Its been an insane two weeks of Arabic class! I now have completed a full week of my new Level 3 Arabic class, even though school started up for Spring Term about a week and a half ago.

I took my final a few weeks ago for Arabic Level 2, passed and then got a few days off vacation (while the new students have orientation). We started back on a Tuesday and i was placed in Level 3B, instead of Level 3C, which I knew I should be in. The A,B,C,... part of the levels is the difference of where in the textbook you left off. So I was in Level 2C last time and we had completed the first whole Textbook (20 chapters) but never started any chapters in Book 2. So, based on where left off, I knew I needed to be placed n Level 3C, so that I would start on Chapter 1 in Book 2. I figured it was just a mess up and either the class would start on Chapter 1 or they would put me back in 3C....well, my thoughts of an easy fix was a bit naive and way more hopeful cause I knew it probably wouldn't happen like that.

Extremely long 3 days/story, short....My new professors were totally unaware that myself and half of the class had never started Books 2 and were prepared to start on Chapter 4. The initial solution was to have those of us that had not done Chapters 1-3, make us teach ourselves over the 2 day weekend coming up and then start Chapter 4 on Sunday. Ummmm....not so much! The grammar wasn't too complicated, but thats about still a lot to memorize and most of all that is about 150 vocab words to memorize in 2 days and actually retain. Thats physically impossible. So, after some talks with admin and letting them no the issue...and a few days going by...all was fixed.

I'm now in Arabic Level 3C and we are starting on Chapter 1.
This book is vastly different and more challenging then the past ones. Its jumps big into a new realm of vocabulary and discussion. My classes went from just speaking about what we did the day before as out "discussion time (about 20-30 mins) to now...which is an hour and 15 minutes long everyday and we discuss topics like Ibn Battuta (the world explorer), Sufism (a type of Islam) and its history, markets and their history in Syria as well as Gaza and the impacts its trade routes had on the world.

In my world and limited speaking ability, thats a BIG jump. I found that I could follow along most of the time in what the professor was saying, but not fast enough to be able to just answer questions that quickly. I have always had this issue, even in English and in school in America. When it comes to academics, my brain needs more processing time then others might. I've never been a person that can just be called on and blurt out the answer. I need a few minutes to process what I'm thinking and then how it relates to what I know and then I can give an answer, even in English.

So, needless to say, it was a rough week. I spent about 8/9 hours on homework (not including the 3 hours class I had that day). Just one day! Most days a spent about 3/4 hours. Arabic has taken over, even more than I knew it could. Its nuts. We do a chapter a week, which is what my class did last term, but this book averages about 60-70 new vocab words a chapter, when my last book only averaged about 20-30. So again, a BIG jump for me.

I say this only kinda joking at this point, but I'm starting to come to terms with the idea that I will never graduate from grad school because I will never finish my thesis due to Arabic controlling my life now.

I will say this, I'm learning more about Middle Eastern History though...so maybe I should just change professions entirely and work on that area of my life. :)