They Say, "It's a Small World," but This Was Ridiculous

Before coming to Senegal to join the Peace Corps I studied Biology at Grinnell College in the rural southeastern Iowa town of Grinnell. While attending Grinnell a good friend of mine was Tibetan-born, Nepali-raised, Tashi Langton. Tashi was also a Biology major and we took many courses and completed many labs together while also earning our keep in the college equipment room folding laundry and renting out basketballs. Growing up in Nepal, Tashi attended the American International High School, Lincoln School, in the capital of Kathmandu before eventually coming to Grinnell in the Fall of 2006.

Flash-forward to August 2010 when I arrived as an Agroforestry trainee in Thies, Senegal where shortly after my arrival I received a message from Tashi asking if I had yet met his friend Peter Gill. "Peter Gill? Where would I have met one of Tashi's friends in Senegal when I had barely even left the Training Center?" Somewhat confused I put the question on hold and decided I would respond to Tashi in a day or two when I had the chance. Shortly thereafter, during some free time at the training center, I was greeted by a one Peter Gill, also a new Agroforestry trainee.

We immediately launched into a discussion about how it was he knew my college friend, Tashi.  Peter also grew up in Nepal where he attended a high school by the name of Lincoln School. At Lincoln, one of his best friends was a one Tashi Langton.

From an international high school in Nepal, Southeast Asia, to a small liberal arts college in rural southeastern Iowa, to the exact same training group and program in Senegal, West Africa, we had discovered a connection that would give you chills.