was a joke, then when I began to believe him, I thought the record itself was hilarious. I didn't think too much of it until we talked on Tuesday night.
Saurabh lives in India, but grew up in Saudia Arabia. He and his family were deeply affected by the first Gulf War (of which my family had direct participation, and I'm proud of it, so it hit closer to home). It turns out that his harmonica playing got him into college, and he was so successful that he has almost finished his MBA through sponsorship. I was blown away. He believes so much in dreams and possibilities because he has seen his dreams come true, and that in itself is unbelievably inspiring. I don't know exactly what my main goals in life are, or what exactly my personal vision is, but I've always believed, and Saurabh has taken this a step further, that nothing is impossible, and that as long as we continue dreaming, cherish those dreams, and believe in them, those dreams will one day become reality. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Monday and Tuesday were off days because of the Anatolia study tour. These were well needed and well deserved (of course), so I used most of those two days to regain consciousness after a few busy weeks and a completely crazy weekend. A big group of trainees went to Junior under the Galata Bridge around 9:00 PM for some beer and nargile. We ordered apple nargile (I got shit for ordering a water), and relaxed admist an incredible view of Northwest Istanbul. Some people left early, leaving Igor (NYC), Saurabh (India) and I up to no good. Fortunately for us and our wallets, we were too tired to order beers or do much else than just sit on those incredibly comfortable Istanbul bean bags.
For those who know me well, you know I ask a lot of questions, my favorite being the one about the most important experiences and moments in your life that have made you who you are. On Tuesday night, I didn't even have to ask that; we started up on how unprepared we were for our traineeship experiences, and began talking about why we were right there...there on those couches, talking to each other, in Istanbul, in July of 2006.
Without revealing too much of Saurabh's life, I feel obligated to my own reflections to talk about this incredible, inspiring, goofy-as-hell, friend of mine. When I first my Saurabh the first week of my traineeship, I thought (and I've told him this) he was a total wierdo. Haha, I mean he showed up with like 4 cartons of cigarettes, and the first thing he wanted to do upon arrival was to play some sweaty ping pong. It was the only the next day, I believe, that I saw him outside our dorm playing the harmonica, and playing it damn well! Regardless of those first impressions, this guy is my best friend here in Istanbul and we'll be friends for a long time to come.
Saurabh told me a few weeks ago that he holds a Guiness World Record for the longest single playing of a harmonica. I thought that was hilarious. I really first thought it was a joke, then when I began to believe him, I thought the record itself was hilarious. I didn't think too much of it until we talked on Tuesday night.
Saurabh lives in India, but grew up in Saudia Arabia. He and his family were deeply affected by the first Gulf War (of which my family had direct participation, and I'm proud of it, so it hit closer to home). It turns out that his harmonica playing got him into college, and he was so successful that he has almost finished his MBA through sponsorship. I was blown away. He believes so much in dreams and possibilities because he has seen his dreams come true, and that in itself is unbelievably inspiring. I don't know exactly what my main goals in life are, or what exactly my personal vision is, but I've always believed, and Saurabh has taken this a step further, that nothing is impossible, and that as long as we continue dreaming, cherish those dreams, and believe in them, those dreams will one day become reality. Where there's a will, there's a way.
posted by amartin4 at 4:05 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home