Last Thursday it was a cold and rainy drive from my home in Portland, Oregon to St. Martin’s University in Olympia, Washington. Although it was a normal fall day in the rainy Northwest, I was excited to be speaking at the college where EPP peace climber - and one of the stars of our documentary film - Everest: A Climb for Peace, Ali Bushnaq went to school. In fact it has long been a tradition in the Bushnaq family to attend this small college, located in a beautiful forest setting. Ali’s son Nader is currently enrolled, but due to a broken ankle, Nader had to return to Ali and his family in the United Arab Emirates to recover until the spring semester.

I arrived in time to get a nice tour of the campus and at 3 pm I spoke in front of about 50 students from various departments. Since the school is small, the classes have a nice student to teacher ratio. I spoke and took questions for almost 90 minutes! - The questions ranged from meaning of life type questions to what was is like to meet and work with Orlando Bloom.

After class I sat and had a quick dinner at the cafe on campus with John Hopkins, the director of intercultural initiatives. And then it was on to the screening. We had an enthusiastic audience which included a special guest: Asad Bushnaq. Asad is Ali’s favorite uncle and when Ali was going to school at St. Martin’s Ali used to stay with Asad in Olympia. The screening went well and everyone stayed for the question and answer period, which lasted for at least 30 minutes.

Another wonderful screening and another great time at a college here in the US.

Asad Bushnaq with Lance Trumbull at St. Martin’s University