Back at the West Center in Downtown, I sat down w/ a man named Hugo who was really open about sharing his life stories. At our site visits, some seniors are so eager to storytell that they can go on all day, and that was definitely Hugo. He started off by giving Nicolette, Amena, and me a long history lesson about his home country Peru and his travels to Venezuela. The stories went from the Venezuelan socialist regime to UFOs in Peru. One thing about these site visits is that every story I get to hear is unexpected and crazy to envision, since my life here in America is so different. There were two things Hugo said that stuck with me. He said that he enjoys the fact that public places in Peru is bustling with people. On the other hand, he says that if you see someone walking around in Downtown San Diego, they’re probably homeless. That was really sad to hear, and I do notice that the streets of San Diego are indeed pretty empty. Whenever I walk to go grocery shopping, I miss the feeling of community and being close to others like in my hometown. As someone who has always walked everywhere in my hometown, it feels lonely to be in the long, deserted streets of San Diego sometimes. Secondly, Hugo emphasized the importance of creating meaning in our lives by making room for what we enjoy. For him, it was music. I completely agree. When we pursue our hobbies, we find like-minded people. With like-minded people, we’re reminded that we’re not alone.
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Emily lIWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2019
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