“I’ve been inexplicably fascinated by the Middle East since I was young,” she said. “I think it’s partially because I’ve always felt that there were a lot of assumptions made about that part of the world. And since I was young, I’ve always had an eye out for the misunderstood and the minorities. Not necessarily only ethnic minorities, but people on the margins of society. I’ve always been bothered by the assumptions that are made about eople who are different. So one of those, for me, was people from the Middle East. I don’t think what you see on the news is everything, but no one is reporting that.” Throughout her undergraduate studies at Trinity Western University, Kelsey strategically tailored her assignments to fit with her interest in intercultural communications, Muslims, and women’s issues. Her involvement with the international student program on campus also helped her realize her special interest in Arabs. “My friend group on campus was very multi-cultural, which I found so enriching and valuable; however, there was something about my friends from Saudi Arabia that sparked a higher level of interest in me—like a small fire burning inside of me that needed to be fed,” she said. The friendships Kelsey developed with the Saudi Arabian women continued to stir her heart and deepen her interest in Arab culture. “I studied abroad in Jerusalem and through this experience came to affirm once again that I need to engage Arabic language and culture further,” Kelsey said. “After graduating with my BA and working in a tree planting camp for the summer, I went independently to Jordan and studied Arabic full time at a school and with a private teacher.” For Kurtis, his journey to Jordan was less direct. The pull to the Middle East was developed through courses he took at Briercrest and his relationship with Kelsey. Before that particular geographic pull, Kurtis had plans to immerse himself in another culture with hopes of becoming proficient in the language. “I love modern languages,” he explained. “I love participating in other cultures. One of my passions is intercultural communications—that and religious dialogue. Those are the two things that are driving me.” While Kurtis and Kelsey are initially moving there to study Arabic, they want to eventually get jobs in Jordan with goal of investing in and meeting needs in the community.Kelseyhopestosomedayuse her counselling degree to fill the need for mental health services in Jordan. She has a specific interest in the mental health of expats living overseas, whether missionaries, humanitarian aid workers, or military people. She plans to find ways to use her counselling skills in some way, possibly through offering online counselling services for people who do not have easy access. Kelsey also 14