I just got back from ringing in the New Year with some friends from my apartment building and some of their friends. :) We even had fireworks (not just firecrackers, mind you) that we shot off at midnight. And it has been raining for the past two days, so that made it feel a bit more like winter and not fall or spring. :)
Anyway, I'm going to go to bed now, and sleep while the rest of you in the States ring in the New Year there.
May you all have a wonderful start to 2011!
12.31.2010
12.28.2010
Visiting...
Yesterday I visited Roa'a's (now that looks strange with two apostrophes) house since I only had one class in the morning. She met me at the university and we took the bus to a nearby town (almost a suburb, but not quite the same) where she lives. Her mom made us lunch and we spent a couple hours just talking. It was nice to get out of the city and see something other than my neighborhood or the route to and from school. :) I wish I would have taken my camera along because the scenery and the mix of people was so fascinating. I tried to take it all in but I don't think I could ever do justice to it. Also on the way home I had the adventure/misfortune of getting the taxi driver lost trying to find my way to my neighborhood, since we came from a different direction. Poor guy...he couldn't speak English and I couldn't speak Arabic, plus I didn't really know exactly how to get him to my street.
I must admit that traveling outside the city like that made me feel very foreign...like I stuck out like a sore thumb. But maybe it was mostly because everything around me was foreign to me. I hope that in time I won't feel as much like I don't belong, even if I still look foreign to the people around me. :)
I am counting down the days until finals day...the 6th of January!! Although I'm not exactly sure yet what I will do to fill my time during the weeks of break (besides the trip to Germany) I'm looking forward to a change of pace.
Finally, I'll leave you with a picture that was taken while my friends were visiting. I am always fascinated by the differences in people here...people watching brings all kinds of interesting perspectives. :)
I must admit that traveling outside the city like that made me feel very foreign...like I stuck out like a sore thumb. But maybe it was mostly because everything around me was foreign to me. I hope that in time I won't feel as much like I don't belong, even if I still look foreign to the people around me. :)
I am counting down the days until finals day...the 6th of January!! Although I'm not exactly sure yet what I will do to fill my time during the weeks of break (besides the trip to Germany) I'm looking forward to a change of pace.
Finally, I'll leave you with a picture that was taken while my friends were visiting. I am always fascinated by the differences in people here...people watching brings all kinds of interesting perspectives. :)
12.26.2010
I got it!
I realized after I put up that last post that I hadn't confirmed that I did in fact get my ikama, or residency card. I even took a picture I was so relieved/excited. :) I can now stay here until the beginning of December 2011. Humdillalah!
Student Elections
I wish I would have taken my camera to school this morning. On Thursday the university held their student elections and today everyone was celebrating. :) There was a huge group of guys dancing and singing close to the language center, and groups of guys were "demonstrating" (according to Roa'a)/marching and chanting down the streets.
The student elections were basically a smaller version of the nation's elections...lots of posters everywhere and on Thursday they were handing out all kinds of candy and treats to entice their fellow students to vote. :) All the students wore something that declared who they were voting for and everyone was really involved in it. It was very different than the way universities in the States do elections, and Roa'a kept laughing at me because I was fascinated by all that was going on. :)
Last week my teacher paid me a compliment...she told me that I'm doing really well with Arabic, and that if my writing is any indication I should be able to speak perfectly. :) I tried to explain that I have to remember the words to be able to speak, but it was nice to know that she thinks I can do it. Here's to hoping she's right. :)
The student elections were basically a smaller version of the nation's elections...lots of posters everywhere and on Thursday they were handing out all kinds of candy and treats to entice their fellow students to vote. :) All the students wore something that declared who they were voting for and everyone was really involved in it. It was very different than the way universities in the States do elections, and Roa'a kept laughing at me because I was fascinated by all that was going on. :)
Last week my teacher paid me a compliment...she told me that I'm doing really well with Arabic, and that if my writing is any indication I should be able to speak perfectly. :) I tried to explain that I have to remember the words to be able to speak, but it was nice to know that she thinks I can do it. Here's to hoping she's right. :)
12.25.2010
Merry Christmas!
I just got up (it's after 10 am) and as I was sitting here checking email I heard some church bells start to ring, playing "Silent Night". It was beautiful and a reminder that today is in fact Christmas, instead of the normal Saturday.
