Since I'm procrastinating doing homework, I figured I should blog. It's the next best productive thing I could do, right? ;)
Discovery #29: The MESP staff isn't joking when they say this is going to be a busy semester!
We started classes last Wednesday with an hour and a half Arabic class and an hour and a half lecture from Dr. Holt. My Arabic class is taught by Madeha and though she's sweet and wonderful, boy does she power through her lessons! I've had 3 Arabic classes so far and every night we either have homework or studying to do.
Today we went over the Arabic script. I was so incredibly lost! Each of the 28 Arabic letters has at least 2 different written forms, which vary depending on that letter's placement in the word. Reading and writing the script is truly an art. It's incredibly beautiful and anything but easy.
We have a few tests and quizzes in our Arabic classes, but other than that our grades for the semester depend on papers we write. We have 7 papers this semester, all 6-10 pages long! The program is sort of set up like grad school, with assigned books and papers and intermittent lectures AND tons of self-motivation!
Though it seems like a lot of work, I'm feeling pretty confident that I'll get through it alive :)
Discovery #30: I fall asleep waaay too easily!
Wednesday night we were summoned back to the Villa at 6 pm to watch The Message, a film about the life of Mohammed. Since Muslims believe you should not make an image of Mohammed, the film never showed Mohammed but instead used interesting camera angles to acknowledge his presence.
The film was quite interesting but, unfortunately, was about 3 hours long. And since it was the end of a long day, I promptly fell asleep about halfway through...
Discovery #29: The MESP staff isn't joking when they say this is going to be a busy semester!
We started classes last Wednesday with an hour and a half Arabic class and an hour and a half lecture from Dr. Holt. My Arabic class is taught by Madeha and though she's sweet and wonderful, boy does she power through her lessons! I've had 3 Arabic classes so far and every night we either have homework or studying to do.Today we went over the Arabic script. I was so incredibly lost! Each of the 28 Arabic letters has at least 2 different written forms, which vary depending on that letter's placement in the word. Reading and writing the script is truly an art. It's incredibly beautiful and anything but easy.
We have a few tests and quizzes in our Arabic classes, but other than that our grades for the semester depend on papers we write. We have 7 papers this semester, all 6-10 pages long! The program is sort of set up like grad school, with assigned books and papers and intermittent lectures AND tons of self-motivation!
Though it seems like a lot of work, I'm feeling pretty confident that I'll get through it alive :)
Discovery #30: I fall asleep waaay too easily!
Wednesday night we were summoned back to the Villa at 6 pm to watch The Message, a film about the life of Mohammed. Since Muslims believe you should not make an image of Mohammed, the film never showed Mohammed but instead used interesting camera angles to acknowledge his presence.
The film was quite interesting but, unfortunately, was about 3 hours long. And since it was the end of a long day, I promptly fell asleep about halfway through...
Oh sleep, wonderful sleep!
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