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Adapting to Denver, Colorado

Writer's picture: Paul PeiPaul Pei


 With a birthdate in December, I was a young 17 year old when University of Denver (“DU”) accepted me as a Freshman.   I was accepted to several other schools but chose DU because we had a close family friend in Denver and Dad felt more comfortable to have someone nearby to call on if needed.   The thought of going to school in Denver drew excitement but also trepidation.   It meant being away from home and learning to be independent.  It would be the first time on an airplane (never flown before) and living in a dormitory with a roommate, eating dormitory food, and above all fending for myself. The first time without parents’ instruction and protection.   So many firsts!

 

Yet, it also meant many new adventures, new experiences, new friends, and so much to learn.   The summer of 1968 was spent with excitement but also some reservation in preparation for the first year at university.    The day came for my departure to Denver.   Mom and Dad saw me off at the airport and I remember being home sick even before boarding the airplane.   It took some encouragement, but I finally boarded my 5-hour flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles.   I would transfer in Los Angeles for a two-and-a-half-hour flight to Denver.  There were lots of butterflies in my stomach but knowing our friend would meet me at Denver Stapleton International Airport calmed me down.

 

There are many stories from DU and while I cannot share all of them, there are a couple of fun stories from my early days at school.

 

1.        Rice was always on the menu at home, but it was missing in the dormitory cafeteria.  Instead, the menu in the cafeteria always included potatoes.   I had no idea that there were so many ways to cook potatoes.  It is baked, mashed, boiled, roasted, fried, sauteed, steamed and more.   I think I experienced every way of cooking potatoes imaginable while in the dorm.   By the 4th week of eating the different creative ways to cook potatoes, I could feel myself twitching from a lack of rice.  Fortunately, our friend introduced me to a Japanese restaurant  (Fuji-En) in town.   When we went to dinner there, I enjoyed several heaping servings of rice which helped dramatically to reduce my twitching.  It tasted so good.  To survive the 4 years in Denver, I had to learn to enjoy potatoes, however it was cooked.      

 

2.        Football season arrived shortly after the semester began and our friend invited me to a football game at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.   Remember that I grew up on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.   The trip to Colorado Springs would be slightly over an hour by car and cover some 60 miles.  In Honolulu, a trip 30 miles in either direction from your starting point would land you in the ocean.   I naively asked, “you drive that far for a football game?”  This comment brought on a chuckle as you can imagine.  In Honolulu, before driving 30 miles, I would first get a tune up for the engine, change the oil, check my tires, etc.  Distance was totally different in Denver as compared to Honolulu.

 

Adaptation is a part of our life’s journey.  As our lives move forward, there is always something new around the corner.  Adapting to what is new allows us to grow and improve.   There are so many lessons to learn in life, treasure every lesson.   We will survive, evolve, and progress because of our ability to adapt.

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