O N E G R A D U AT E ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E
Treasure Troves of Information By Julien Noujaim ’15 A BRASH RESTAURANT WORKER in Segovia. A chatty cabdriver in Beirut. A lifelong commuter in New York City. These people — at one moment mere strangers whom I looked at with disquiet and apprehension — suddenly became sources of exciting new knowledge. I learned about Segovia’s culturally rooted city festivals, Beirut’s massive downtown gridlock, and the Big Apple’s intricate, five-borough subway system — all by initiating conversation and asking questions. But it hasn’t always been that easy for me. Once intimidated and afraid, I fought a mental block that prevented me from engaging others and satisfying my curiosity. I was unwilling to take the risks associated with learning, to flip the switch that would turn an unknown into a treasure trove of information. I’m still not all the way there — even after spending countless summers in Lebanon and taking immersion courses in two different languages. But I’m getting close. And so, while I won’t sit here and posture as a sort of world connoisseur, knowledgeable in many areas and wise beyond my years (that’s a laughable thought, to be honest) I do know one thing as I head into the future: My Brunswick classmates and I are all blank slates, about to embark on journeys to shape the rest of our lives. We are in this position because of the time we’ve spent here, no matter if that was one year or 14 years. Our teachers, classes, and experiences have given us perspective — one rendering us a group of young men brimming with potential and the ability to take advantage of any opportunity to learn, regardless of how foreign or daunting it may initially seem. Just ask those restaurant workers, those cabdrivers, or those complete and utter strangers. They may well teach you something worth knowing.
28 | TIMES
OF BRUNSWICK • FALL 2015