Yesterday I spent the morning just relaxing, and baked some snickerdoodles, before opening presents "with" my family back home. :) Skype is a wonderful thing! Then I went to my church's Christmas Eve service and afterwards went to celebrate with some people who I have a really random and fun connection with. :) Thanks Janine and Stacy! This couple work mostly with South and Central Americans, so it seemed so crazy to be celebrating Christmas in the Middle East, with Latinos. But they were so generous in welcoming me, and I had a lot of fun. :)
Tonight I'm gathering with some single women from the building and we are celebrating together.
It's not Christmas at home (and they have a really white Christmas!) but I'm content, or at least reminding myself to be content that my purposes here are so much better than being at home for Christmas this year. :)
And tomorrow it's school as usual... :)
Yesterday I spent the morning just relaxing, and baked some snickerdoodles, before opening presents "with" my family back home. :) Skype is a wonderful thing! Then I went to my church's Christmas Eve service and afterwards went to celebrate with some people who I have a really random and fun connection with. :) Thanks Janine and Stacy! This couple work mostly with South and Central Americans, so it seemed so crazy to be celebrating Christmas in the Middle East, with Latinos. But they were so generous in welcoming me, and I had a lot of fun. :)
Tonight I'm gathering with some single women from the building and we are celebrating together.
It's not Christmas at home (and they have a really white Christmas!) but I'm content, or at least reminding myself to be content that my purposes here are so much better than being at home for Christmas this year. :)
And tomorrow it's school as usual... :)
12.21.2010
All I Want For Christmas...
...is my residency card! Inshallah, tomorrow I will finally get all the paperwork needed and can finish up the process. It has been a crazy process, because I'm not sure I understood everything fully when I started out in it, but now that I have a specific list things are better. :) I have learned things along the way, and will definitely have some advice to give for those who are coming after me, but all in all, I have a feeling this is nothing compared to the process for getting residency in the U.S. or even some countries in Europe.
Hopefully before Christmas Eve I will have the card in hand, which will make it much more relaxing to travel to Berlin in a few weeks. :) And speaking of Berlin, I am so excited to go and see Kidron and Kenton, who I haven't seen in well over a year! I missed them by just a week or two this fall when they were back in Iowa for a month. And they are expecting a little girl anytime now, so that will be an added bonus to be the first of the Iowans to meet the new little one. Not to make anyone jealous or anything. ;)
All in all, I have a lot to be thankful for and to anticipate this Christmas season, even though I'm missing home, I think now more so than ever since Kerri and Tony are both home right now and the family is all gathering. I keep reminding myself, though, that this opportunity to live here for this year should not be taken for granted...I may or may not have the chance again (although I really hope I do). :)
Merry Christmas!
Hopefully before Christmas Eve I will have the card in hand, which will make it much more relaxing to travel to Berlin in a few weeks. :) And speaking of Berlin, I am so excited to go and see Kidron and Kenton, who I haven't seen in well over a year! I missed them by just a week or two this fall when they were back in Iowa for a month. And they are expecting a little girl anytime now, so that will be an added bonus to be the first of the Iowans to meet the new little one. Not to make anyone jealous or anything. ;)
All in all, I have a lot to be thankful for and to anticipate this Christmas season, even though I'm missing home, I think now more so than ever since Kerri and Tony are both home right now and the family is all gathering. I keep reminding myself, though, that this opportunity to live here for this year should not be taken for granted...I may or may not have the chance again (although I really hope I do). :)
Merry Christmas!
12.17.2010
8 Days 'Til Christmas!
It's hard to believe Christmas is next week. :) In some ways it seems like that time of the year, and in some ways hardly at all. However, I do have plans for Christmas (rest assured, Mom) both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I'll even get to "join" my family when they open presents there, thanks to the wonderful technology of skype. :)
This weekend is pretty a nice chance to relax, and in about half an hour I'm headed out to go see the new Narnia movie with another American woman and then we'll go to services this evening. Tomorrow I'll spend time getting ready for the surprise celebration on Sunday a couple other women and I are throwing for my roommate's birthday, who actually has the same birthday as Kerri. :)
And then the next week brings a guest in the form of Jeremy Pickard, who is coming on business but is also a friend and willingly a courier of items from home. :) Humdillallah!
This weekend is pretty a nice chance to relax, and in about half an hour I'm headed out to go see the new Narnia movie with another American woman and then we'll go to services this evening. Tomorrow I'll spend time getting ready for the surprise celebration on Sunday a couple other women and I are throwing for my roommate's birthday, who actually has the same birthday as Kerri. :)
And then the next week brings a guest in the form of Jeremy Pickard, who is coming on business but is also a friend and willingly a courier of items from home. :) Humdillallah!
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