Marco Vespa

RPTM 120

December 16th, 2023

Reflective Essay

During this assignment, our job was to find someone we do not have close connections with and

find unique people who have different lifestyles that differ from what the norm is for us. This

would allow us to see that not everyone comes from the same background or the same benefits

that each one of us receives. I think this is what made the interview enjoyable for me, being able

to learn about a different background which then I was able to learn so much about a different

culture. Some of the major takeaways I got from this experience are that everyone has their own

story and that everyone can find leisure and recreation in the way that they find enjoyable.

Lastly, another major takeaway I found was that recreation and leisure are natural. We as

humans have been doing it in so many instances of our period, it is amazing to me to think about

how generations of humans have continuously found ways to have leisure and recreation in

society.

Franklin, whom I chose to interview, was my decision because I knew of his diverse background.

Franklin was originally from Puerto Rico and made his way to the States to find a better chance

of living through university. He eventually attended and graduated from Michigan State
University, which he is very proud of. As I spoke with Franklin, we were able to have a great

conversation about what leisure is defined for him, how he partakes in leisure, as well as many

other great questions.

Franklin defined the word leisure as people-based. He emphasized how much he enjoys being

around others, like his wife, his family and his friends. He says that “being able to stop and rest

or take time doing something I want to do especially with my loved ones is the best kind of

leisure for me” Some of the activities he enjoys doing with his loved ones are cooking,

conversing, or even walking outside.” Other activities he enjoys taking on leisurely are reading,

writing, woodworking, and fishing. These activities are important to him because he feels it is

important to put electronics away and become one with yourself, to truly learn who you are by

getting to know yourself, which is why these activities are so enjoyable for him. As we continued

our conversation, we talked about what he liked the least about leisure. He went on to talk about

how leisure can be used as an excuse to be lazy. He speaks about it more specifically when he

told me “Leisure is supposed to recharge us so that we are eager to go back to the work that we

do”. He then went on to speak about what holds him back the most from leisure, and he went on

to talk about his work. He talked about the expectations he has from work, his family and what

he puts on himself, and that being financially comfortable can sometimes limit his amount of

leisure. He also talked about how YouTube and other electronic media can distract him from the

leisure he enjoys doing. Franklin spoke about how it is easy to get lost in social media for hours,

and how he is trying to work on noticing when he is on the phone and using his time more wisely

to be more physically and mentally sharper.

Throughout this interview, I was very appreciative of everything that Franklin shared with me.

We had things we agreed on, and some things that we did not see eye to eye on. One thing that
we both were able to agree on some of the activities that we both enjoy doing in our leisurely

time such as reading, writing, or being in nature. We spoke about hiking Mount Nittany, seeing

the leaves change color in the fall, and the cold chilly nights walking downtown at State College.

We were also able to agree on being able to enjoy leisure with others and helping others enjoy

their leisure time. When we are around family and friends, it is a much more beneficial

environment for everyone to detach from their work and enjoy the time they have. Something

that surprised me about Franklin's answer would be how much he talked about his love for

nature, as well as how much he loves to cook. Hearing this from him has motivated me to make

sure I reach out to him to see if he can cook a good dinner for us to sit down and continue our

great conversation about what he enjoys in his free time. Lastly, one item I believe we did not

see eye to eye on would be the purpose of leisure. Franklin believed that the purpose of leisure is

to recharge for work and get ready to go back on the grind, yet I believe that leisure is an

opportunity to detach from work and more; not only to put you back into work mode. I think

there is a foundation in leisure that is meant to be more meaningful for communities that are far

from work and that is to create relationships and bonds that go beyond communities.

Overall, my experience interviewing Franklin was extremely enjoyable, and I am very grateful I

had the opportunity to do so. I was able to explain various subjects to him that I have learned

throughout this course about what leisure is, how we can obtain it as well as many others.