My abstinence-only education

            Sitting in the back of the candy store, 53 year-old Samir was waiting for my response.  He looked at me with an inquisitive, slightly concerned gaze that a silent-film actor would use to convey, “What do you want to do with your life young man?”  But this was not what he was asking.  You [...]

My Friend’s “This American Life” episode.

This is my friend’s segment on the show “This American Life.”  Although it came out on Showtime a month or two ago, I was only now just able to see it.  It’s about an Iraqi (him) traveling around the U.S. talking to people about the war.  It’s about 20 minutes long, and very well done.
Enjoy!
Part [...]

Soccer Game (paragraphs to be read in no particular order)

In this post, I will seamlessly weave together frat boys, the Persian Empire, fetishes, and fruit juice.
 
Cultural obsessions often lead to overwhelming desires in the minds of the individual.  Whether it is idolizing fame, wealth, sex… people learn what to want and which venues are deemed expectable in order to pursue it.  But what [...]

Climbing pictures

Check out my flicker page for some new photos…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/midwestinthemideast/

A day at the Mosque

Khaleel has invited me other places as well.  Last week he told me that there was a Professor from London speaking at his Mosque, something on the topic of “Islam and the West,” and it would be in English to boot.  Always a sucker for such events, I showed up, and was led into a [...]

I’ve got more photos

Go to this website to see my album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/midwestinthemideast/
 Hit the “slideshow” button on the top right from optimal comfort.

“Knock Knock” “Whose there?” “Your second round of dysentery.”

Syria can be exhausting.  4 hours of class per day, then 3-4 hours of studying afterwards.  The relaxing part comes with a fresh fruit juice in the cobble-stone streets, sitting next to a friend on an uneven plastic armchair.  Sometimes I get out for some drinks with classmates in the Christian quarter, but the large [...]

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