text: Crossing Paths Xiù Wáng is seated at her desk, which is piled high with textbooks and notebooks. Her marketing textbook is open in front of her, and it is brimming with ideas that will only serve to stoke her desire to launch a content creation company. Her phone started buzzing loudly, interrupting her thoughts. Xiù looked down to see that her mother was calling. Realizing that she had never heard from her parents after telling them a few years ago that she intended to study in the United States, she could feel her heart racing. She answers her phone with a nerve-wracking voice, "Hello, Mama,” as she taps her pen on the desk, not knowing what her mother will say next. “Xiù, you know what we expect of you,” her mother said, her tone firm yet loaded with cultural norms. “I cannot let you waste away your future for foolishness, nor can your father. return home, get married, and have a family. That's what lies ahead for you.” Xiù grips her phone tighter after hearing those words: “You can't just tell me to give up on my ambitions, Mama; I have to pursue my passion, which is marketing. I can make a career out of it since I'm good at it. Please make an effort to comprehend.” The call ended abruptly, leaving Xiù with an ultimatum hanging over her head like a dangling sword and no answer from the other end. In mid-March, Xiù goes to Tampa, Florida, for spring break with her friends, hoping to take a break from her family's expectations and her college coursework. She finds momentary solace from her problems in Florida's warmth, the beaches--especially her favorite, Clearwater Beach--the saline breeze, and the lively vitality. At a neighborhood cafe next to Clearwater Beach, one of the most well-known beaches in Tampa, Florida, Xiù Wáng finds herself in the center of the metropolis, where the sun shines on a bustling urban area and the blue waters of the beaches sparkle beneath the sky. The cafe she is at is called “Art Smart Coffee Gallery." This unique art cafe displays art for visitors in addition to serving coffee and pastries. The enticing local artwork adorning the quaint cafe's window walls draws Xiù in. It speaks to her like a foreign language and consists of textures, colors, and unsaid stories. Xiù was engrossed in the local artwork, particularly the oil painting of the boat, and was unaware that a young man was watching her from a corner table. Her medium-black hair is pushed behind her ears as she examines the textures and artwork. The young man, Jose Iglesias, was dressed casually and drinking hot chocolate while making notes in his leather journal. His dark brown eyes would occasionally dart toward Xiù as an indication of his admiration for her beauty and grace. Finally, he gathered his courage within himself and went straight up to Xiù with a warm, friendly smile. “"Hello, My name is Jose Iglesias. I noticed you're looking at the oil painting of the boat paint job," he said. "Oh, hello there. Xiù Wang is my name. It's a pleasure to meet you.” Xiù smiled after initially being shocked. “Yes, I do think oil paintings are more vibrant than other mediums since they create such flawless artworks by bringing the colors that flicker to life and providing us with textures. I can almost picture this painting of a sunset outside my dorm window at my university of higher education in North Dakota. I will admit, though, that it is a little bit warmer here.” She replied with a smile. Our main characters go to a table in a corner that is seated for two. Xiù and Jose sit across from each other and continue their conversation from there. “Tampa is where I was born and raised. So what brought you to Tampa, Florida? I'm assuming you're here for spring break, just like me. I came here to explore more, spend time with friends, and enjoy the beaches.” He gives her a curious smile and lifts his right eyebrow. Xiù nods and responds, "Yeah, I'm on spring break." Several of us determined that Florida would be our final destination. Minutes flew by, and then hours passed, and it just seemed like they knew each other from their past. They exchanged stories, and there was laughter. Their connection just grew in the deepest moment of the evening. “So you're a student at North Dakota State University? Which degree program are you enrolled in?” He asks with curiosity. "My degree is in marketing. With my degree, I hope to start my own content production business. I also intern for a local content producer who runs her own business and is imparting some knowledge to me. I enjoy it, even though it requires a lot of work. How about you?” She responds excitedly. Before Jose could answer, a waiter comes up and tells them this: “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’m just letting you two know that we’ll be closing up in 20 minutes as it is almost 10:30 pm,” and Jose replies politely, “Thank you; we’ll be out soon.” The waiter walks away, and Jose starts to respond to Xiù’s earlier question, “Sorry. I am impressed with your plan after college,” he says, seeming impressed, and then continues, “My field of study at the University of Florida is communications. I enjoy how conversation can unite individuals and allow them to share their experiences, as you and I are currently doing.” “That is a great field of study, and I know you will do great in that area.” She says this while looking at him proudly. Reluctantly, Xiù looks at the time on her phone and realizes that she must be heading home because it is at that time and it is late. Jose asked for her phone number in case he wanted to have contact with her. “Call me or text anytime. I enjoyed our conversation.” He grins and starts walking home. She hails for a taxi out in the humid weather of Florida. As she gets in the taxi, her phone rings in her handbag, and her mind runs to think, "Already, Jose? " She smiles as she grabs her phone, but it's not. Surprisingly, it's her mother again, considering they had not talked before spring break and the ultimatum her mother left her. “You only have this once, Xiù. Otherwise, we'll cut you off. Return home and fulfill our family's expectations.” The voice of her mother resounded with finality. Xiù