I was flipping through the University of Illinois alumni magazine and spotted a familiar name...Rafael Correa...

he was my TA for Microeconomics way back in 2000. I was in a huge lecture of about 600 people, and Rafael was in charge of my discussion group that met once a week.

"Hmmm, I wonder what he's up to these days," I thought to myself. I wonder if he's achieved the almost unachievable heights that I have since parting with the university (not bloody likely, but eh, he is an Illini).

As I read the listing in the alumni mag, I stopped. I read it again.

Rafael was inaugurated as President of Ecuador in January 2007.

WTF?

President of Ecuador? Rafael?

Maybe he wanted a challenge. I mean...Ecuador? The words "economic implosion" come to mind.

In the 6 years since getting his grad degree in econ...he's President of a country.

In the 2.5 years since getting my grad degree in econ...I'm...uhhh...President of Keeping It Real (but not much else).

For the last 8 years, I've held onto a paper that I wrote in that class. It was an analysis of the Virgin Corporation brands. At the time, they were launching a discount clothing line in England and had plans to branch out to the United States; I thought it was a dumb ass idea and wrote the paper on it.

"95. Very well written! Interesting topic!"

The President of Ecuador thinks I'm awesome. Beat that, bitches.