Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

PHOT BY MEGHAN SEE

Farewell, Friends

By america ballerin

aballerini@vwc.edu

Optimistic. Positive. Happy. Mustafa Lasfar has been working at Virginia Wesleyan’s grille since February 2007.

“I’m having such a blast!” Lasfar exclaimed. “I love interacting with the students.”

The students at Wesleyan are going to miss Lasfar’s outgoing personality and sense of humor. His friendly and positive attitude will not easily be forgotten on campus. Lasfar remembers the students name, what they like to order, and their interests, so they can always have something to chat about.

“He always got to know you by name,” said junior, Nick Pearl. “He is very one-on-one, like a friend.”

“He’s always got a smiling face,” said junior, Mal Mobley. “And he’s always so helpful.”

“I think he has really enjoyed being here,” said junior, Kyle Wernick. “I think he’s done a good job and I hope he got a little bit out of the experience.”

Lasfar came to America from Morocco when he was 38. His sister was living in America, so he decided to be with her. She lives in North Carolina now so he still visits her when he can. He also visits his family in Morocco, his most recent trip was in February.

Unfortunately, Lasfar will be leaving Wesleyan at the end of the semester. Now, instead of being Mustafa, the friendly man at the grill, he will be Mustafa, the Operation Supervisor at the Marriott Hotel.

“I got an offer for a better position at the Marriott,” Lasfar said. “There are too many breaks at Wesleyan, like winter break and summer vacation.”

Lasfar is going to miss his co-workers and friends at Wesleyan, but plans on keeping in touch. He might also continue working at the grill on campus, part time. He hopes to stay in contact with his many friends at Wesleyan and maybe see them at the Marriott.

“You can’t predict what will happen in the future,” Lasfar said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen in five minutes.”

Currently, Lasfar works at the hotel in the morning, until 1 p.m. Then he goes home and gets ready for work at Wesleyan. After this semester, Lasfar will work at the hotel full time.

“Work is more fun when the co-workers joke around with each other, and with the students,” Lasfar said.

“I was talking to one of the students and he didn’t know where Morocco was. I joked with him and said I wouldn’t give him his food until he found out, so he got on the computer to find Morocco.”

With an easy going personality and positive outlook on life, Lasfar is known by everyone on campus.

He invites everyone to come have breakfast at the Marriott to visit him and to keep in touch. Lasfar is a very happy man that believes every situation or decision has a positive effect in one way or another.

“The most important thing in life is to be happy,” Lasfar said.