Guests from Kazakhstan

I'm hosting a couple of Kazakhs that I met through CouchSurfing for a couple of days while they get settled in Los Angeles.

I thought that they were just here to hang out and see LA, but when I picked them up and asked them what they wanted to do, they told me that they wanted to find an apartment and start working to get rich in America. One of them left Kazakhstan and didn't bother to tell his family that he wasn't planning on going back if everything worked out. His dream was to come to America, go to UCLA or USC or CSULA or some university and play American football.

Honestly, I didn't know what to say to him. I thought he had literally brought a backpack to LA and was going to try to make everything work before his visa expired. He said he would just get it transfered to a student visa, but I knew that he still had to take tests and the timing wouldn't work because no one is accepting until next year. It sounded absolutely crazy.

They were so excited to be in Los Angeles, and kept talking about how much everyone wanted to be in America. It was incredibly eye-opening to see and hear someone talk about this country like that, especially since everywhere I turn I only hear about how this place is falling apart. Still, he told me that he isn't worried because they work hard, and "we will be okay." That kind of optimism is inspiring, and I realized that it is something I have a hard time finding now.

The most jarring part of the evening, though, came during dinner at Denny's (if my uncle is reading this, he will find their choice of "American" cuisine funny). The two of them had been talking wide-eyed about all the things they wanted to do in this country, and how great it was for them to be here now. One of them turned to me and asked, "What is your dream?" That's when I realized that I couldn't answer. "But everyone needs to have a dream." I really didn't know.

What does that mean for me? Do I really have no dreams anymore? Am I wandering through life without knowing where I am or where I'm going? Or, am I on the way to my dream already and waiting for it to start in a few weeks? Am I just waiting for life to give me some answers? Not knowing what it is worries me just a little bit.

We went out today to look for an apartment (mission accomplished), car (what a ridiculous adventure, but still looking), and jobs for the two Kazakhs. I'll give them the information for SAT and TOEFL test dates, college application deadlines, bus schedules, and help point them in the right direction. They have about $1,000, a couple of friends, and a sense of adventure. But most importantly, they also have a dream.

I wonder if I could ever be that brave. Maybe I should be, or maybe I kind of am but just don't believe it. In any case, just like the Kazakhs, who I might not ever see again after tomorrow, I have a feeling that "we will be okay."