I had the most interesting conversation on the plane ride over here. I won’t be getting to that conversation for a while so you can skip ahead and read about that if you’d like to be spared all my random details about travelling up until that point
Soo backing up from the conversation tomy arrival to JFK, I met a young Spanish son who was dropping his grandfather off at the airport. He too was traveling to France (where my layover was)…sadly the boy wasn’t because he was pretty cute! Either way we struck up conversation and grandpa was actually going to Stolkholm. I thought that was pretty cool…I think it’s in Germany. But we were conversing and I thought the baggage guy told me to go one way, which was the same way as my two new Spanish speaking companions, but it was not. They were going somewhere totally different (luckily I noticed before lugging my 20 pound duffle bag and shoulder bag all over the place.
Anyways, later on I finally get to my gate, I think it funny how all the people I’d run into in the bathroom, and snack stand line, in the baggage claim, or had just noticed walking around were all going to Paris, but Paris was not the final destination on their itinerary—nor was it mine. One guy that stood out to me was this bush Latino wearing a red Japanese shirt, black jeans, and brown thick boots. He looked like a tough guy, a real tough guy, about to do some hard work or embark on some kind of journey.
Eventually our plane boarded on my people watching came to an end…but as I was boarding the plane it seemed like our Boeing 777 never did. As I was making my way through the aisle, the guy in front of me picked up a magazine from a wall holder and I did the same. It was a science magazine…I really like science…I think it’s pretty neat. Lol, moving right along, I got to my seat, opened the magazine and realized everything was in French. Great. There’s a language I should’ve taken during high school. Wait…I think my years of Spanish was suffice. There were random words I could make out that looked like English and Spanish….cognates. Gotta love ‘em. So I put the magazine down and then came the person next to me. I got up and let him sit down. I’m such a kind person :P haha what else would I do? What else would anyone do? They’d probably get kicked off the plane if they didn’t! So anyways, it turns out this guy not only is from France but speaks French…go figure… and was actually interning with a company in Cleveland, Ohio doing some genetic research on Cancer. Neattttttt. He explained to me a little about his work and what he wanted to do in the future and as he kept talking, I realized he was a science guru who would probably enjoy reading the wonderful magazine that I’d picked up and (hopefully) wouldn’t mind explaining to me what things said. And I was right. He didn’t. We went through the whole magazine! He was a sweet boy, with glasses and blonde hair. So cute! After taking off, dinner was served and we began watching a movie, which he fell asleep to. I had to go to the bathroom so I got up and went to the back where there was another guy (the guy who was wearing the black pants, red shirt, and dark brown boots). He was just standing there talking to another guy and I ended up walking into the wrong door for the bathroom, which kind of started the—give or take—hour and a half long conversation that we had off.
So I’m just going to assume that everything this guy said was legit and that he was even more legit. I’m not going to go into the details of the conversation but I will tell you every topic we discussed (I wrote it all down after we’d spoken—that’s how good it was). Meet Jose Chavez
We talked about:
1. Africa
a. The place (I want to say the Congo) where he was going to continue teaching martial arts and English
b. How it is important to know where you come from
c. How the term black has even more varieties at its roots…how some people can be a dark chocolate, and some caramel…well he was talking about Africans he had seen with blue and green eyes, and some with blonde Afros. The most beautiful people he’d ever seen, but the most caring and helpful hands down
2. Taking advantage of every opportunity
a. He said it was obvious I’ve been doing this in life, but that I should also do so in Egypt by asking locals lots of questions in order to understand their lives better
b. Taking the time to surround yourself with driven people, older and more knowledgeable people, knowing when you have to take a stand and move forward in and from relationships, but at the same time remembering to stay connected to your to your old pals
i. In his early 20s he had to say “goodbye” to some of his friends because he knew they were hindering him from his potential and weren’t interested in making anything of their life. He took them out to Friday’s, bought them dinner, and told them that he had some goals in life and in order to accomplish them he was going to have to stay focus and that he probably wouldn’t see them for a while. In those 6 yeagrs following that conversation he not only grew the most in his career but financially.
