Ok, so here is the long-awaited J-Term post! Class is over, all of my work is submitted, and I am settling down to a 4 day break. Well, and I am getting ready to go to my second Hindi lesson with my friend Zahida and am still working on Government and Religion work. But after those two things: 4 days with no work.
In that time I am going to see a dance performance by Tisch dancers (Why did no one tell me one of the Tisch choreographers was in the UAE?), hiking in the desert (still not really sure what this is going to entail, but with the group going, it will definitely be awesome), skyping with the Mother-Daughter bookclub, and then FINALLY going to Khalifa park.
For now, a recap of J-Term. As you may remember, this was not my first choice class. But it should have been! Tales of Love and Death was amazing. Our final project was writing a 'tale', which is a pretty broad genre. I was happy with mine in the end, although, like all artsy things I care about (I don't know how many hours I spent in the darkroom senior year), I obsessed over the little details, editing and re-editing and changing a word and I had my friends read and comment on it (more on that in a minute), and I'm sure I annoyed the GAF working with our class, because I wanted this tale to be good (which meant lots of emails asking him to read over sections and edits).
And it went over well with the family/friends at home/new friends here who I asked to read it. Depending on how well you know me, you could tell that the tale was fairly personal, and, as I read it over again, I think things about me might become fairly obvious, so thank you for reacting well if you read it :)
The same thing happens with this blog- I write in my voice, and share things that I'm not sure people know about me. Our writing reveals a lot, which can be scary.
Anyways! Back to J-Term. Again, class was amazing, if you ever have a chance to take a class with Marina Warner, take it. Don't even think about it. Just sign up. You will not regret it.
The workload wasn't bad (I spent more time obsessing over details and reading sentences aloud than I necessarily had to- sorry roommates <3), and so there was finally some exploring that happened!
First, with the class we went to Al Ain, one of the other Emirates. I personally like it more than Abu Dhabi, because there are fewer new always-shiney skyscrapers. We saw two museums, which I appreciated- I still don't know much about this region. We also went to the oasis, and that gave a cultural and ecological snapshot of the area. On the way back we were supposed to have dinner at a buffet but they lost the reservations, so instead we went to this really nice Mexican restaurant. Which had good salsa! Something that does not exist in Sama Tower. About halfway back to Abu Dhabi we stopped and walked in the desert under the full moon and stars. Orion was watching over the sky that night.
We also went to a falcon hospital, and I have mixed feelings about it. It is true that falcon owners take really good care of their birds, and if not for domestic breeding, there is a chance that falcons would be extinct by now, but there is something about the birds that makes it feel like you are taking away their 'wildness'- because they are not domestic in the sense that we think of domestic animals. Mixed feelings, but a good day.
I finally went out to sheesha. Also known as hookah in the US. The odd thing is, I have had hookah in the US before, but not in the Middle East (again, an explanation- it is a flavored tobacco that uses this illegal-looking but totally legal pipe contraption (no clue of the name), which is generally a social activity). A bunch of us, including some of the NYU NY kids who are here for J-Term went out to the Central Souk and the rooftop sheesha place. There were a lot of us, so we got the special back room (still wondering if it was because they didn't want a bunch of college kids, many of us female and not Middle Eastern in the main part of their establishment. But whatever! Private room!). The lemon-mint sheesha was the best. Grape mint was eh, and I think it was watermelon I never want to try again. Just no.
That night was also a Baskin-Robbins night, and a talking-until-all-hours night. Which is to say, one of the best parts of being here.
(FYI, the Subway is now open as well. That will be a savior next semester)
Went to the Central Souk again to go to Shakespeare and Co. which is this really quaint if out-of-place restaurant. My RA and most of us who are here for J Term went, and that was a really nice time.
There was also a Dubai trip! I found an actual art gallery with amazing photographs displayed, as well as a thrift/art store and a spice store, all in the Bastika, Old Dubai. Then I had a nice conversation with a guy at the coffee/tea area (the maglis- social gathering spot). After that it was off to the mall, where I journaled about Old Dubai for class, attempted to do other homework, then called my friends to join them in their wanderings.
My J Term of not going to Al-Safa is successful. I set this as a challenge because we use Al-Safa as a crutch to prevent us from venturing further. So instead, I went to Madinat Zayed mall, finally went to a Lulu's, and realized I now get completely lost in real grocery stores.
And I started Hindi lessons. My summer plans are still up in the air because, once again, there are visa complications. I had hoped to go back to India, but I don't know if that will happen. If not this summer, then 2 summers from now.
I think that's it. J Term was awesome, and, while a bunch of people are abroad, I got to hang out a lot more with people I usually don't see. I will probably blog a bit more during the mini-break, because once the semester starts these posts will be more sporadic than they already are.
<3
