It's difficult to believe that it's been nearly two weeks since I last posted. It doesn't seem that long at all. But I look back over those days and realise that I really have been rather busy... which has been a good thing. Besides the continuing language study (and these days I actually have homework too), I've been out visiting, and in this country a short visit is a mere five hours long. A couple of weeks ago I met two girls (who are actually women, since they're married, and that's the dividing line in this culture) while I was out searching for yarn, and since then I've gotten to meet their family... lots of family.

An interesting difference I've found here: in the US, the more "country" people are, the slower they speak. Here, the more "country" people are, the faster they speak. This family speaks Arabic with the speed of an experienced auctioneer with a well-oiled jaw. And, as I told someone else, "they don't speak a lick of English."
Speaking of country.