bonne nouvelle aujourd’hui!

Wednesday 04. March 2009. 23:04

(Good News Today!)

I just found out this morning after Arabic that I was selected for the MENA scholarship again from SU. In other words, I’ll get to extend my stay in Morocco for the summer with AMIDEAST’s Arabic Intensive!!! I am so excited that I can’t even put it into words yet! As soon as I saw the e-mail announcing the scholarship again for the summer, I wondered if it’d be possible for me to be eligible again. While I didn’t want to take anyone else’s opportunity to study here on scholarship, I also felt that I truly could excel with an additional (& intensive) term since I’m already adjusted to the culture, classes, host-family, etc... Not to mention, it’s pretty difficult to grasp the language here as a beginner in only 4 months (in addition to 3 humanities classes & 2 other courses via distance ed. at SU). I see the other students here with previous semesters in Arabic at their home universities reallyyyy pushing forward here, & I want to do the same! All I have to do is apply through AMIDEAST, which should not be too difficult since they already have all of my information on file. I can even go home before the summer session begins if I want (I already have my flight booked for May 16th), but there’s only a week lapse before the summer session. So if I do go home, it will be a QUICK turnaround- just a day or two to bring summer clothes back & all necessary medications (considering there’s currently about $500 worth of my asthma/allergy medications will not be released by customs in Casablanca right now!...luckily I’m feeling MUCH better since last week...& without all the meds. that are being held...apparently the high quantities are considered “questionable” & customs thinks that I might try to distribute my medicine to others..at least they’re being cautious I guess lol).

Oh yea, everyone here is just as excited for me as I am! I’m really fortunate to receive this opportunity again. I hope that other SU students realize that our school DOES offer fantastic abroad-opportunities, they just have to go after them!!! When I think of it, I’ve been able to travel to Panama with GCP, study in Argentina for a summer session, & now study for 2 semesters in Morocco through SU. Each opportunity was through scholarship except the GEL program to Argentina.... I mean, it’s crazy! “Crazy” in a good way of course. haha
It’s somewhat strange; I feel like I was meant to be here in Morocco. :)

ANYWAY, the week is going by quickly since we have off for the Prophet’s birthday next Monday & Tuesday. I only have my 3 hr Amazigh class (my favorite class here actually) until 12:00 on Friday. Then I have off until the following Wednesday. Some people are going to France, Spain, & even nearby beaches or cities. I plan on staying here because I’m broke from spending all of my money on medicine (my parents too). It’s OK though because my Moroccan “boyfriend” (Mustapha) is visiting me from Marrakech since I visited him last a couple weeks ago. :) haha Who would have thought that I’d meet someone in Morocco?? Actually, there’s another guy (Azzdine) in Rabat who I hang out with too, usually just for coffee, but I only like him as a friend.. luckily, I think he knows that. It’s funny though because my host-sister (remember who is only 15) says that it’s “meshy mushkil” (“no problem”) to date both! ..since they’re in different towns & all... HA. I said, “la, la, la...mushkil!” (“no, no, no, it’s a problem!”). Anyway, Stof’s only staying until Sunday so I’ll still have a couple days off until school starts again...which is great for me to get some work done before midterms begin & even relax a little too.

What else?... Oh yea, I’m going to start teaching English once or twice a week at a school in Salee (about a half hour away). I’m really excited to teach here because I know the students are as eager to learn English as I am to learn Arabic & Darija!

I also found out the mass times at the Catholic Church here so I’m excited because now I’ll be able to go every week. :) It’ll be interesting to see how the mass is structured here..it’ll also be interesting to see how many prayers I actually remember IN FRENCH. haha I don’t think it’ll be too bad though. :)

I think that’s it for now...it’s a little after midnight now & I need to read for my Contemporary Culture Class tomorrow. We have to decide on a paper/topic for our final presentation, and since we also have a “creative” option in lieu of the 15 page paper, I think that I am going to choreograph a dance & write a reaction. Afterall, I haven’t really been dancing here; I’ve only been keeping up with Pilates, Yoga, & stretching whenever I can. I am planning on joining the gym here in the next couple weeks though; I’m dying to take Oriental Dance classes!!! I mean.. they’ll actually be helpful with my presentation, right?? HA.

Ok, time to read & get to sleep (if I’m able to because I’m still SO excited about the scholarship)! The morning Arabic classes are rotating class times every week now, so I have 8:30AM class this week (back to 9:30AM next week)...which means that I have to leave my house 45 minutes- 1 hour early to walk to school in time... & unless it’s raining, I love the walk. :)

Bis’lehma (“goodbye”) for now!!!
xoxo