When I first encountered Loren at the front desk of a chain hotel in a suburb of Chicago, I was impressed with her helpful attitude and her knowledge about services available in the area. She has worked there for four years. I asked for restaurant suggestions, and she told me about several in the neighborhood.
Loren is an Illinois native. She told me that she hates the winters, especially scraping ice off her windshield, and she would love to move to Texas where there is no snow. When I asked her what keeps her in Illinois, she said that she lives with her family out of economic need. She just graduated from a technical school where she learned how to do MRIs. Loren has completed 500 of the 1,000 MRI training hours that she needs in order to take an exam and get certified. She’s looking forward to that career.
I asked Loren how she feels about the current political climate in the country. She does not like the racism that Trump has stirred up in his supporters. Her parents moved to the U.S. from Mexico 23 years ago, and she is seeing too much anti-Mexican sentiment. She has gone through the sorrow of seeing the deportation of two uncles whose children are all still here in the United States.
Her boyfriend, who is also of Mexican heritage, feels very differently about Trump. He thinks that Trump is doing a great job as president. I asked if it’s difficult to be in a relationship with someone who has different political beliefs. That is apparently not the only topic on which they differ, as she is Catholic and her boyfriend is an atheist. They agree to disagree on many topics.
I’ve seen first hand how two people with vastly different political views or religious views can have a long, successful relationship, although I don’t think I’ve known a couple who has had BOTH of those differences. I wish Loren the best in her career and in her love life.