What can I say? I absolutely love it here. Beirut is such an interesting city...and I've fallen in love with AUB's beautiful campus (the AUB campus cats are particularly favorites for me). It's so great to just be able to go and wade in the Mediterranean whenever I want to, to get some of the best food ever (though no cuisine has beaten my native Creole cuisine yet for me, the food here is amaze). Everything's hotter and more honest even than in New York, and the Lebanese have no problem with that. I've met some of the most amazing people, and got to spend my 20th birthday in Solidaire, smoking shisha and (legally) drinking. I'm loving the classes, and I'm learning a lot of Arabic. Next week we are going to begin taking 'Amia for an hour in the morning as well as Fusha for five more, and I'm happy to be learning Lebanese Colloquial alongside what I'm going to encounter in Al-Kitaab.
Even being in a cheaper country, my money supplies are constantly running low. I need to learn to conserve more, also considering I won't be able to work next semester either :-(, :-).
When I said honest earlier, I meant honest. People here do not care if you know that they're looking at you; they'll look just the same. I'm so used to undercover bitchiness that I guess I'm going to have to learn how to deal with this step by step. I truly believe being a bitch is a notable art form; only the worthy survive hehe.
I HATE my roommate. He's blond, big, and disgusting...I call him "Meep Meep" because that's the first thing he ever told me. He's literally said four insignificant sentences to me in the past three days, and I've said a total of 13 words to him since he's arrived, most of which have been "uh huh" or a couple of times when he awkwardly acted weird and woke up gasping and throwing his pillow when I walked in the door from somewhere (happened more than once eww), I've said, "Are you ok?" NOT what I was expecting at all. Hate my life.
So yes, good times, amazing people, awesome classes, spending money I don't have in a city of amazingness...what more can I have asked for? Well, I still know something missing ;-).
You know you love it.
<3
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Leaving...today.
Since I probably won't have time to post during the day...
I want to literally shoot myself in the face for all of the procrastination that I've done. It's so coming to haunt me in one shitshow today. It's been a very stressful two weeks, with tutoring every day and having a day job, while trying to balance friends and getting my life ready for six months in the Middle East. Tomorrow's agenda includes:
1) mailing off tutoring timesheets to Cali, and my baby pics and birth certificate to Mother
2) Calling Mother and my crazy sister/2 brothers, and Griffin who I've neglected for the past two days
2) "working" at Special Sessions for like 2 hours
3) last minute seeing available people
4) washing my clothes
5) making it to the airport in time...
all before my flight leaves at 8:30 PM. Loving it. It may seem like not much, but time really flies when you don't have really much of it.
I am LOVING Amr Diab's songs...his music is so intoxicating. On constant repeat today on my iPod during my neverending busyness was Wa7ashtiny and Ya Habibi La. Habibi Ya Omri is also amaze. OMG. In. Love.
I saw James today, and helped him get stuff today out of storage, and got two badly needed suitcases in return. It's always so nice to see him. It really helps having someone there who's more mature really tell you about life and be real. I'm really excited to know the amazing progress of the After the Storm documentary, and even though I can't represent at the premiere in LA, hopefully it will show in Jerusalem in the fall while I'm in Israel.
I stayed since Saturday at Ryan (Teet Teet) and Jeff's place on St. Mark's. I really didn't realize until I actually stayed at that place how much of a stabilizing presence Teet Teet brings. I think I'm a little allergic to Choo Choo the House Chinchilla though. Loves it. Now I'm at Nikki Rox's at Hayden, all ready for my flight packing wise except a small bag of dirty clothes that I have to wash in the morning.
Working at Special Sessions/Study has been a real lovefest for the past three weeks; the intrigues of the office have been truly fascinating. Some of my favorites from the past three weeks include: the mutual hatred of everyone of a certain high official in the office, Kevin's coyness, the arrival of Camadeco (and subsequently a semester's worth of study abroad drama), fighting over the delivery schedule, having a sultry voice on the phone, and, of course, loving Erica and Kimmy.
I was sort of able to say goodbye to D. Stern, and loved having s'mores and a sleepover with Madhavi and Neesha. I didn't see Nik though, which is actually sad; I'm really going to miss his big nose. I kind of know who I'm definitely going to keep in contact with while I'm abroad, and who I'm going to probably say hi to every once in a while in a Facebook post. It's just sooo hard keeping in touch on the reg with everyone.
