First Classes

Salaamu 3lekum,

I don't think it's possible for another human being to sleep as much in the past two days as I did. I woke up ... Thursday feeling like crap, so I went back to sleep, woke up for dinner, went to a pharmacy, went back to sleep, and basically woke up for dinner the next day, and then I was up for class today. Vicious, but quick, cold.

We've been under the language pledge since Wed. I like to think I was always polite to people working in a second language, at home, in LPC, or whatever, but my god, I never realized how tough it is. Every word that we say to each other is Arabic. Everyone is dedicated to it, so far, and no matter how frustrating it is to circumvent the word we want in Arabic, so far we've done it. Of course, its only been 3 days, and not even a week of class, but so far so good. I've found a language pledge is a good way to make me shut up. I definitely pick my words carefully now, get my point across, and khalas (enough, that's it).

Everything is more complicated, working out which gym to join, the prices, all of it, gave me a headache alone. Pretty much everything and anything has been giving me a headache. But, it definitely feels good to be disciplined, and I know if I really throw myself into it, my Arabic is going to get pretty beastly.

Classes:

I did pretty shitty on the written placement test, so that placed me below where I'm meant to be (but my oral exam put me above where I'm meant to be, contrary to most students) so my MSA (formal Arabic) class will start at ch7, so I should be able to cruise for a few weeks. Haven't decided if I should try to get myself to the higher level, or if I should just be cool cruising.

Other than that, everyone got placed in the first level of colloquial Arabic, and I'm taking Arabic Literature, and Religious Life in Egypt. The last class is taught one on one with a professor, in this case two professors, one Muslim one Copt. The professors are different from years past, which should be good, because in the past they received bad reviews.

I keep meaning to bring my camera out with me, but I fail.

Everyone who reads this should remember to wish my sister a happy birthday tomorrow. She's super old now, and its getting scary.

Salaam.

Just some links:

I pretty much think Clinton nailed it.

Kinda funny that Tunisia and Egypt were the two places I kept reading were definitely safe to study abroad in the Middle East this semester. But at the moment, Egypt is just pissed with the Pope, its calm on the streets.

More crap in the West Bank, and what about Jordan?