Wednesday, January 31, 2007
History Channel
I was watching the History Channel a few nights ago in my room. The show was called "dogfights" and it told the story of famous air battles in history. The theme of this particular show was the Israeli air force. It told about the 1967 war and the 1979 war. In both of these wars, the Israelis simply blew the Arab planes away.What troubled me was the fact that the History Channel only told one side of the story. Every person that they interviewed on camera was Israeli. The History Channel usually takes sides. But, it usually isn’t quite this one sided. In WWII shows, they interview Americans AND Germans. They usually give the appearance of trying to be unbiased. In this particular show, however, they didn’t even try. I did not see one Arab interviewee. It was entirely one sided.Other things that made me frustrated were little things. The announcer never brought up the context for the wars. In both cases, Israel was the one who fired first. In the 79 war, Israel invaded Lebanon to take out the PLO. After giving the details of a dog fight between some Israeli pilots and the Syrian air force, the announcer said something to the affect of, "The Syrians learned that they should never interfere with Israeli military strikes." The program had a lot of subtext behind the actual words which were spoken. This subtext said, "Yay for Israel, go kill those stupid Arabs."
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Scholarship
| Essay due: January 31, 2007 |
Description
The "Dream Deferred" Essay Contest on Civil Rights in the Middle East is available to students who are 25 years old or younger and live in the Middle East or America. You must submit an essay of 600-2,000 words addressing one of the questions listed on the sponsor's Web site. You must reside in an Arb Lge member state, Irn or the United States and essays may be submitted in English, French, Arabic or Farsi.
Sorry for the short notice, people usually do stuff at the last minute anyway...
MafishMishMish
Don't see The Fountain.
Hugh Jackman, at one point in the film, floats in a bubble to a nebula and in the lotus position, buds off into it to explode at supersonic speed.
Yes. No jokey. You may be convinced by a group of good friends to see it.
Resist.
All else is amazingly well. Friends are good. Family good. Spending my time between 3 literature classes and a few required ones. Tutoring Spanish 2 nights a week. Movie theatre runs almost tri-weekly. Lots of Diet Coke. Lots of Flaming Cheetos. Lots of deliberation on what to wear to Valentine's Day Ball. Lots of ex-boyfriend avoidance.
I got to the underwater level on Supermario today.
_kaitlyn
Hugh Jackman, at one point in the film, floats in a bubble to a nebula and in the lotus position, buds off into it to explode at supersonic speed.
Yes. No jokey. You may be convinced by a group of good friends to see it.
Resist.
All else is amazingly well. Friends are good. Family good. Spending my time between 3 literature classes and a few required ones. Tutoring Spanish 2 nights a week. Movie theatre runs almost tri-weekly. Lots of Diet Coke. Lots of Flaming Cheetos. Lots of deliberation on what to wear to Valentine's Day Ball. Lots of ex-boyfriend avoidance.
I got to the underwater level on Supermario today.
_kaitlyn
Monday, January 29, 2007
Long overdue
I'm trying my best to keep up reading you guys blogs. It's so good to hear what's going on with you. Molly glad you're back to school!
Anyway this semester is going to be rougher than I thought. My classes are easy, all Gen eds except one and that is by a teacher notorious for being really easy (and slightly crazy). Things are crazy because my boss is allowing me to work over the student limit of 20 hours a week. So now I pretty much spend my days going between the classroom and the library, until about 11pm. While my classes are easy, they have a lot of reading, like 4 novels a class, so my weekends should be consumed with reading.
Living in the appartment is great. I get along real well with all 4 of the guys. I didn't know one of them really well and I come to find out that he's an MK from Azerbaijan. We've already once went out to this Amazing Middle Eastern restaruant in Lexington. It was amazing!
I'm still working with the youth at Nathanial Mission. I did a show and tell lesson for them and that was really fun. I wore my galabeya and my kafaya, it was so much fun!
I started going to the St. Athanasius Orthodox Church last Sunday. It was weird, not because it was weird, but because it was so not weird. It felt like home almost immediatly and I almost crossed myself my first time out. I reframed because I don't want to jump in to quickly, but it was amazing to be there. It's especially cool to be going during Lent, from what my friends there tell me it's some of the most exciting time in the church life. It's nice too that I didn't have to start going alone, two of the girls I work with went with me. One of them started going this summer, she had been church hoping her entire 4 years at Asbury (she's not on college staff) and decided to go here because so many in the IS department went. She felt simular to me, at home almost immediatly. The other girl was a first timer like me, but it was so nice to come in like that. I really think I found a new church home, at least till I leave the Lexington area.
Well I wish I had more exciting stories, but 80% of my days are spent fixing computers and finding ways to make the helpdesk run smoother. Don't want to bore you all with that nonsense. I'm glad I finally got time to post. I keep starting posts and then getting distracted with something else and never making it back to finish. Just want you all to know that I still think of you often and I can't wait to see some of you this weekend!
Anyway this semester is going to be rougher than I thought. My classes are easy, all Gen eds except one and that is by a teacher notorious for being really easy (and slightly crazy). Things are crazy because my boss is allowing me to work over the student limit of 20 hours a week. So now I pretty much spend my days going between the classroom and the library, until about 11pm. While my classes are easy, they have a lot of reading, like 4 novels a class, so my weekends should be consumed with reading.
Living in the appartment is great. I get along real well with all 4 of the guys. I didn't know one of them really well and I come to find out that he's an MK from Azerbaijan. We've already once went out to this Amazing Middle Eastern restaruant in Lexington. It was amazing!
I'm still working with the youth at Nathanial Mission. I did a show and tell lesson for them and that was really fun. I wore my galabeya and my kafaya, it was so much fun!
