Finito Arabic!

I don't want to say it, but alas my summer of being in the Middle East is coming to an end. I must admit, I'm really sad and kinda awkwardly upset about the whole thing. We took our finals on Sunday and this morning we had a little graduation ceremony. We have a free day tomorrow and then the flight back to the states on Wednesday. I know I will have more time to process this all in the future, and it still feels a little bit crazy all the things I've done this summer. But for now, I really just want to say that I'm sad, and I'm going to miss it.

I have met some absolutely wonderful people on this trip and I've laughed almost the entire time I've been here. These past months have been filled with adventure and friendship. I have experienced a truly unique combination of people and places- and as I really want to treasure what good times I've had, it also makes me sad that in some way I'm losing them. I have become really attached to my little community here and as always when a trip ends you hope to see your friends again, but you know life rolls on and that it probably won't happen. It is an odd combination of holding on to the wonderful memories that you've made and knowing that they are so unique because they will never happen again. I kinda feel like a ball that's been thrown up in the air- I've been soaring upwards all summer and now I'm at the top of the arch, in stillness, looking around and appreciating what's happened, right before I rush downward into the next part of life. I want the people that I've met here to know how much I've enjoyed their company and would love to share it again. For me, a trip like this is defined not only by the places you go and the things you learn, but by the people you spend it with. At HDS I would call it the value of the intersubjective, which means, whatever it is that you are experiencing matters if you value those whom you experience it with. So I want to thank my friends for making this trip a valuable experience for me- together we've explored exotic places and learned a new language, we've formed ridiculous memories, and some really awesome slang. Thanks! I'm really glad that I have met you!