Constantino Diaz-Duran is a fellow at the Center for Social Cohesion at Arizona State University. He is chronicling his walk from New York to Los Angeles to celebrate his eligibility for American citizenship. Follow Constantino’s progress.

One thing people who know me in person know is that I’m very much an introvert. I’ve never been one to dominate conversation-I’m more of a listener than I am a talker. And I’m usually quite shy. So when people come up to me who recognize me from the news, I always feel a little awkward.

When a Dominican family recognized me as I was crossing the George Washington Bridge the day I left New York, it really took me aback. They had seen my interview on CNN that morning, and came up to me while I was taking pictures of the Manhattan skyline. Since then, a few other people have come up to me and asked if I’m the guy who’s walking across the country. Others have said, “Oh yeah, I’ve seen you in the news,” when I tell them what I’m doing. And there was that kid I mentioned a couple of months ago, who followed me on Twitter after seeing me on TV, and came out to meet me as I was approaching his town of Berndardsville, New Jersey.

It happened again in Birmingham a few weeks ago. I was having brunch with my host and a friend of his, when a girl came up to our table and asked if she could take a picture with me. My host’s friend said “I didn’t know we were eating with a celebrity.” I didn’t know either-and I don’t think they were. I’m sure I was red as a tomato in that picture.

Here in Tuscaloosa it has happened more, probably thanks to an article that ran in the Tuscaloosa News. When I went trick- or- treating with my friend and her kids for Halloween, a lady at one of the houses we visited said she knew who I was. And it happened at one of the local Episcopal churches, where I attended a service. Some of my friend’s friends have heard about me before she has even introduced us. I need to get better at not blushing.

The nice thing is that it’s an instant ice-breaker. It gets people to want to talk to me and share their thoughts on what it means to be American in the 21st century. It has also awarded me some cool opportunities. This week, for example, I got to give a short talk to the International Student Group at Shelton State Community College. With some 7,000 students, including approximately 3,000 full time, Shelton State is one of the largest two-year colleges in Alabama. The students and the administrators who attended the talk were interested in the logistics of the walk, and in what I have learned.

In any case, if you ever see me on the street, or the side of the road, or a coffee shop somewhere, please feel free to say hi. Just don’t laugh if I turn red.

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*Photo by Constantino Diaz-Duran.