Nigar & Bedar...

Shane has a really cool job.

He teaches people from all over the world.

We now have friends from China, Kurdistan, Iraq, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Korea, etc.  You name it and Shane more than likely has a friend from there. (Yep, even Mongolia!)

I suppose you could say he teaches them English, but really he teaches them hope.

He fills them with courage.

And he inspires them to do more.

He is a really great teacher (and I promise you that is more than my unbiased opinion…it's a fact :) ).

Every semester he usually has one or two very special students.

Bedar (the guy in this picture) was in his class last year and I remember Shane telling me about him.  This year, as chance would have it, Nigar (Bedar's wife) happened to be placed in Shane's class as well.

Bedar and Nigar are from Kurdistan.

If you don't know where Kurdistan is and are as geographically challenged as I am, it is actually partially inside 4 different countries: Iraq, Turkey, and two other places that I can't remember right now.  So there's your geography lesson for the day. (Shane's brother Seth is probably cringing right now….sorry Seth!)

Shane always tells me about his special students and he knows which ones I will really like….he's never been wrong.  He knew I would like Bedar and Nigar.  They came for dinner last night and I didn't want them to leave.  They are fascinating and really cool.

I wish that you could see personalities in pictures.  If you could, you would be able to see two of the most amazing 23 year olds you have ever met.

They have big plans for their country.  They are both Fulbright Scholars and are so smart it's unbelievable.  Bedar just finished a two year Law School program at ASU in one year.  This is a guy that just learned English!!!

Nigar told us how she has to talk to herself in the mirror "like a crazy person" to keep going sometimes because it is so hard to be in a foreign land--going from being the smartest person in her class to feeling like a child who can barely communicate.  But they are driven and focused and determined.  They have already sacrificed so much so that they can be a force for good.

I am certain that their country will be better because of them.

I know I am.