Hearing Condoleezza Rice

thankful for...

So Condoleezza Rice came to BYU to give our forum address last week. I got to the Marriot Center about 45 minutes early and was still stuck sitting in the top rows. That place was PACKED. It wasn't being broadcast so everyone was racing to the Marriot Center. I think she is way cute and I loved listening to her speak. She said that the most important thing while you're in college is to study abroad and to learn a new language (I'm studying in London next semester and am currently learning French).

She told about how she studied Russian for 3 years in college and went on to study in Russia. One day she and her roommates found cockroaches and sent Condoleezza to tell the building about the problem. She ended up telling them they all had head lice instead of cockroaches and was later embarrassed when she realized her mistake. But she said that when you talk to someone in their language and they actually understand what you are saying, it is the best feeling of accomplishment.

She talked about education and how important it is. Her grandfather was living in Alabama and would ask travelers as they passed through how a colored man like himself got an education. Someone told him that there was a church school that colored people attended. So, he saved up and traveled to attend this school. He payed for his first year in cotton. After his first year he was out of cotton and couldn't pay for the next year. He asked how everyone else was paying for it. They said they had scholarships. Her grandfather asked how he could get a scholarship and they said by being a minister. He said that being a minister is exactly what he had in mind and went on to finish school. Condoleezza Rice said that her grandfather was an excellent example and that because of him her family has been educated and religious ever since.

Overall, I'm thankful that I decided to go to this forum and for the things that she said. I think Condoleezza Rice is an incredible person