c. Being knowledgeable in all areas
i. Culturally, scientifically, politically, religiously, environmentally, and businessly, relationally (if that’ s a word)
ii. Stressed the importance of being able to hold a conversation with everyone
d. Remembering there’s a time for everything
i. Keep business professional
1. It’s good to socialize and bond, but he won’t take part in the drinking. Doesn’t want to tarnish his reputation even if “everybody’s” doing it because afterwards you look
ii. No one has ever seen him drink except his wife…They drink together and have their own inside jokes from it that no one else knows!
iii. When going into business you want people who are professional who you have no doubt can and will do their job
e. Always write stuff down
i. ideas and information, names and numbers
ii. Sometimes things just come to you and no matter how much you think you won’t forget things you probably will.
f. Know the world
i. Not just where you are in life, and where you came from, but be cultured in all aspects from street smarts and common sense to actually being educated.
ii. Build relationships wherever you go. When you combine common sense, intelligence, and relationships, you become a very powerful person
g. Learn quickly
i. When you make a mistake learn from it. Don’t sit around and mope…if you’re wondering what comes next, do something that way you have some control over what DOES happen next
ii. Don’t take too long to get back on your feet, be proactive
iii. And do not be discouraged
Random stuff about him
i. He knows Donald Trump, did security for Obama and even Eddy Murphy back in the day, is meeting with Oprah in a few months to help fund and install computers for the area he’s working for out in Africa
ii. He believes that every woman should see herself as a queen who is only deserving of a King and strives to teach his sons and daughters that, as well as his Martial Arts students, who (most) he’s been teaching their entire lives. That your body is sacred and you can’t just give it away, nor is it right to do so. Those students, he says, are very disciplined and well rounded, and are in the top of their class, says he son has the 3rd highest IQ in the country for teenagers his age.
iii. His wife used to work with the CEO of McDonalds. He knows when she’s had a really long day without her even saying. If it’s been a prolonged tough time at work he will send her on vacation
is a black belt…and apparently looks kind of like me. But he said she used to only shake his hand…no hugs or kisses for like 3 months haha
iv. Been traveling since he was 17 is from NY but went to college in Florida
v. When he, his wife, and three kids went to France they switched rolls…parents dressed “hip hop” and the kids had to wear preppy uniform like suits. So they all walked down the streets playing their “roles”
vi. He is a shopaholic…clothes, shoes, cars…and it runs in the family
vii. He (or maybe his cousin) played for the Chicago Cubs.
In conclusion, he said he was very impressed that I was going to Egypt on my own terms to be immersed in the culture and learn the language. At nineteen it’s a big step and a brave one. Even though I didn’t know people that well who were going on the program with me, we were all embarking on a great journey that will have a great impact on our lives and how we see the world. We are at a time in our lives where we can observe things we had not known before and use them to better our future and othes. He was also confident that we were going to meet again one day. That it wasn’t a chance happening because he had a conversation similar in the back of a plane when he was 19, and that being a man of faith he knew that these type of things were not coincidences
After talking with this guy for nearly two hours I was blown away. Looking back, I think that though he was tooting his own horn, he spoke a lot of truth. If what he said is true this man is incredibly talented and driven and has come really far in life…but if it’s not it just goes to show that you can tell a complete stranger anything and lead them to believe every word, or at least be unable to distinguish what is truth and what could only be that person’s wishful thinking.
But either way, even though some of the advice he may have given may have been common knowledge, it was still good hearing it. I’m the type of person who always is giving advice or encouragement, or putting my two cents in about stuff, and it was nice to be the receiver for once. Especially going into something that’s bigger than me.
I am on a journey, and adventure I must take what he said to heart! Learn from him and learning lessons along the way. I don’t really know what God has in store out here in Egypt, but I’m eager to see what will happen!
