#sinarc

[callmearcturus]

the most important character/OC questions possible, send me an ask with a name and I’ll tell you these vital answers

which Undertale song suits them best

which is their band of choice: PatD, MCR, or FOB

what is their classpect

what is their starbucks order

what is their HGTV/food network show of choice

apple or android

what is their fursona

what mcelroy product do they like most

what is their favorite sex toy

who did they romance in hatoful boyfriend

what is their favorite dessert

do they understand poetry

what is their white noise of choice

to understand your characters, you must know these answers. put your OCs/preferred characters to write in the tags

[shelleythomas]

Just had my first #intermediate #levantine #Arabic #class @lebanese_american_university #nyc #sinarc #language #learning #اللغات #العربية 👩🏻‍🏫 (at Lebanese American University)

[salam-i-blog]

Medinat Beirut مدينة بيروت

!أهلا وساهلا Welcome!

My motivation in studying abroad this year was to get a real grasp of the Arabic language by immersing myself in it and taking part in the many rich cultures of the Arab World.  Traditionally, my university, the University of St Andrews, sends students to a semester long language program in Damascus, Syria, or a year long exchange in Cairo, Egypt.  Because of obvious reasons the University is no longer sending students to Damascus.  Instead, they created a link with the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon.  

I was accepted to the year long exchange at the American University in Cairo though held out to see if I would be accepted to LAU.  My fear was that the AUC campus was too far removed from actual Cairo and that my experience there would be artificial at best.  Spending one semester in central Beirut and another in Cairo seemed to satisfy my desire to be immersed in Arab culture and to fullfil my yearlong absence from St Andrews.  

At LAU we unfortunately don't take classes in the actual university, but in a special language program within the University called the Summer Institute for Intensive Arabic and Culture (SINARC).  I hope to make many Arab friends outside of my program by joining a sports team or club.  I will take classes from Monday to Friday in Fusha (classical, Shakespearean Arabic), Lebanese Dialect (each Arab country has its own dialect), Writing Skills, and Middle East Challenges in the 21st Century.  In addition to classes we take several weekend trips around the country, from a tour of the South to Tripoli, to Mount Lebanon to Baalbek (a Roman ruin site).  I'm so excited to get to know the area and really experience all that Lebanon has to offer.   I arrived Thursday night and was driven to my apartment by a driver sent by SINARC.  My apartment is just off campus and is managed by LAU.  It's pretty nice for student accommodation.  I have a living room with comfortable couch and chair, desk, coffee table and tv, a kitchen with granite countertops, oven stove, fridge and freezer, a full bathroom and a twin bedroom that I share with one friend from St Andrews.  The university and my apartment are in the Hamra neighborhood of West Beirut.  Since the civil war, Beirut has been more or less divided up into Muslim West Beirut and Christian East Beirut.  I wake up every morning to the Call to Prayer from the mosque around the corner, though you can't distinguish between people based on their religion.  I've been told that this specific area is relatively cosmopolitan with Muslims and Christians mixing, along with lots of expats.  Lebanon has 18 registered religions, ranging from Maronite Christians to Shia Islam to Judaism to Armenian Protestant Evangelicalism.  

I feel very safe here, much safer than I thought I would.  The people are very friendly and outgoing and everyone just wants to welcome you to Lebanon.  The last few days I've been exploring parts of the city with friends and will write more in depth about how we've spent our weekend later on.  We start orientation tomorrow morning and I have to say I'm very excited to get learning.  Insha'allah I will soon speak Lebanese like a pro.  

Place de l'Étoile, Downtown Beirut

[arrowsfromme]

In Beirut til April 27!

So I haven't filled in the blanks from Oman; my 33 days in America were a bit busier than I expected.

I got to Beirut on Saturday. The first person I met in my program was Sam. He was on my flight but due to the fact that my stuffy nose and sore throat had made my ears and voice useless, I didn't talk to him til we were getting off the plane. If you could call it talking, my voice was pretty much MIA. 

We took a LAU van to the apartment (which is the apartment owned by Sam -a different Sam- that I stayed in last year). Neither of us could find our roommates so we hung out, went and met a girl I knew at UT, Laura, for dinner. We also stopped at my favorite Hamra liquor store and had a beer with Sam (yup its a popular name) who owns the place. 

Eventually we learned his roommate Paul and my roommate and flatmates were all together in the mountains with Paul's family. My roommate, Emma, graduated last spring from UToronto but she also lived in Shaker for the summer of 2008, small world. The two other girls, Natasha and Jessica, are from Wayne State and so is Paul. 

Sunday I slept all day trying to get the pressure in my ears to readjust. 

Monday we went to LAU for the placement test. I'm in "Advanced II" formal Arabic class, Writing Skills II, Principles of Translation, and Lebanese Dialect II. 

Tuesday was the first day of class. I only have FusHa (formal Arabic) on Mondays and Wednesday so today was my first day of that. 

I feel like my classes went pretty well and that they will be challenging as well as enjoyable. I don't know if my peers feel the same. 

The group I've been hanging out with has been all those previously mentioned as well as an Australian girl Noor who is living in university housing. 

Dana my camp friend is hopefully coming into Beirut this weekend from Damascus to see me. 

Though I'm sure there are more things to mention, I hope this update is enough to soothe your curious souls. There should be many adventures ahead to share. :)