from the editor

Editor's Letter

The year I was 12, my family hosted an exchange student from Switzerland. Peter and my brother entered their senior year of high school together. My mother scotch-taped a map of Switzerland to the kitchen wall and, over dinner, we learned about spaetzle, Sweitzerdeutch, and the Swiss Army (essentially, a well-organized oxymoron). Peter’s fellow exchange students came from places like Paraguay, Barbados, and South Africa. They spoke in lilting accents about cities I’d never imagined, foods I’d never tasted, holidays I’d never encountered. Through them, my seventh-grade world expanded. I’m still intrigued by people whose lives and work extend to far-flung places. So, this month, it’s a particular pleasure to introduce you to five of Richmond’s global women. As it turns out, our hometown is bigger than we think. ~Constance ccostas@mediageneral.com