Dearest sweetheart,
Gosh, I can't believe yesterday was the last day of June! It's strange to think that I haven't been near you in over a month! Luckily we only have this weekend and then 4 weeks left! I am so excited, it is pretty much the top thing that I think about :D
As you know, I had my midterm exam yesterday in Arabic, and I received full marks on it :) I had made a few mistakes, but when she called me up and asked me the correct forms, I was able to produce them, and so I think that's why she gave me a perfect score.
After that is when I had lunch and that girl just had to tag along :\ Unfortunately there was this one other girl in our class who she used to hang out with, but she went home the other day because she was only staying for a half semester program. So now I have to find a way to shake this other girl off. I mean, she's not mean or anything, but she's a little annoying and is kind of pessimistic :\ I misssssss you so! I keep imagining us meeting at different places, perhaps even the Ponte Palatino, or the Bocca Della Verita, but I think that might be closed when I get there so late :\
Anthropology yesterday was really exciting! We watched a movie on the differences between the way women communicate and the way men communicate. I'd love to see if UF has it so we could watch it together! It's really informative :) Afterwards we debated whether or not biology factored into the way women and men differ in their conversational rituals. I was the only one who said no it really had very very little affect and that it was mostly cultural influences. I backed up my point very well, and the teacher even said she was on my side and agreed more with me :D
But now, since we had such a good debate in class, my teacher wants us to come up with sound and researched arguments to have a formal debate next week. I don't mind doing the research, however because I was a proponent of the cultural side of the debate, I have to research and back up the biological perspective :\ What is your view on the whole thing? Do you believe we are predisposed to communicate a certain way through our biology, or do you feel like it is through culture and social norms that we learn these things?
When I was riding the bus back to the dorms the other day, I had a moment where I looked all around me and smiled really big! I thought to myself...wow, I'm here...
I actually made it to Egypt, and here I am, in the middle of the desert on a bus where most everyone around me speaks Arabic! And then I thought of us, and the adventures we will have, and it made me so so happy :D
When I got back to the dorm I worked on my homework right away so that I could have something to do while Roman Holiday loaded up. Then I pretty much read some of my book, the Automatic Detective, which is sooo good, I'm almost finished! The next book I'm going to read is Ward No. 3 and Other Tales, but I want to save a few for when I go to Rome and England as well :) I went to Alex Top for dinner, and then around the corner to this Arabic bookstore called Maktaba Alef, which could be translated into "The Letter 'A' Bookstore." I saw a few books that looked interesting, but I want to save my money and buy souvenirs first and then see how much I have left over :) It was pretty late when I got back, and so I watched Roman Holiday through most of it, but then the last ten minutes I fell asleep, and I was too tired to watch anymore :( So tonight I am going to finish it! But I really liked it! I so want to watch it with you :D
Today my Arabic class went pretty well. We learned about the Imperfect (Present) Tense, and now I am at the library. That one girl followed me here, and so I am hoping that the longer I stay on the computer the sooner she will go home :P
Tonight I might go to an Embassy Party that some people are talking about. Supposedly a bunch of Marines are being celebrated, and Americans are welcome to go. I'm not sure what the dress is like or any of the details, but I will be sure to let you know as soon as I do! This weekend I am going to hang out with a different group of people and check out Islamic and Coptic Cairo, where all the nice cathedrals and mosques are located!
Only two more full weeks of classes, and then a week and a half after that until Rome! Time has really been flying, which I am grateful for. I am always happy that I have been experiencing the culture and have been making some good friends ;D
You need to update your blog more often, you! Aaaand you said you would upload pictures last time we spoke on Skype! >:| Lol, anyways, I can't wait to see you on Skype tonight!
- - -, sugar :)
Always and Forever Yours,
Joe
P.S.- Success! That one girl finally left to go back to the dorms!!! I think I will go get mah falafel now :)
