While required to spend a significant amount of time fulfilling mandatory campus sleeping quotas, we did manage to fit in a number of other activities. Chris took me to the KSU vs. Oregon game, my first major NCAA basketball event. Rowdy students, creative cheers and an overtime finish made for a great game.
We played ping-pong, frisbee, pool, and foosball. We visited “Aggieville”, the university night-scene, and had some choice beverages with a few of Chris’ friends. We visited the grand opening of a local Taco Bell and won nine free tacos (akin to striking gold for the impoverished college student / unemployed traveler). I interviewed Chris and a few of his friends for a trip related documentary I’m doing on people’s perspectives across America. I especially enjoyed talking with one of Chris’ Chinese friends who was extremely blunt and therefore hysterical. She’d say things like:
“I will be having a party Friday and invite lots of people to play [the game] Mafia. I will then find out who is smart and make friends with them.”
-or-
In reference to an unnamed tall and slender friend of mine in Manhattan: “You are so skinny and have no muscles!”
Needless to say, she inadvertently provided a great deal of comic relief.
It was with sadness that I left behind my brother as well the college lifestyle. Saturday morning I headed East once again toward Kansas City. After a brief two hour drive I had arrived at my Uncle David and Aunt Barb’s house. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen either of them and it was great to chat and catch-up. David took me out to see an impressive Christmas light display and we returned to a fantastic steak dinner prepared by Barb. After dinner, Uncle David and I experienced some quality male bonding time while watching the highly touted Missouri vs. Oklahoma football game - sorry Missouri fans.
I left Kansas City around 8:30 this morning headed for Chicago. Despite the incessant rain, the eight hour drive went quickly. I passed through Hannible, MO, boyhood home of Mark Twain and the backdrop for many of his stories. Shortly after, I drove over the massive expanse that is the Mississippi River. Arriving in Chicago after dusk, the downtown lights appeared muted through the drizzle. I managed to find my way to a section of town called Logan Square and located the apartment building where I’d finally be couchsurfing.
The Couchsurfing community www.couchsurfing.com is composed of people throughout the world that open up their homes to travelers. As a member, you are able to offer fellow travelers a place to stay as well as search the network for members that are willing to host you (i.e. let you “couchsurf” with them). I can imagine what many of you are likely thinking:
“What? Are you really suggesting you’d stay with some stranger? I mean, some random person you’ve never met in a city you may not know? Are you nuts?!?!?!! You’ll end up locked in a basement by some guy who collects dead squirrels, subsiding on nothing but garbage scraps and the water that pools on the floor! You’ll be robbed, clubbed, and tossed into the backyard only to be found months later by the landlord! ARE YOU CRAZY?”
Take heart, dear reader, as I can assure you I like the idea of being a basement prisoner no more than you. Many a potential couchsurfing candidate has asked the same questions. Fortunately, the community has a reference and verification system to add transparency and security to the couchsurfing process. If you're curious about the community and what safety precautions are built-in, you can check out the site’s FAQ and, in particular, the section on “Is Couchsurfing Safe?”. Additionally, if you have no pressing issues in your life whatsoever, you can view my couchsurfing profile.
As I got out of my car in the foreign Chicago neighborhood, I was mildly apprehensive. I didn’t know the area and this was my first time couchsurfing. My soon-to-be host Gabriel seemed like a great guy from his profile and references, but that’s always what the neighbors say about the guy next door who ends up being a druglord. I rang the bell preparing myself for anything when......
Well, shoot. Gabriel just returned from a film meeting and we’re headed out for some dinner. I’ll have to pick up the story in my next post.
4 comments:
Glad to hear that you made it safely to Chicago and had a good visit with Uncle David and Aunt Barb. I really enjoyed your visit. I think you may have inadvertently left something in the freezer.
That unnamed tall and slender guy changed a little bit what a pretty and smart Chinese girl said. She just asked a tall and slender guy:
"Do you have muscles?"
It was more like:
"You are SO skinny.
Do you have ANY muscles?"
So When are you making your way to Portland?? We would love to have you buddy!!
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