Daniel Jackson | Stargate (daniel_jackson) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2014-10-25 10:29:00 |
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The end of summer was never something Caroline looked forward to. Sure she liked school enough, and once classes got started it never took her long to get back into school mode. But once summer came around she never wanted it to end. However, it had and now she was Caroline was a pretty outgoing person. She had a lot of friends and was always up for meeting new people and making new friends. Today was one of those odd days where none of her friends were eating in the cafeteria. So she took her food and walked over to the first seat she saw available. There was only one other person at the table, he seemed older. A professor maybe? “You mind if I sit here?” she asked brightly. Daniel had been sitting at one of the back tables of the cafeteria, having a quick lunch before he headed back to his office to do some work. He had considered going out to buy lunch but he couldn’t be bothered. Though, looking at what the cooks had provided that day perhaps it might have been better to go out but it was too late now. Plus, he had things to think about that distracted him from the taste and texture of the food. He had been mostly ignored by the students and few professors who had entered the cafeteria until someone approached him. “Not at all,” he said waving his fork as an invitation. It was one of the students though he couldn’t place a name to her face. There was just too many that he hadn’t had the opportunity to meet yet. “Great thanks” Caroline replied with her usual warm smile on her face as she set her tray down on the table, before taking a seat. “I’m Caroline” she added not sure if the man wanted to eat alone and in peace or not. He probably did, considering that was what he had been doing. But Caroline always made it a point to introduce herself anyways. “Daniel, it is good to meet you Caroline,” he said returning the smile. “Are you a student here or are you working?” he asked curiously. He was still new enough that he was learning who everyone was and sometimes it felt that he would never get there. He would try though and even if he was bad at names the fact he was meeting them and getting their names had to count for something right? “Nice to meet you too” she replied, well maybe he was up for a bit of small talk. That was more than fine with her. She wasn’t exactly a fan of eating in silence. That was boring, and sometimes awkward. “I’m a student” she twisted the top off of her water taking a sip. “Psych major actually. What about you?” she was pretty sure he was a professor of some sort, but it was still polite to ask. Most students were around her age, but there were a few older ones here and there. Daniel nodded, that would explain why he didn’t know her. “I’m a Professor - archeology and languages,” he told her. “Any chance I will be seeing you in one of my classes if you have the time?” he asked curiously. He liked getting students though he knew it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea so he wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t want to take them. “Of course, I understand if you don’t and I do hope you are enjoying your Major.” Caroline had never really thought about taking an archeology class. That didn’t exactly interest her. A language though, that was a possibility. “Not this semester” she replied honestly. “But maybe in the future” she offered giving him a small smile. “What languages do you teach? I did take some French in high school but I barely remember any of it now” the blonde admitted sheepishly. “Of course, that is fine,” he said with a smile. “I’m teaching Mandarin, Russian, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Greek so you might be in luck with that,” he said with a smile. “French is a lovely language. Of course I might change it around but that is what I’m doing at the moment. I also know ASL, Welsh and Latin though a part from ASL I don’t think the other two would be all that popular with you students,” he said with a shrug. “Wow, you speak a lot of languages” Caroline was definitely impressed. She could barely even manage one half the time. “How do you keep track of them all? I would totally be speaking in one language and then all the sudden switch to another without even realizing it. Although I don’t even think my brain could actually hold that many languages.” “I know but it’s something to do,” he said with a shrug. “Sometimes it happens but after awhile it gets easier to keep them distinct. Languages such as Dutch and German or Spanish and Italian it is slightly harder but like with others it gets easier with time. I understand, many people are like that I’m just odd I guess?” he shrugged. He didn’t truly mind though, he liked who he was and didn’t want to change. “I don’t think you are odd” Caroline replied taking another sip of her water. “It’s pretty awesome actually. Have you been able to travel to all the places of the languages you speak? That would be amazing.” Caroline had barely been out of California herself, but she always wanted to see the world. “Thank you,” he said with a tilt of his head towards her. He did appreciate that - he had been truthful about what he said though, many people found it odd that he spoke so many languages just because he was interested in them. “I have actually, I’ve spent a lot of time travelling to various conferences around the world but also to various archeology sites as well,” he informed her. “It’s always an amazing experience to do so.” “I bet. I have to admit I’m jealous” and she was. She would love to be able to travel like that. See the world. “Archeology, like on digs and all that?” “Well I do hope you have the chance to travel. I don’t know if it will be an incentive or not to take one of my classes but I am working on a proposal for the Dean to allow us to do a short trip after semester has finished to various countries of the languages that I am teaching,” he told her. He wanted some more students and it seemed like a good way to get them. “Yes, though not all of them have been active digs many of them were,” he admitted. “So wait, if I take your class I get to go on a trip after classes end? Which class?” she was definitely going to have to look into that. Seeing the world at some point was a must for the blonde. “Did you discover anything cool?” she couldn’t help but ask. Caroline was going to have to remember to actually talk to Professors more. Some of them had pretty interesting lives. Plus one of her friends was a Professor now too. It was nice how in college your teachers seemed more like peers sometimes. “Possibly,” he said. “It hasn’t been approved so keep it on the downlow for now please?” he asked. “But at the moment it would be French, German, Italian. Possibly Greek as well but we’ll have to see what the Dean thinks,” he explained. “Bits and pieces but probably what I think of as cool isn’t what other people would think of as cool,” he admitted. “Anything we find is brilliant.” “My lips are sealed” Caroline assured him. Although she would probably end up telling Buffy, but still she would keep it quiet. “So what class would I have to take to be able to do that?” it was unfortunate that classes had already started but she could try for next semester at least. “I appreciate it,” he said truthfully. “Any of the language ones. I’m hoping to allow all levels to go as I find submerging yourself in the culture benefits you greatly in the long run,” he explained. “That’s really amazing. You can expect me in your class next semester” no way was Caroline going to miss out on that. “I look forward to having you in it then. I do hope you enjoy it,” he said with a smile. Finishing off his lunch he added. “I should be off I still have papers to grade,” he said raising from the table. “See you around” Caroline replied with a wave. "Of course," he said with a nod before heading off back to his office. |