heard these words many times, but this time they hit her like a clash of symbols in her ears, and when those words hit her ears, her eyes welded with tears. Her personal aspirations collided brutally with the weight of cultural obligations. The taxi arrived at her friend's appointment, and the driver said to her, “We are here.” Xiù got out of the taxi and thanked the driver. She walked carefully to her friend's apartment door and turned the knob, still feeling heavy from her mother's words. She slung into an armchair and thought about the future: What could she do? "How could she possibly give up her dream and yet lose all respect for her family?” Then, recalling a previous chat in which he had discussed a similar issue that he was still going through, she considered messaging Jose about her predicament in the hopes that he might provide some perspective. She reached for her phone in her bag and texted Jose, “Hey, its Xiù,” and she set her phone on the side table to wait for an answer. When she did that, she went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, and when that happened, her phone chimed, and it was Jose answering, “Hey! What’s up?” Xiù explained her dilemma, told him that she had no idea what to do, and asked for his perspective. “Why don't you and I meet up tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. at the same cafe, and we'll establish a strategy about how we will address our family's dilemmas?” Jose texted her to let her know that, while he wishes he had an answer right away, he doesn't. Xiù is sipping her water when she looks at her phone and finds Jose's message. She is relieved to learn that he is eager to assist in coming up with a strategy. She texted him back, “Sounds good to me; I’ll see you tomorrow at 10 am. Thanks, Jose.” Then she heads to bed. The next day, Xiù shows up early to the cafe after that. The calm streets were bathed in a warm, golden hue as the sun was just starting to rise over the horizons. Located between a small ice cream shop and a bookstore, the gallery cafe was well-known for its artisanal coffee and varied paintings. She flung the door open, letting in the fragrance of freshly cooked pastries. She selected a corner table and placed her coffee order. She sat at the table near the window, which viewed the ocean and the breaking waves on the beach. She couldn't stop thinking about the next chat, hoping that today's discussion would provide her with the explanation she needed. A waitress approached with her coffee order, a cappuccino with a touch of cinnamon. Xiù thanked her for delivering it to her and sipped her cappuccino while looking at the watch on her wrist. It was two minutes until ten. Jose arrived at exactly 10 a.m. His wavy brown hair bounced with each stride, giving his image a carefree charm. His face appeared lighthearted and exciting due to the loose ringlets framing it. He spotted Xiù seated at a little corner table, and he walked up to the table with a casual ease that conveyed confidence and receptivity. "Hey, Xiù," he said, his warm tone instantly putting her at ease. "How are you doing?" Xiù sighs and answers, “I’m alright for now. I just want to figure out a plan with my family.” Jose nodded with understanding. "I hear you. We'll make a plan together, but why don't we go for a walk on the beach for a change of scenery and some fresh air?" he suggests. “That sounds great. I could use some fresh air and a change in scenery.” She smiles at his suggestion. They left the cafe and walked to Clearwater Beach, which was a short distance away. As they went down the coastline, the Florida wind caught Xiù's medium black hair, causing it to flutter over her face, prompting her to pull it up into a ponytail. As their talk progressed, the sound of the waves and the salty breeze helped her feel more at ease. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how much I want to respect my family, but I don’t want to give up my independence and dreams,” Xiù began while looking out at the ocean. Jose nods understandingly. “I understand. It's difficult to match their expectations with our own personal goals. We need to find a way of upholding our family's wishes without losing ourselves in the process.” “You’re right. I just have no idea where to start.” Xiù nodded, feeling a sense of connection and comprehension. “How about we write a list of our goals and our parents' expectations of us?" Jose suggested, with determination coming from his deep brown eyes. “From the list, we can look for some common ground on how to compromise.” They found a space on the beach, and Jose took out his leather journal and began taking notes. When they completed writing down their notes, they discovered that their family's expectations were crucial, and there were areas of their own desires that they could assert without generating too much difficulty. “Your parents want you to return home, get married, and start a family. That is what they want or expect of you.” Jose pointed it out. “However, if you do not want that right immediately, you might just return home and have an open chat with them about your personal goals and how you intend to fulfill their cultural standards in the future.” Xiù nodded, feeling more hopeful. “I could do it. And, regarding your family's condition, let them know that while you respect their desire to take over the family business to aid them, this is not your road to take and that you have another one to pursue.” As they continue to discuss, Xiù feels a ray of optimism and a burden lifted off her shoulders. With Jose's help and the approach they devised, she felt confident about confronting her family with an open discussion about expectations and personal goals. “Thank you, Jose.” She smiled as she spoke. "I greatly appreciate your assistance in all of this. I'm feeling a lot better now, thanks to you.” “Anytime, Xiù." Jose replied, his brown locks framing his face, and smiled back. “I’m glad that we both were able to figure out a plan.” Both Jose and Xiù return with a renewed sense of dedication, the sea as their witness, and the wind at their backs, welcoming a fresh outlook on the future.