I'm making sure that everyone knows where Lebanon is so that...they'll know where I am haha. Slowly, but surely, people are starting to actually remember where I'm going, and, for the ambitious ones, where Farawayland actually is. No, it's not in Europe.
I expect to sleep a lot during the flight to my layover destination in Moscow. A lot. As in sleep as I haven't in 4 weeks. I'm so happy I'm gettting to Beirut a day early, so that I have time to explore/get a cell phone. I'm so excited for nightlife in Beirut, because, unlike here, in Lebanon I'm old enough to do ANYTHING haha.
Aughh. So tired. Now going to bed. I'll probably be on here again during 8 hours in the Moscow airport, doing a bored post.
You know you love it.
<3
I want to literally shoot myself in the face for all of the procrastination that I've done. It's so coming to haunt me in one shitshow today. It's been a very stressful two weeks, with tutoring every day and having a day job, while trying to balance friends and getting my life ready for six months in the Middle East. Tomorrow's agenda includes:
1) mailing off tutoring timesheets to Cali, and my baby pics and birth certificate to Mother
2) Calling Mother and my crazy sister/2 brothers, and Griffin who I've neglected for the past two days
2) "working" at Special Sessions for like 2 hours
3) last minute seeing available people
4) washing my clothes
5) making it to the airport in time...
all before my flight leaves at 8:30 PM. Loving it. It may seem like not much, but time really flies when you don't have really much of it.
I am LOVING Amr Diab's songs...his music is so intoxicating. On constant repeat today on my iPod during my neverending busyness was Wa7ashtiny and Ya Habibi La. Habibi Ya Omri is also amaze. OMG. In. Love.
I saw James today, and helped him get stuff today out of storage, and got two badly needed suitcases in return. It's always so nice to see him. It really helps having someone there who's more mature really tell you about life and be real. I'm really excited to know the amazing progress of the After the Storm documentary, and even though I can't represent at the premiere in LA, hopefully it will show in Jerusalem in the fall while I'm in Israel.
I stayed since Saturday at Ryan (Teet Teet) and Jeff's place on St. Mark's. I really didn't realize until I actually stayed at that place how much of a stabilizing presence Teet Teet brings. I think I'm a little allergic to Choo Choo the House Chinchilla though. Loves it. Now I'm at Nikki Rox's at Hayden, all ready for my flight packing wise except a small bag of dirty clothes that I have to wash in the morning.
Working at Special Sessions/Study has been a real lovefest for the past three weeks; the intrigues of the office have been truly fascinating. Some of my favorites from the past three weeks include: the mutual hatred of everyone of a certain high official in the office, Kevin's coyness, the arrival of Camadeco (and subsequently a semester's worth of study abroad drama), fighting over the delivery schedule, having a sultry voice on the phone, and, of course, loving Erica and Kimmy.
I was sort of able to say goodbye to D. Stern, and loved having s'mores and a sleepover with Madhavi and Neesha. I didn't see Nik though, which is actually sad; I'm really going to miss his big nose. I kind of know who I'm definitely going to keep in contact with while I'm abroad, and who I'm going to probably say hi to every once in a while in a Facebook post. It's just sooo hard keeping in touch on the reg with everyone.
I'm making sure that everyone knows where Lebanon is so that...they'll know where I am haha. Slowly, but surely, people are starting to actually remember where I'm going, and, for the ambitious ones, where Farawayland actually is. No, it's not in Europe.
I expect to sleep a lot during the flight to my layover destination in Moscow. A lot. As in sleep as I haven't in 4 weeks. I'm so happy I'm gettting to Beirut a day early, so that I have time to explore/get a cell phone. I'm so excited for nightlife in Beirut, because, unlike here, in Lebanon I'm old enough to do ANYTHING haha.
Aughh. So tired. Now going to bed. I'll probably be on here again during 8 hours in the Moscow airport, doing a bored post.
You know you love it.
<3
Thursday, June 11, 2009
One more week...
I'm so overwhelmed. It's my last weekend in the city, and there's a bunch of people that I want to see before I leave. However, I have so much shit to do: tutoring, as well as moving out of NYU Housing by this Saturday (also having tutoring that day from 10-4), and basically moving around all the time until I leave for Beirut next Thursday.
I confess, I've gone on a mini-shopping spree. Unlike many who feel so guilty after these, however, for once I was buying things, not because I necessarily needed them, just because I had a bit of extra money and I decided to treat myself. It felt wonderful.
