Yon (second from right): Last year, while we were taking online classes, Yon sent an email to all of us explaining that his assignments might be late because he was fleeing the rebels in his city in Chad and would be trying to get to Cameroon during the next few days. There wasn't any electricity in his town. We didn't hear from him again, but he turned in his assignments faithfully, so we knew he was ok. When he showed up to live in the room next to me, everyone was very glad to see him. We ask him lots of questions, and he has asked even more. I have taught him, a 32 year old man, how to use a washing machine, and he has explained to me that he doesn't know how to cook because growing up he wasn't allowed in the kitchen. He also told me that he, a man of great privilege (he works for an oil company in Chad) has a gas stove, but most people in his country use charcoal for cooking -- but he doesn't like those stoves because they create a lot of smoke which bothers him. Yon doesn't drink alcohol, but he did try some sangria the other night. He grew up in a Muslim household, but later found Christ at a Pentecostal service and has been beaten many times for leaving the Islamic faith. He doesn't want to fight though, and likes that Christ preaches a peace that Islam doesn't. He has spent the past few weeks learning about gay men (he didn't know there were so many in Madrid), prostitutes (legal and very visible here), and night life (there isn't one where he comes from.) I'm fascinated by Yon and love watching him proudly hang his washed clothes up to dry, eat his meal of bread, salami, and cheese, and come home with us at 2 am. He discovered Whitney Houston on youtube two weeks ago, so guess what I wake up to on Saturdays?
Angela: This beautiful namesake of mine is from Nigeria. She only joined our class this year, but her beautiful British accent and glowing skin draw me in. Her husband is a diplomat and she has 3 boys. She's taught all over the world. Finishing her master's degree isn't that big of a deal for her family because everyone has one in her family -- even her mother. Her sisters are business owners, lawyers, singers...she fits no stereotype of any Nigerian that I could ever have imagined. She keeps blowing me out of the water with her advice and answers...
Mark (in the middle): He reminds me of my own father. He is from New Zealand. Got married at 21 and has been married for 25 years. He is a superb father to three beautiful daughters. He spent years in the Solomon Islands teacher, Bangladesh, and now is teaching in Switzerland. He has so much wisdom and has been such an inspiration to me. He is very responsible, yet knows how to have fun too.
Monica (on the right, last year's graduation) : She is a vibrant Italian woman who teaches in Namibia (yea, look that one up on a map!) and has energy we are all envious of. She knows who she is, has a supportive husband who accompanies her to class each day while he studies for an exam he is taking this week, and has three wonderful kids who are enjoying their second summer with their grandparents in Rome. She passes on advice about just about everything to me...and despite her perfect English (and French), her accent keeps us all laughing: focus becomes fuckus...:) . She has taught all over the world, but calls Namibia home because she has spent more than 12 years there. Her husband operates an NGO where he is changing the world for Namibians...kind of the perfect family.There are so many more. I will continue to write so that I can remember these fabulous friends.
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