Today, the class went to the Gary and mary West Senior Wellness Center located in Downtown San Diego. Upon entering the space, we were immediately welcomed with bright splashes of color on the floor tiles, accent furniture and the walls. I saw portraits of notable seniors hanging on the walls, with quotes next to them. It’s also Lunar New Year coming up, so there were decorative Asian motifs in the dining area.
Overall, I was shocked that this place was filled with warm tones, and not sad and dreary, ideas that one would typically associate with a retirement or nursing home.
The most enjoyable moment of my time at the Senior Center was having the opportunity to speak with the seniors who frequently visited the space. To be completely honest, I was apprehensive to approach them at first. I didn’t know how they’d react to my presence.
I first approached a Filipina senior and spoke with her briefly, until my classmate, Chloe, asked me to speak with a Peruvian senior, Felix, because she wanted me to join in the conversation and help translate. With my limited working proficiency of the Spanish language, we conversed for quite some time. I was kind of glad that she encouraged me to join them because Felix is quite a well-rounded, eccentric man with multitudes of interests.
From listening to his stories about owning a small business in Peru to hearing his sophisticated music tastes, I was so glad Chloe and I got to spend time with Felix. He shared so much about his life in Lima, and we got to bond over food, music and even academics!
His outlook on life is quite fascinating, and he is heavily inspired by German and Italian music. I remember him referring to Nietzsche, saying that without music, there is no life. Chloe and I were just so impressed by Felix’s sophistication and intelligence. Listening to him talk about his life stories (in Spanish) was edifying, and I’m so glad I was able to comprehend and resonate with his stories.
Felix, si estás leyendo este blog, ¡espero que podamos volver a encontrarnos en el futuro!
Overall, I was shocked that this place was filled with warm tones, and not sad and dreary, ideas that one would typically associate with a retirement or nursing home.
The most enjoyable moment of my time at the Senior Center was having the opportunity to speak with the seniors who frequently visited the space. To be completely honest, I was apprehensive to approach them at first. I didn’t know how they’d react to my presence.
I first approached a Filipina senior and spoke with her briefly, until my classmate, Chloe, asked me to speak with a Peruvian senior, Felix, because she wanted me to join in the conversation and help translate. With my limited working proficiency of the Spanish language, we conversed for quite some time. I was kind of glad that she encouraged me to join them because Felix is quite a well-rounded, eccentric man with multitudes of interests.
From listening to his stories about owning a small business in Peru to hearing his sophisticated music tastes, I was so glad Chloe and I got to spend time with Felix. He shared so much about his life in Lima, and we got to bond over food, music and even academics!
His outlook on life is quite fascinating, and he is heavily inspired by German and Italian music. I remember him referring to Nietzsche, saying that without music, there is no life. Chloe and I were just so impressed by Felix’s sophistication and intelligence. Listening to him talk about his life stories (in Spanish) was edifying, and I’m so glad I was able to comprehend and resonate with his stories.
Felix, si estás leyendo este blog, ¡espero que podamos volver a encontrarnos en el futuro!