I don't exactly know how to start this blogpost. So here goes to nothing!
So I moved in with my host family a little less than a week ago, and since then, things have changed a bit. I share a room with Ola and Sausan, two of my three host sisters. I get up at 6.50 every morning, and proceed to get dressed and wait for the bus. We get to school around 8am, and classes start at 9, so I sleep from 8 to 9. Then classes.
I feel like now I am able to communicate better in Arabic. At first, I had such a hard time formulating sentences, but now it's alot easier. Maybe it has something to do with hearing Arabic from my host mom and host dad every day, because they barely speak any english.
Then we have FGLL, we've been studying for our midterm (tomorrow!). Today we took a practice test, and I did alot better that I expected. I got 18/20 and I got marked off alot for spelling...aiya. So I'm going to work on that tonight and the "changing countries to nationalities" because that was the other thing I did wrong.
Then we go home or have an acitivity in the afternoon. We leave the center at around 5:30pm and I get home around 6:15. By then, Ola, Sausan, my host mom and Joud (the youngest sister) are all in the kitchen, but they tell me to go study or wash up or sleep. Then Iftar, around 7.
For Iftar, the whole family gets together to break fast. There is very little talking that goes on, because they have been fasting all day, so eating is the next best thing.
Yesterday, we went to visit a very old uncle, my host dads brother. Hes 70 years old, and seemed like a very sweet man. Unfortunately, I had forgotten everything that they had taught us at PDO..not a good sign. You're not supposed to let an old man kiss you on the cheek...and guess what I did!!!! I did exactly that, because I didn't really want to be like "Um excuse me sir, but due to the fact that I am not your relative and we come from different cultures and the small fact that I am trying to be culturally appropriate, you cannot proceed to kiss my cheek (the European way). Thank you"
That would be very b'nefsegi (awkward..but this word in Arabic means purple. Because there is no word in Arabic for "awkward", we decided that the word "purple" is an awkward enough word to mean awkward).
I'm currently sitting in my bed watching my host sister (Sausan) beating up/kicking her older sister (Ola). and their younger sister who is ten (Joud) acting like a five year old. I must go join in on the fun.
Ramadan Kareem everyone!
WAIT WAIT WAIT I FORGOT (in case Headquarters in DC reads my blog). Today, we emailed Jerry, the head of the Amideast/American Councils program (he's the head of something) if we could stay for Eid...still waiting for a response. This is scary. I really really really hope we get to, it would be truly amazing and I know that everyone would be really happy. Ok that is my last attempt.
Ma salama!
So I moved in with my host family a little less than a week ago, and since then, things have changed a bit. I share a room with Ola and Sausan, two of my three host sisters. I get up at 6.50 every morning, and proceed to get dressed and wait for the bus. We get to school around 8am, and classes start at 9, so I sleep from 8 to 9. Then classes.
I feel like now I am able to communicate better in Arabic. At first, I had such a hard time formulating sentences, but now it's alot easier. Maybe it has something to do with hearing Arabic from my host mom and host dad every day, because they barely speak any english.
Then we have FGLL, we've been studying for our midterm (tomorrow!). Today we took a practice test, and I did alot better that I expected. I got 18/20 and I got marked off alot for spelling...aiya. So I'm going to work on that tonight and the "changing countries to nationalities" because that was the other thing I did wrong.
Then we go home or have an acitivity in the afternoon. We leave the center at around 5:30pm and I get home around 6:15. By then, Ola, Sausan, my host mom and Joud (the youngest sister) are all in the kitchen, but they tell me to go study or wash up or sleep. Then Iftar, around 7.
For Iftar, the whole family gets together to break fast. There is very little talking that goes on, because they have been fasting all day, so eating is the next best thing.
Yesterday, we went to visit a very old uncle, my host dads brother. Hes 70 years old, and seemed like a very sweet man. Unfortunately, I had forgotten everything that they had taught us at PDO..not a good sign. You're not supposed to let an old man kiss you on the cheek...and guess what I did!!!! I did exactly that, because I didn't really want to be like "Um excuse me sir, but due to the fact that I am not your relative and we come from different cultures and the small fact that I am trying to be culturally appropriate, you cannot proceed to kiss my cheek (the European way). Thank you"
That would be very b'nefsegi (awkward..but this word in Arabic means purple. Because there is no word in Arabic for "awkward", we decided that the word "purple" is an awkward enough word to mean awkward).
I'm currently sitting in my bed watching my host sister (Sausan) beating up/kicking her older sister (Ola). and their younger sister who is ten (Joud) acting like a five year old. I must go join in on the fun.
Ramadan Kareem everyone!
WAIT WAIT WAIT I FORGOT (in case Headquarters in DC reads my blog). Today, we emailed Jerry, the head of the Amideast/American Councils program (he's the head of something) if we could stay for Eid...still waiting for a response. This is scary. I really really really hope we get to, it would be truly amazing and I know that everyone would be really happy. Ok that is my last attempt.
Ma salama!
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