Dear Stef,
To place a general theme on how today unfolded, I would have to be simple and to the point and categorize it as dramatic. As such, I understand the many facets that are a part of a drama: tragedy, loss, tears, rumors...
Well...fortunately I can at least say that I was a spectator to life, today, and not a participant in it's events. In other words, I had a pretty good day today. I went to my classes, reviewed in my Arabic course for our midterm on Wednesday, and discussed language and culture in Anthropology. In fact, thanks to my major, I was able to not only discuss the readings, but add a little of my own knowledge to the class so as to make things easier to understand/digest. I was pretty proud of myself.
Bus ride went fine, although it took nearly an hour and fifteen minutes to get home :\ I can safely say that is the most stress I felt all day today, which is not a lot!
I went to this bookstore down the street called Alef Bookstore and exchanged a book I had bought for a different one, and then I went to my usual place for dinner, Alex Top. I had a pretty nice conversation with the owner in Arabic about the author whose book I had just bought. It felt pretty nice to be able to understand him and give something to the conversation as well.
I came back to the dorm and studied some Arabic for my class with that one girl who's also in my class, and I talked to some of the other guys who were going out to a Pub for a few drinks. I said no, partly because I wanted to get an early night's sleep.
And now, for the drama...
I'm pretty sure I understand why there is more drama than usual, drama that existed mainly in high school. With a study abroad program, you become close with the group that is studying with you, because you form an "us vs them" attitude, and so things get personal in the little microcosm of a society you have created. There are the clowns, and the representatives, and the harlequins, and the nerds, and the jocks, and so forth. I suppose inevitably drama would arise, particularly since most people here are single, and there are more guys than girls.
Anyways, today in Arabic class, two girls who were absent yesterday came to class today, and since they had missed quite a bit, the teacher couldn't review everything, so she decided to speed through it. Well, unfortunately we have one girl in our class who takes making mistakes to heart, and she is very embarrassed and apologetic when she does. During our midclass break, I existed the room to use the men's facilities, and when I came back she was crying in front of the teacher because she was tired and frustrated with Arabic. It was, needless to say, a rather awkward situation.
Then, as I was waiting to study with that one girl back at the dorms, I heard how Moe needed to talk with her about something. The girls here love to gossip, and so another girl told me how Moe was flirting with my study partner, even though she's engaged and whatnot. So he felt the need to apologize to her and all this stuff. Meanwhile, other people are having sex in other people's apartments, or breaking up with bfs/gfs or getting back together, or just lots of repressed sexual frustration...
It feels like a twisted version of high school again.
It's rather unsettling, as well. I sit back, amused and happy that I have the life I do. Yet it concerns me. I wonder if this will happen with your group, and if so to what extent?
I'm just sitting here now, typing out everything before I go to bed. But it isn't everything, nor could it really ever be everything I felt or noticed today. I saw a flower on a tree, most unremarkable at first, but then I decided to stare at it a few seconds longer and it turned out to be very beautiful and nicely shaped. Stuff like that. I want to tell you stuff, yet I know you are busy. I wish I were more subjective in the way I perceived our lives, as if I could sit back and observe, unbiased and logical. Yet sometimes I find myself thinking things that will eventually have logical answers that will make me feel silly for thinking them in the first place.
I love you, Stef.
No need to worry, I am handling myself quite well, all things (and drama) considered!
- - -, Stef
Love Always,
Joe
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