i'm not quite dead.

Well, I thought I would blog over Christmas, but it was just so nice to not be on the computer, and t be able to sleep and eat as I pleased. The entire break went by and I never did update this thing. I've decided not even to bother. So many awesome things have happened recently and it's a pity not to blog about them all, but its just too much to catch up with.. so I'll start with today.

I started school again a week ago, and I was hoping to have a calmer semester... in some ways it is, but basically, it just isn't.

here's what busies me:

ballet part 2

it's an intense class... it went from one hour on tuesday and thursday in fall semester, to an hour and a half MWF this semester. My teacher is in her 60s and she's such a cute little thing. she's just as flexible as ever and i feel lucky to be able to be taught by someone with so much experience. On our very first day we started doing all these leaps (it took us the whole semester to get that far in the fall...) I still find it hilarious and i feel like a clumsy little girl. most of the other students have danced their whole lives, and i think are just in there to make themselves feel good about themselves. it's a good workout and i love it a lot.

History of the Middle East part 2

This one's great. Just your basic history of the Middle East from 1800 till now. The books look awesome and I cannot WAIT to get back into the current stuff. I'm bored of ancient things. I want to study terrorists and radicals again. Call me crazy, i just find it fascinating.

Farsi part 2

This class is worthy of a blog post of it's own, which I may just do tonight. The teachers are amazing. And by amazing I mean just funny and ridiculous and I wish I could hang out with them all the time. Seriously. It's taught by Mary and Hooshang, who are married. They're from Iran and are an older married couple. Their marriage was arranged... and sometimes they don't hide how they REALLY feel about that. I love them so much. The language is great too, but honestly I'm in it for the 4 and a half hours I get to spend with them every week.

Intro to Middle Eastern Studies...

Yeah, this class is supposed to be the first one you take in this major. I think I did it the right way though. Think how easy it'll be: Basic geography, Islam, and history.

Arabic part 4

Ya salaam...! Okay, I've written about this insanity present in this program before, but honestly, it just got way more intense. I didn't think it was possible. I really didn't. It is my life. Really all day. Every day. Oh man. Maybe this needs a post of it's own too. I just want people to see what is required of me so they can laugh with me at the ridiculousness of it, and also so they understand why it seems like I've disappeared. Maybe it's an old topic. No, it for sure is, but I'm sorry. It's just who I am now. I love it, and I'm very proud of myself, cause I actually got all of my homework done last week, and then again today! It meant studying both friday and saturday night, but I'm glad I did it, and I think I have to get used to that... I wonder if I'll ever date again...

Belly Dance part 2

Oh man! This class is insane! It was so fun last week! I was so out of breathe by the end. Odessa just kept us going for the full hour and a half. I could hardly walk the next day... who knew belly dance was so hard on the thighs? Our recital this semester is on the 24th of march I believe... just FYI.

MESA (Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic) Club

I'm an officer in this thing, and I kind of forgot about it... We haven't done much for the last few months, and we just had our first meeting last week. I'm excited about it. We're going to do a lot of fun things this semester and I'm really excited about it. A whole smattering of Iraqi refugees just came to SLC so we're going to arrange some cool things with some of them. So far we're trying to get this old man who's an artist to come and give lecture in arabic and sell his stuff. I'm excited. We also get all these perks as officers that is mainly why I think I'll try to stay as an officer again next semester. The MESA faculty take the student with the highest GPAs out to lunch every semester. Even though I don't fall into that category, I still get to go! They take all the officers with them! It should be grand. We also get invited to a lot of cool lectures and events, and usually to the receptions/lunches afterwards and get to mingle with various ambassadors etc.

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Well, that's my life right now. It's so so so busy, but I also have some great goals that are keeping me sane. So far I've been going to bed by 11 (except a couple days... and weekends... so for like a week, haha) and getting up at 7, exercising every day and eating healthy. Oh life is great! Well, who knows, it may be a month or so till I get back here.

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Okay, a quick update: I was dating someone, and now I'm not... I think I said I would post about it... I actually won't be doing that... haha. it was good though, and ended well.