Although I've had more drama in the past month and a half than I've had all spring semester, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Loves the Core...I'm going to miss you guys soo much you have no idea.
If someone tells me that I'm going to get blown up ONE more time, I'm going to explode. Just had to throw that out there.
I am so happy to be forced not to work for the next six months.
You know you love it.
<3
I confess, I've gone on a mini-shopping spree. Unlike many who feel so guilty after these, however, for once I was buying things, not because I necessarily needed them, just because I had a bit of extra money and I decided to treat myself. It felt wonderful.
Although I've had more drama in the past month and a half than I've had all spring semester, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Loves the Core...I'm going to miss you guys soo much you have no idea.
If someone tells me that I'm going to get blown up ONE more time, I'm going to explode. Just had to throw that out there.
I am so happy to be forced not to work for the next six months.
You know you love it.
<3
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Starting June
It's the end of the week tomorrow, and I've officially survived tutoring every day (except today). And it's officially two weeks until Beirut. OMG. I got my passport in the mail two days ago (yay!) so that drama is over with.
I've been trying so hard to be a good boy and not get too fucked up all week, but Tuesday night at Bbar was too much to resist. I went with Ryan R., Ryan P., and Jeff joined us later. We got there at exactly 10, just before they start carding. But Nikki Rox was carded, which is total BS because if she doesn't look 21 I know that I defs don't. Maybe they were acting weird because it was gay night and she's a girl, but...still not ok. Suckiness.
I drank a lot more than my limit normally is...I think that this is a good sign that my tolerance for alcohol has increased, and that I'm not a shitty mess after five or six shots. The guys at Bbar were a lot better looking than when I was last there...a little younger and more brown guys. I stayed behind and hung out a bit more after both Ryans left and actually took care of myself, so Ryan R. can bite me. I hung out with this one guy that I was told later likes Jeff, but he asked me for my number as we walked back to our respective places. I actually didn't think about that aspect of the night until just now. Hmm. Why are gay men sometimes so sketchy/not straightforward? Totally baffles me. Still hasn't called, but really wasn't my type anyway. An intro to my ideal type would be, I guess, two times bigger than me and Arab or South Asian. These preferences are seldom fulfilled for me, including for this Bbar night. It's sad.
I'm really, really going to miss bitch-out sessions with Ryan R. and Nikki Rox, so much.
I've realized how much Facebook is such an amazing tool to reconnect with people. People that I haven't seen since middle school are suddenly adding me as friends. It's interesting to see how much people have changed.
Barackie officially declared June Gay Pride Month! Official proclamation can be read here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/. I am very ok with this.
The song at this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dT5-y1f3W0, called "Ya Gali"...amazing.
You know you love it.
<3
I've been trying so hard to be a good boy and not get too fucked up all week, but Tuesday night at Bbar was too much to resist. I went with Ryan R., Ryan P., and Jeff joined us later. We got there at exactly 10, just before they start carding. But Nikki Rox was carded, which is total BS because if she doesn't look 21 I know that I defs don't. Maybe they were acting weird because it was gay night and she's a girl, but...still not ok. Suckiness.
I drank a lot more than my limit normally is...I think that this is a good sign that my tolerance for alcohol has increased, and that I'm not a shitty mess after five or six shots. The guys at Bbar were a lot better looking than when I was last there...a little younger and more brown guys. I stayed behind and hung out a bit more after both Ryans left and actually took care of myself, so Ryan R. can bite me. I hung out with this one guy that I was told later likes Jeff, but he asked me for my number as we walked back to our respective places. I actually didn't think about that aspect of the night until just now. Hmm. Why are gay men sometimes so sketchy/not straightforward? Totally baffles me. Still hasn't called, but really wasn't my type anyway. An intro to my ideal type would be, I guess, two times bigger than me and Arab or South Asian. These preferences are seldom fulfilled for me, including for this Bbar night. It's sad.
I'm really, really going to miss bitch-out sessions with Ryan R. and Nikki Rox, so much.
I've realized how much Facebook is such an amazing tool to reconnect with people. People that I haven't seen since middle school are suddenly adding me as friends. It's interesting to see how much people have changed.
Barackie officially declared June Gay Pride Month! Official proclamation can be read here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/. I am very ok with this.
The song at this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dT5-y1f3W0, called "Ya Gali"...amazing.
You know you love it.
<3
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