in-spired

While I am enjoying the actual classwork, I am energized and inspired by meeting all my classmates.  Here are a few of their stories, in brief bio form:

Meet Janette.  Now that she's raised her two sons, she is taking a two-year leave from her Seattle job to join the Peace Corp.  She's being placed in Ghana where she will use her business background to help women set up and run their own businesses.  

Brianna just returned from Ghana and finished her undergraduate degree in Global Studies.  She also is my neighbor and we're car-pooling for the rest of the term. 

Boram and Minji sat next to me on the first day.  They've been in the States for six months and plan to return home and teach English.   I've learned to sit next to the Korean students because they know English grammar inside out.  Plus, they love to practice conversational English.  (For those who disparage Facebook, it is an amazing ice-breaker and a great way to share photos and do a snap-shot introduction of one's life.)

Then, there's Kyle, recently finished graduate work in Chicago in Middle East studies.  He's hanging out in Seattle until he gets his posting in the Middle East.  He is fairly fluent in Arabic and Persian.

There are several more, but my brain and my vocabulary are fading fast.  18 hours worth of classes in two days has been a fire-hydrant of knowledge.  Now to do the stack of homework and let some of it settle.