We drove into Pleasant Gardens from the McDowell High hill, then turned left to Walnut Street, and after that we took another turn to Oak Circle. My coordinator Ron said goodbye as he dropped me by the house, and then he left. I heard my host family's dog (Titan) barking just like any other normal dog, and I knew that we I open the door he'll go outside, then come back inside the house to chase me.
This time I was all by myself with nobody in the house, so I opened the door, went inside as Titan ran outside. I thought that he'll come back, but he just kept running away.
Titan has a hard life as he had different accidents throughout his five years, and he has just left the Animal Hospital yesterday with multiple stitches on his body. So he really can't go outside because he's not as strong as he thinks, maybe that's why I got used to him very quick when I first arrived here.
He ran all the way to Walnut Street and he seemed to know where he was heading. I was terrified because everything happened so quick and I dropped my bag and mobile and went running after him. Were my cross country practices helping to run down a huge hill? I have no idea, but it seems like I was running very fast, and screaming at him really loud. He stopped and looked at me, then ran even further. Then he took a turn into a road that I've never seen before, and that's when I freaked out because I've never walked there, and I didn't know where to go.
I tried to grab him and hold him, but I've never actually held him before, and I don't know how to hold and carry dogs, I've never been around dogs before!
He stopped in the middle of the unknown woods to me, and I cached him! I didn't realize how loud I was screaming until I saw people peaking from their home's window at me. And Titan was just laying on the ground waiting for me to pet him.... I did that while I was trying to catch my breaths and thinking of a way to transfer him back to the house. Nothing seemed to be working because he was moving and wanting to run again. So, I did what I had to do, I carried him.
He made those weird sounds and I thought that he was choking because I didn't know if I was holding him the right way or not. But I kept walking through the woods and then up the hill until I noticed my host family's car, and I thanked god that they were finally there!
If anyone would've told me that I would run after a dog two months ago, I'd say that that would be impossible. Yet everything that I have experienced so far has been teaching me a lot as I've been growing so much through different events that proved to me that I won't go back to Saudi Arabia the same.
Running after Titan not only freaked me out, but it also showed me that I reached the level of courage to face my fear of dogs which I had ever since I was a child, and fight for him to save his life.
Why did I do that? I kept on asking myself from the moment I carried his body that was giggling back and forth between my hands, until the end of this evening. Change doesn't happen immediately, nor does it happen with good results. Furthermore, coming from an environment which had no dogs to living with dogs has shown me the great American respect and love to family. "A dog is not a pet, it's a part of the family." That's my last conclusion for my act today. I did what any other person would have done, but I knew deep down in my heart that I loved him and had to save him.
Growing up seems to come with more love, respect, and awareness to everything around us.
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