Day 39

February 27th

Today was a long day. I was up too late last night and had a really long day of classes and work. Wednesday's are like this. I still feel my Arabic is terrible. I wanted to move back to get a firmer grasp of vocabulary and listening and speaking, and I feel that none of these have really improved. Its really frustrating. I can't tell if it's because I am not studying enough, or if it's because I am just bad at languages. Anyways, I start my tutoring tomorrow and hopefully that will start to improve my skills. I just want to be able to understand my teacher when she gives instructions or when people ask me questions, is this so much to ask for me.
In other news, other than a rather disappointing skype conservation with "renegade" my day was pretty uneventful. It's tough. But I think that the smoke is cleared and that's good for both of us. I think I finally understand the platform that renegade stands on. Knowing this, I think kind of gives me some freedom.
Speaking of Obama, he's up in Texas. People in Egypt love Obama. They really hope he is elected. I think there is inherent value in the fact that he does have dark skin and that he has a Muslim name. I think the fact that so many people from around the world can relate to him is a huge bonus to whatever his foreign policy is. I have read several op-eds about this, one from the Post and one from the Times detailing his effect and his story on the world. I mean the fact that his Grandma is illiterate and lives in some rural Kenyan Farm and that her grandson can become the most powerful man in the world really says something about the nature of America.
Also related to my subject. Every time I walk around Cairo, I am continually affirmed in my belief that I am one of the luckiest people alive. I have been given so much, and despite how bad I may be at Arabic or at school in general, I still have a life that many can only ever dream of. I think its my job, to make those dreams into something a little bit more substantial.