Despite an Accent

After graduating from high school was time for college and, by now, my son knew exactly he wanted to be in a less flashy and more of an academic environment. We visited a few Californian State Universities and the final destination was Sonoma; a small, rural, up-and-coming college. The campus was modest, but beautiful and the students seemed to be well-grounded; a perfect fit. At the opening ceremony we met the dean; he had an unmistaken Latino accent. Born in Cuba, he came to United States as a teenager; he graduated from a prestigious University in Florida and was now the dean of a west coast State University. I didn’t even have to point that out to my son; by now his accent was minimal and did not bother him at all; in fact, he grew to find it charming. My son went on to graduate school and attended George Washington University where he got a master in political science. He is presently working for the Smithsonian Historical Institute and writing his PhD dissertation. In a city like Washington D.C., with his education and talents, his slight accent turned into an asset and, God willing, it might take him to high levels of political life.