Sam - CP - 4

Last night, I had my best outing yet with Hasan. Oh, man. I picked him and Jackie (also from CIES) up around 10 and we headed to AJ's sports bar for karaoke. We met up with Taylor from class and her CP, Jose. I felt as out of place, I think, as Hasan and Jackie. I'd never been to AJ's before, and honestly, walking into a place with twenty screens all set to a football game felt like walking onto another planet. I am one of those people who hides inside during game day or drives to the edge of town to be away from the booming play-by-play sounding from the stadium. I am used to going to grimy Tallahassee haunts where I know everyone. I looked around at the sea of baseball caps and knew that none of my friends would be there.

We sat down with with Taylor and Jose. We got some beers, chicken wings, and fries, and waited for the karaoke to begin. Jackie explained to me how different American karaoke is from Taiwanese karaoke, where a group of friends get a private room and pay by the hour to sing songs. The publicness of our karaoke surprised her, and both she and Hasan said they would not be singing in front of all these Americans, no way. The second song was a group of about five "bros" who sang, quite horribly, but hilariously, Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." I watched as a crowd of my peers writhed about in front of the stage, singing along dramatically, a la "Wayne's World" (which I told Jackie and Hasan about). I couldn't help but feel outside my culture, and part of it, too.

I ended up hitting it off really well with Jackie, who was sitting by me. Hasan was a bit reserved last night, but he spoke some with Taylor and some with Jackie and I. I was sad to hear that Jackie's old conversation partner from last semester had dumped her! She explained it just like that. She and Hasan had both had partners who they felt treated them like assignments, and were not looking for a genuine connection. I hope I never make my CPs feel that way!

Somewhere among the ridiculous antics of the drunken Americans, Jackie found the courage to sing a song, and she asked me to go up with her. We sang Guns n' Roses "Sweet Child of Mine." OK, I am terrible at karaoke. I cannot hear myself at all and go completely tone-deaf. But Jackie!!! Back in Taiwan, she was in an all-girl rock band where she sang and played bass. SO RAD. She grabbed that mic and just wailed on the song. It was awesome! That gave Hasan a boost of confidence, and he sang a ballad after us. Having spoken, or sang, our piece, we left AJ's around 1:30 am.

I just can't tell you how happy I am to have the chance to meet such awesome people from around the world. I'm sad that Hasan isn't staying longer-- he heads off to Penn State in December. However, I think Jackie and I are going to be friends! She likes going to live punk/rock shows and playing music, two of my pastimes, and she is just so funny and lively. I hope she gets into FSU so she can stick around Tallahassee!