I started going to the St. Athanasius Orthodox Church last Sunday. It was weird, not because it was weird, but because it was so not weird. It felt like home almost immediatly and I almost crossed myself my first time out. I reframed because I don't want to jump in to quickly, but it was amazing to be there. It's especially cool to be going during Lent, from what my friends there tell me it's some of the most exciting time in the church life. It's nice too that I didn't have to start going alone, two of the girls I work with went with me. One of them started going this summer, she had been church hoping her entire 4 years at Asbury (she's not on college staff) and decided to go here because so many in the IS department went. She felt simular to me, at home almost immediatly. The other girl was a first timer like me, but it was so nice to come in like that. I really think I found a new church home, at least till I leave the Lexington area.
Well I wish I had more exciting stories, but 80% of my days are spent fixing computers and finding ways to make the helpdesk run smoother. Don't want to bore you all with that nonsense. I'm glad I finally got time to post. I keep starting posts and then getting distracted with something else and never making it back to finish. Just want you all to know that I still think of you often and I can't wait to see some of you this weekend!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Hugs...
So Northwest Iowa has been a bit cold lately, actually really cold. I'm sure all the other Midwesterns can relate. But there is nothing like a nice hug to warm you up on a cold night...and that is just what I got on Thursday night when I received hugs from two of our 'Dutch Mafia' friends. They were so gracious to invite me to a gathering of Dordt students who had gone on MESP. Arriving at the house before anyone else, I found myself making small talk with the mother of someone who went on MESP with Dena. Anyway...as I am chatting I am also watching out the window when I suddenly see an oh-so-familiar face just light up when our eyes meet. I open the door to be greeted by a huge hug from Micah, followed by Emily who just about knocked me over. We, along with the other Dordt students then shared a fantastic meal of kosheri, roz bi leban and tea. I think I smiled for 3 straight hours. It was the most fun I have had in a while, a much needed reunion with people I love that simply 'understand.' Thanks for the great evening Micah and Emily! For all of you going out to Calvin--Sorry that I won't be able to make it to the conference--but if it is any consolation, my roommate is going. I might give her my MESP t-shirt so if you see here, say hello. Have fun!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Me, Speechless...
Okay, so we all know there is one thing that I am really good at, and that is talking. I can talk for hours. I can argue with just about anyone about anything. I love it. It's bad.
Well, tonight for the first time. I was rendered completely speechless. I had nothing to say. Even more interesting is that it happened four or five times. I could say anything other than... But, but ohh....but. Yes, the same person did it all four or five times.
My dear flatmates, I am sure know, that this flustered me, so I came back home and cleaned. This still has not helped (maybe that is because my apartment is not yet clean...).
I was asking this young man about Middle Eastern politics etc. He kept reminding me that I focus to much on the politics. He said "you should not be consumed at the politics, and then looking at Christ. Instead, you should be consumed in Christ and then looking at the politics."
Now, an evening that I was hoping was going to help me process, is instead, an evening that I am trying to process. Tonight, I could not argue. I could not reply. I could only mumble my way through things. I do not think that it helps, that tonight was the first time I looked a guy straight in the eyes for a prolonged conversation since returning home.
So, I hope this makes you laugh. I hope you enjoy it. masalama
Well, tonight for the first time. I was rendered completely speechless. I had nothing to say. Even more interesting is that it happened four or five times. I could say anything other than... But, but ohh....but. Yes, the same person did it all four or five times.
My dear flatmates, I am sure know, that this flustered me, so I came back home and cleaned. This still has not helped (maybe that is because my apartment is not yet clean...).
I was asking this young man about Middle Eastern politics etc. He kept reminding me that I focus to much on the politics. He said "you should not be consumed at the politics, and then looking at Christ. Instead, you should be consumed in Christ and then looking at the politics."
Now, an evening that I was hoping was going to help me process, is instead, an evening that I am trying to process. Tonight, I could not argue. I could not reply. I could only mumble my way through things. I do not think that it helps, that tonight was the first time I looked a guy straight in the eyes for a prolonged conversation since returning home.
So, I hope this makes you laugh. I hope you enjoy it. masalama
Thursday, January 25, 2007
you traveled the middle east and didn't get hurt until you came home????
it is rather ironic i suppose. at least it seems to be to most people i talk with. hmmm. well, i made it back to school today! ilhumdillaleeh. a week lying on my back was enough to drive me slightly insane. i have this problem with over-thinking and over-analyzing everything! as time was on my side...i used it to completely pulpify every aspect of my currently confused life. i now think that this was God's way of making me deal with stuff and to spend some good quality time with Him. i don't even know why i am writing this, but seriously all...God is continuing to bless me beyond belief with his compassion and grace. i am in such awe of His ways. and dang it: i don't understand anything! but then...i guess i don't have to. and that is the beauty of this game of life we all are playing. i suppose. sorry if this makes absolutely no sense. i make no sense. life makes no sense. praise God for God. the sense in the midst of consuming senselessness.
on another note: did you know that if you wanted to get yourself killed...rather than having a stupid sledding accident, you should just go into the streets of cairo and make known the fact that you are a christian? because all they want to do there is slaughter christians. hmmm. the new things i learn everyday by the oh so wise and well-meaning around me. interesting.
p.s.
i made a mesp calendar! its pretty sweet and now all of you will have your turn to represent a month this year. be excited. :)
on another note: did you know that if you wanted to get yourself killed...rather than having a stupid sledding accident, you should just go into the streets of cairo and make known the fact that you are a christian? because all they want to do there is slaughter christians. hmmm. the new things i learn everyday by the oh so wise and well-meaning around me. interesting.
p.s.
i made a mesp calendar! its pretty sweet and now all of you will have your turn to represent a month this year. be excited. :)
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