This year's origins

Week number two of the school-year begins today. (And the heat continues--yesterday was a record high of 109; today should match it.)

Last year, I had the most-diverse group of students I've ever had. This year's list of countries is a few shorter than last August, but still--it shows how medium-size cities across the western U.S. are no longer defined solely by Anglo/Hispanic/Native American relationships...

So, the list:

U.S.

Mexico

Lebanon

Jordan

Iraq

Somalia

Ethiopia

Nigeria

Liberia

Sierra Leone

Côte d'Ivoire
Ghana

Sudan

Nepal

Vietnam

Marshall Islands

Bosnia

England

...eighteen countries...and then from within the U.S., students are hailing from at least as many states; coming from 'back east' to Tucson can be just as 'culture-shocking' as moving here from abroad...

I don't have any quotable gems from my students yet--too early in the school-year for hum-dingers such as "OMG, turkeys lay eggs?!" or "Hey meester, what do they speak in Spain?"--but surely, they will come...

Oh wait--yeah, the other day, a kid said: "Is 'Mexico City' a country?" Ahh, high school...