The First Time I Felt in Love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The First Time I Felt in Love - Essay Example Joe was talking to me but I could not hear a word he was saying. I just looked at the girl he was with, and could not believe my eyes. Eventually he introduced her to me. Her name was Alexandra and she had long, light brown hair that she kept tucking behind her ear in a childish way, as if she wanted to concentrate more on our conversation. She had kind eyes, with an unusual golden brown color that matched her hair, and a dreamy look. Alexandra seemed like an exotic name to me. I wondered where her family came from, to give her such a beautiful name to match her stunning appearance. She was almost exactly the same age as Joe and me, but somehow she seemed older. I don’t remember how Joe introduced her, but I do remember how she looked at me kindly and pulled me into the entrance hall, out of the pouring rain. Her touch was like fire on my elbow, and I was mesmerized by her beautiful smile. If there is such a thing as love at first sight, then surely this was it. Joe seemed not to notice how amazing this girl was, and certainly she was not at all proud or arrogant, as so many attractive girls tend to be. Her skin was extremely pale, and she had long, slender fingers that moved gracefully when she talked. She was about a head shorter than me, and very slim. Something about her reminded me of a deer, or a gazelle, because she moved very lightly on her feet. She wore quite ordinary clothes, and I noticed that her sneakers were well worn, and decidedly casual in style. Normally I prefer girls who wear smart clothes and makeup, but Alexandra was different. Her face looked perfectly natural, and every expression that passed over her features seemed to fit perfectly with her whole being. When she smiled, her eyes smiled too, and she had a slight twist to the mouth that suggested she knew more than she was saying, but there was nothing bad in that. This incredible truthfulness is perhaps her most startling quality. After a while Joe had to leave for a sports sess ion, and I could not believe my luck that I was now alone with Alexandra. The overwhelming feeling that swept over me was anxiety. I desperately wanted to make a good impression, but somehow it was difficult to speak. My mouth was dry and I could hardly think of anything to say. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself, and so I said very little at first. Fortunately she was more confident and she started asking questions about me. We discovered that our birthdays were in the same month, and she told me that she was moving into my school because her father had just been posted to a new job here. Her voice was gentle, with a light, and happy tone, but still quite serious at the same time. We went to the local cafe, at my suggestion, and I chose a spot in the corner where I could sit opposite her and look into her eyes. The fear began to disappear and instead I could feel a warmth inside my body, as if a big heater had been turned on in the room, to remove all traces of the dampn ess outside. She made me feel calm and strong, and I think this is because we talked so naturally together, like best friends from the very first moment. I watched her drink a large cup of milky coffee. The cup seemed huge and heavy in her hand, and I immediately felt protective towards her. On that day of our first meeting I hardly dared hope that she would agree to be my girlfriend, and so I just sat there drinking in the loveliness of her smile, and

Applied Case Study report for Transnational Geographies Essay

Applied Case Study report for Transnational Geographies - Essay Example According to recent estimates 77.9 million Asians reside in different parts of the world and 215,764,000 people migrated to different parts of the globe in the year 2010 (MPI data, 2012). The figures illustrate the significance of transnational migration and provide the base for numerous research studies. Migration Information Source (MIS) is an integral part of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) that caters to the compilation and assimilation of data collected from different global organizations, government bodies and agencies on migratory trends and statistics. The data collected by the MIS is structured and collated to provide analytical evidence of transnational migration trends. The online information resource forms a vital source for information and data on migration movements enabling analysts to provide different perspectives on people movement for improved understanding of migration. The reports, data and statistics are accessible to journalists, policymakers, researchers and academicians online (MIS website, 2012). Research context – background and overview Global migration has been one of the important aspects driving the economic growth and development of any region. While migration in the ancient times was limited to trade and settlement purposes, the modern era defined new grounds for migration and the number of people migrating from one country to another continues to increase (Hamilton and Grieco, 2002). Migration of people from one region to another had immense social, cultural and economic implications. Researchers, academicians and policy makers realized the need to have instant access to migration data for analyzing social development, cultural impacts, and economic growth factors. However, there were very few reliable sources of information available on people migration from one country to another earlier. The need for an easily accessible and reliable source of data in this context was realized. The MIS was conceived as a part of the MPI, that forms a non-profit organization based in Washington. The goal of the MPI was to â€Å"deliver sound and accurate data and analysis on migration trends and refugees† (Hamilton and Grieco, 2002, p3). The online information service was thus conceptualized in the early 2000s to facilitate data collection and analysis of international migration. Numerous research studies on transnational geographies have focused on analyzing migration trends and its influence on social, cultural and economic development of any region. A research article by Radcliffe, Silvey, and Olson (2006) explored the political dimensions of transnational migration and its linkages to religious beliefs, cultural practices and economic development within a region. The paper explores the different perspectives and conclusive evidences offered by numerous research studies in this context. Another research study by Silvey (2004) seeks to explain the role of States of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in shap ing migratory trends of women between the two countries. A more recent study by Blunt (2007) focused on the inter-linkages existing between the cultural environment of a region and transnational mobility. Faist (2008) in his works on migration and transnational development reflects on â€Å"how national states structure the transnational spaces in which non-state actors are engaged in cross-border