new study abroad

Hey all,

So, my biggest update is that I have (somewhat) been kicked out of my study abroad program in Amman for one of the stranger reasons under the sun: I was too good at Arabic. On my Arabic placement exam last Sunday, apparently the top level class was supposed to place within about 70-75%, which the rest of the class did. Somehow, I got a 92%. Go State Department Critical Language Scholarship! The downside to all of this is that they no longer really had a way for me to take Arabic within in the program, so the director and the language director asked me to move into the intensive, Arabic-only program. Which means that starting on Sunday, when a new group gets here (though this one is significantly smaller, 7 people instead of 69), I'll be going through another orientation (week three) with them, before signing away my right to English-language communication for the second time this year, and enrolling in all-Arabic classes. Unfortunately, this also means I have to move from my current, very nice family, as Chris and I have both been living there, and apparently he contaminates my Arabic-only-ness or something, so I'll be finding a new family, as well as meaning that I probably won't be getting any credit from Brown towards my degrees when I get back. Looks like spring semester will yet again involve taking five classes.