Moving onto chapter 7, “Harvard Man, 1993-1997,” Talusan is headed towards Harvard Square, and starts with an interaction with a taxi driver. While she is speaking to him, she begins to realize that he may be from a foreign country. Interesting enough, Talusan is able to speak French with the driver, and tells the reader about her ability to comprehend other languages. “It was true I had a good ear and didn’t need much practice to make sounds like those around me, whether in English or French.” (Talusan, 2020). Personally, as a bilingual person, I feel as though she makes a point, though it may come with a risk of being judged by others, such as people saying, “You sound white,” or something similar. In the following paragraphs, the interaction gravitates more towards her personal life, which the taxi driver is curious to know about. As the interaction comes to an end, Talusan is ready to explore the Harvard area, and hopes to feel welcome there.
After reading this paragraph, I began to realize that it feels as though I was living these experiences alongside her, and now that she is getting to the point where she is able to move forward with her life, it inspires me to do the same.
