The People in Your Neighborhood

I started my day at CARMAX having my car appraised and bought. The salesman that helped me was a wonderful encounter.

I would say he was in his 20's, this was his second job, and he immigrated from Pakistan at age 12. I ate up every word. I asked about the immigration process, about his IT career, about Pakistan, about the role and expectation of women in the culture. 

He will be getting married in the next year to a Pakistani woman. She will immigrate, she does not know any English, she is studying pre-med now, and it is arranged.

I knew it was likely an arranged marriage, so I asked. He said yes. and then I proceeded with all types of follow up. I am not judging. It is culture.

If you never take the opportunity to travel abroad, then you are more likely to be ethnocentric. You would be thinking your county is King that knows all things perfectly. That doesn't sound like American Mentality at all!!!

He said he prefers the arranged marriage concept. It takes the heartache and trouble out of the dating equation. 

In the time that my car was evaluated I went halfway across the globe in conversation. His name was Ali. 

At the end I asked if he got a cut from CARMAX purchasing my car. He replied that he did not.  I boldly said, "and you still talked to me that entire time!". He could have sat me in the waiting area. He knew I was not buying from them. 

What a great opportunity I had to share that conversation. 

Ask questions, care about people, and learn.