Settling In...

It's been a week, now, but I haven't completely established a routine yet. The homework is a lot! Last night wasn't so bad but the night before, it was about 5 and a half hours (make it 6 or 7, while I'm "multitasking" on Facebook and the like), and I still didn't do a couple of the exercises! Luckily, it was just oral preparation for some questions, and no one else really did them either. But still! It took everyone in the class about that length of time, so I guess I'm not lagging behind or anything, just complaining a little. ;)

The food is still delicious. There is this place right across the street from campus called Bliss House that has amazing taouk. I love that food is so cheap here too. And I haven't tried their soft serve yet, but I hear it's amazing. I've never really had soft serve that knocked me off my feet, so my hopes aren't extremely high? Isn't all soft serve the same? I did try their Italian ice cream though -- tayib jiddan (very good)! Today a few people from class and I wandered down the other way on Bliss Street, to find fata'ir, the name for spinach/meat/cheese pies. I got a big spinach pie and a big piece of pita bread with cheese and zaatar (thyme) on it and wrapped up like a sandwich. Plus some juice because I have been craving fruit like whoa. Anyway, it's pretty awesome to have Lebanese food everywhere. I want to find somewhere that has mujadarrah. I'll keep you all posted.

I don't know that I can go so far as to say I'm learning the area yet, but I'm defintely being introduced to it! Bliss Street is the street that AUB is on, and it has a lot of fast food restaurants, both American (bleh) and Lebanese (yes!). A few streets south of Bliss is Hamra, which is famous for its shopping. I haven't really checked it out yet, though -- heard it was expensive! Last weekend, a big group from the program went to this Italian restaurant, which was fun because I got to meet a few other people from the program. As I kind of expected, there are a lot of Americans here, and some Europeans. I've met a few girls from England, and a couple guys from Switzerland and the rest American so far. A lot of people in the program are full or half Lebanese too, but just don't speak the language (or at least the Classical Arabic), so that has been fun meeting other people who are Lebanese.

After the restaurant, my friend Jeff and I went to Gemayzee, this area that has a lot of pubs and is always busy. We were walking around and then we walked up these huge steps they have at the end of the street. They were having an art show that they have apparently every year on the steps, so that was fun to see. Also, the music in the pubs (or one of them) was interesting. It was a pretty chill atmostphere, besides the loud, techno/club-ish music. My favorite was a techno remix of the Jurassic Park theme song.

I keep forgetting to take pictures while I'm off campus, but I will remember next time, I promise! I put up a few more pictures on Picasa, but they are all from on campus. Still beautiful, though!

Exhibit A:

From BEIRUT!

Random side note to break up the pictures: I find that I am clicking my tongue a lot, which I feel is a Lebanese thing, but maybe not? I think I use it mainly in playful disapproval/reprimand, but now that I am practicing in my room, I can't figure out when I do it and it just keeps sounding weirder and weirder right now.

From BEIRUT!

Another side note: All the Lebanese people here say my name "Tereza", and I LOVE it. I feel so exotic.

From BEIRUT!

And here is a picture of some of the cats on campus. These ones aren't as cute as some of them though, like the kittens. :) Also, apparently some lady left an endowment just reserved for the cats. I was wondering how they got food, and I guess that money pays for it all -- this morning I saw a few cats eating cat food from a plate. Interesting! I wonder if the cat lady was a knitter...

Speaking of knitting, I should really update my other blog sometime too! I'll be sure to plug it here when I do. Now, it's time to start on al-waajib (homework. bah.) But hopefully some other girls in my class and I might go to a coffee shop to work later. That would certainly make it more bearable. Everyone at school knows I love my social studying! Where is LaFortune when I need it?? Well thank you all for your sweet comments and emails and thoughts and prayers!