Along with most of AUC’s students, I’m in the midst of finals. I’ve been holed up in my room studying, occasionally emerging so my friends and I can quiz each other on material. When we need a break from verb charts and Pharaonic timelines, we play with the kittens that live in our dorm. I’m sad to leave, but I will be back next semester. Mostly, I’m going to miss all the people that I’ve become close to. But lots of my friends are staying the year, too.
I’ve changed a lot this semester, but easily the biggest difference that I can tell is in my Arabic. I can open my mouth and talk easily, and make myself understood. Everything I've learned will definitely come in handy in my Media Arabic class next semester. Apart from that, I’ve gained a few other useful skills. I can walk across four lanes of traffic, balance three handle-less glasses of scalding-hot tea, and talk down the price of a scarf. I look forward to meeting a new group of students and helping them learn to do all these things too.
This Friday I fly back to Chicago. My immediate plans include eating deep-dish pizza, sleeping, and playing with my obtuse but lovable dog. And if there is snow in my yard when I get home, I may hurl myself into it. I have had the best semester of my college career, and I’m glad to have gotten the opportunity to blog about it. I truly feel at home here, and I know that, come late January, I’ll be happy to fly back to Egypt.