Random Scrap:
Another person that wrote me a letter of recommendation was Byran. For the most part international students were not eligible for any scholarships or financial aid but College of the Desert set up three one time awards for outstanding students. The first prize was a thousand dollars and the two remaining places would receive five hundred dollars each. I had never seen what Mrs. Scarffe wrote but I suspect her letter mostly focused on my academic record. Byran's on the other hand was a description of my "modest background" and the hard work I put into being a "good immigrant" in the United States. "Please help him!" was how the letter ended. The call from Christina, the head of the international office, came while I was walking to a golf class (physical education was part of the college requirement and I conveniently chose the class that required the least amount of movement). I won the highest prize. "I am the smartest international student in town!" - I celebrated the news with Akira over lunch at a Thai restaurant. The sight of the kitchen's door made me grateful that my career of a dishwasher never had a chance to take off.