The first ten days, chapter 4: Odds and ends

On Saturday night we attended a dinner potluck hosted by a group of Korean students also taking classes at the Language Center. There were approximately nine Koreans, six Italians, and the two of us. Languages were flying around, sounds meaningless to one group, words to others, mumbles, shreiks, shouts, lots and lots of laughter, and lots and lots of food. Needless to say, vegan food was limited -- the Koreans made vegan potato pancakes and very non-vegan fish balls, there was kimchi, baked pasta and a potato dish from the Italians, we made a sweet potato mash with almonds and carmelized onions, and it was all topped off with cake. Everyone was very sweet, though it was, at times, hard to communicate, Arabic being the language of choice and ours. . . well, stretched to its limits. At one point I tried to ask the Koreans if they had found tofu in Irbid. They couldn't understand what I wanted. Finally, one of the girls karate chopped and said, "Kung Fu? Kung Fu Panda?" It was a capstone for the night.

Speaking of Babel and other Biblical associations, when we went to the Director's office to discuss fees, he asked why we had come. Daph explained her interest in Middle Eastern Studies, and suggested that I had dutifully followed along. He said, "That reminds me of Paradise Lost, when God tells Eve that she must leave Eden for eating the Apple, and Adam says, 'Well, I can't live in this Paradise alone, I'll come with you.'"

Today's phrase of the day is: Nahnu shouw-fa natakellum Arabi. We will speak Arabic.

PS. Pictures are coming, eventually.