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I was at the library doing some research for my final post grad project when one of my colleagues quietly approached me to let me know that Mr. Olsher wanted to see me. I packed my books and my laptop and rushed to Mr. Olsher's office in one of the buildings across the campus.

Soon after his secretary announced I had arrived, she followed me to his office and closed the door behind me. Mr. Olsher greeted me like he always did: He wouldn't get up from his chair, he would just wave at me, say some nice word in my language, laugh at his attempt and show me the chair across his table.

Dean Olsher was member of NYU's Faculty and has been a radio broadcaster for thirty years. For much of the last twenty he has worked in public radio, serving as arts and culture correspondent for NPR News, and, most recently, as the creator and host of The Next Big Thing. He recorded the audio version of Steven Pinker's new book The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window Into Human Nature (published in September of 2007) and is at work on his own book about crossword puzzles (Scribner)

He was a 65-year-old man with thick gray hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes I have ever seen. Even though he didn't look nothing like my dad, he was the only father figure I had since I moved to the US almost two years ago.

As he begins to make conversation, I find myself lost in memories of my first week at NYU when I was overwhelmed by the curiosity of all my colleagues asking me questions about my country, my past and me basically being the center of attention at the time.

But honestly, I liked being the center of attention.

Mr. Olshen and his lovely wife Alice lived in a nice house in the suburbs, their daughter Anne was a lawyer living with her husband and 2 children in California. They would often invite me to have dinner at their house to celebrate special dates and spend time with them.

I can still remember my first Thanksgiving dinner when I first tried the wonders of stuffed turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy sauce.

Oh my God... Alice's homemade gravy sauce. I felt my mouth watering after my senses reminded me of how good that tasted with the mashed potatoes...

I didn't want it to end, I didn't want to say goodbye to Mr. Olsher. And Alice's gravy sauce and...

“Kiddo, are you listening to me at all?” Mr. Olsher laughed as I lightly shook my head bringing myself to reality. I apologized and smiled at him, he shook his head and went on “As I was saying, I contacted some friends in the entertainment industry and I think I found something that might be a breakthrough moment for you. I think it fits your profile and keeps you in your field of work and career.” He handled me a press release from a record label.

I took the paper and as I started reading through, I just couldn't believe it. Turning the pages, I stood up from the chair and paced slowly around the office. Mr. Olsher did the same. He was holding his hands behind his back anxiously waiting for some reaction from me.

I finally turned around and our eyes met but I couldn't make a decent sentence in English, I stood there with my mouth shaped like a perfect “O” and my eyes wide open. He laughed and said “This is my last project before I retire. You better make me proud!”
“Mr. Olsher...” I finally said “...this is fucking sweet!” I closed my arms around his neck and gave him the tightest hug I have ever given someone. As he hugged me back, I hear him saying through his laughs “ Oh my dear, of all the amazing words in my language, you just had to stick with this one, didn't you?”

Mr. Olsher knew me too well. He knew I was a wild child with an adventurous soul but with a good head on my shoulders. He just knew how much I loved my career and how hard I was working to make it happen.

We finally broke the hug and he said “I guess this calls for a nice glass of wine and...” “Gravy sauce” I finished the sentence and we both laughed “Be there at seven, Alice and I will be waiting for you” I gathered my stuff and walked to the door. He was already back in his chair when I turned around and said “Thank you...” my voice cracking with emotion.

As soon as I closed the door on my way out, I felt the very common rush of excitement taking over my body, I knew that feeling too well and whenever I felt that way, I knew something incredibly amazing was about to happen to me.

I left the building to go back to my dorm but this time I crossed the campus running like an insane person and I just couldn't wait to call my mom.

“who the hell is she?” one random student asked as I passed by running a thousand miles per second.


My name is Aline Sousa, I'm a 27-year-old girl originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where, at 22, I graduated from college as a journalist. I was an employee at a local newspaper and I had a weekly music column where I could tell people the wonders of music, news artists, new sounds and my favorite musicians. My final graduation project was about music therapy and it got published in a couple of articles on specialized media.

A couple of months before my 23rd birthday my dad died after a long battle against cancer. Dad was the most amazing person I have ever met, he loved to travel, to learn new things and he wouldn't pass on the opportunity to experience the unknown.

He would do the craziest shit you just couldn't picture an old man doing. He was the man who, as soon as he found out he had cancer, decided to go to Disneyland and ride all the crazy ass roller coasters of Bush Gardens before he had to begin his treatment.

I loved him for it.

Before he died, he took my hand and said something that I would never forget “Be who you wanna be, live like there's no tomorrow, love as you have never loved and take every chance life gives you. Oh, and while you're at it, knock one back for me”

And so I did. On the day of my 23rd birthday, I said goodbye to my mom and sister and went on my personal journey around the world with my dad's words echoing in my head. I spent a whole year traveling around the globe meeting new people, eating the weirdest food and living off a few jobs here and there.

Experiencing the unknown, just like my dad did.

After seeing the world in a new perspective, I decided it was time for me to focus on my profession not letting go of my thirst for the new.

That's how I ended up in NYU's Post Graduation program as the crazy-funny-story-telling foreign student.