It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. I was walking towards the dorm in the University after a grueling two hour class on a particularly boring lecture. I wanted to get to the dorm and lie down for a few minutes.
On my way, I ran into 3 acquaintances that stayed in the dorm with me. It is customary to make some small talk in Ethiopian culture so I attempted to do that. But I was feeling more agitated than usual.
One of the girls stated that she was having a bad headache. She had just been forced to listen to a guy who told her that he was interested in her. He explained that in his dreams the previous day, God told him that he should marry that girl. And therefore, they had to start dating and marry quickly as God intended.
I was listening to all of that in shock.
One because that type of stuff never happens to me. I always heard other girls complain of stuff like this but I was somehow protected from uncomfortable things like that.
Two because the girl was genuinely worried about what to do. She didn't know about the existence of this person before he declare her his soulmate. Yet she felt that she couldn't go against what he said.
I kept quiet and listened to what the other girls were saying to her.
The gist of the advice was - why not give it a try?
I never forgot that incident.
A few years after I came to the US, I heard that the girl married the guy.
Oh well! To each his/her own.
On my way, I ran into 3 acquaintances that stayed in the dorm with me. It is customary to make some small talk in Ethiopian culture so I attempted to do that. But I was feeling more agitated than usual.
One of the girls stated that she was having a bad headache. She had just been forced to listen to a guy who told her that he was interested in her. He explained that in his dreams the previous day, God told him that he should marry that girl. And therefore, they had to start dating and marry quickly as God intended.
I was listening to all of that in shock.
One because that type of stuff never happens to me. I always heard other girls complain of stuff like this but I was somehow protected from uncomfortable things like that.
Two because the girl was genuinely worried about what to do. She didn't know about the existence of this person before he declare her his soulmate. Yet she felt that she couldn't go against what he said.
I kept quiet and listened to what the other girls were saying to her.
The gist of the advice was - why not give it a try?
I never forgot that incident.
A few years after I came to the US, I heard that the girl married the guy.
Oh well! To each his/her own.
To each his own.