First and foremost was the amount of talent and creative energy around. Having folk stand up and discuss a common project from very different perspectives was enlightening. We had jewelers, fashion students, sculptors, glass students and illustrators to name a few. Not only was it an insight into how different people got into their project but also into how many tangents of thought there possible be coming from one topic.
Secondly. How amazing that folk who do not have English as their first language can stand and deliver profound thoughts and difficult ideas. One student from China introduced her speil with an apology for her standard of English and then continued to throw in the word 'ambiguous'. I ask you! How many folk in the room could come up with any word let alone 'ambiguous' in Mandarin?