My Arabic Nickname: Amira!

So my friends call me “Amira” (princess in Arabic! Surprised? Don’t be :p I’m lurved!), mainly ‘cause I act really “rich” and spoiled and all. I mean, well, it’s just that … my bookbag is very, very important to me, y’know. So I don’t want it on the floor when we have enough chairs in class for everyone to sit in, plus some 2 or so extra seats available, y’know. And it’s not like the floors are clean enough to begin with. I mean, they’re not clean, and so when I put my bookbag on the floor, it gets dirty, and then when I pick up that bookbag, it dirties my back, and I don’t like that. You understand.

And so they call me Princess just ‘cause I refuse to let my bookbag touch the floor. I think it’s sooo sweet of them! Besides, we all sorta need Arabic nicknames to make it easier for the Arabs to call us by :p Not that my name’s difficult for them to pronounce at all, though. It feels rrrreally good be called by my “authentic” name by non-Pakistanis, you see. For over 10 years, I hadn’t heard foreigners saying my name correctly (and for the last 2 years, my teachers in the Middle Eastern Studies department, who’d studied Persian and Arabic, could pronounce it perfectly). 

These same friends have an absolutely awesome time taking my photos, too. You see, here’s the deal: When I’m getting my pictures taken, they’ve to be a certain way. My friends like to say there are “rules” that one must follow if one wants to take Amira’s photos, but I don’t like to consider them “rulers” per se. Me, I just think it’s to help enrich their photography experience and skills. :) etc. So, my point is, when I take photos of my photographer sister, she gets really angry if they’re a certain way. So I’ve learned all these guidelines from her, and I’m oooonnnly tryyyyying to pass these very crucial guidelines to my friends so they become excellent photographers – that’s all. No, of course we know they enjoy taking photos of the Amira. Who wouldn’t, you know? Now, if I rrrreally like some spot for a photo, you're to take three photos of me there: 1 for Facebook or the public in general, 1 with my hair showing, and 1 with my hair covered :) But I normally just let them take 2 and not 3 'cause, fine, I understand I'm not the center of this world, unfortunately. So 2: 1 for Facebook and 1 for family! No, but seriously, these guys are rrrreally amazing. All my laughters are because of them. The other’s name is Teemo, but Teemo doesn’t wish that Teemo’s name appear on the Internet, so Teemo is to be left alone on the Amira’s blog. Both Amanda and Teemo are in my class (3-hour class), and boy do they make the class more exciting and funny than it would be otherwise or what! Amanda is my closest CLS friend, I can’t help wondering how different and un-cool and unworthy my CLS experience would be if Amanda weren’t around.

So, get this: Amanda just uploaded some photos on FB, and under one of my photos, the caption reads: “Guys, I don’t drink coffee. Or tea. Please help!” Well, there’s history behind that caption. You remember when I told you about my/our visit to that city where we met a really amazing family who invited us over for dinner/lunch and then did our hair and all? Yeah, well, when we were in the gentleman’s shop and he offered us a LOT of tea and coffee and all (it wasn’t really an offer; he placed it right there in front of us, and we *had* to take it to show that we appreciate it. You remember all that stuff, of course), well … I don’t drink coffee. Or tea. Not here, anyway. I drink tea at home, and it has to be a certain way. So when he offered us all that tea/coffee, I had to have my friends drink it. And they did it SO coolly, I tell you. They’d pass the 6 cups around (it was 6 of us), and the 5 of them would drink from each cup to ensure that none of the cups were left untouched or unfinished. See?! I told you they were the awesomest friends anyone could ask for!

Now to some other important things … I miss Kashmala SO much it hurts!! I saw her last night, half asleep and half awake, and it took my breath away. Not just because she’s the most beautiful thing on this bloody earth (mashaAllah, tf, tf, nazara na shee!) but also because she’s just Kashmala! Only she can do that to me. I also saw her older brother, who was the cutest of all of God’s creation when he was around her age as well! (He’s like 7 now, and you understand what happens to kids as they grow.) As for her younger brother, he’s addddorable to the core! Believe it or not, Amira’s world, I haven’t seen him in person yet :’( He hasn’t had the pleasure of being in the arms of his favorite and the best aunt just yet. And the worst part is, he’s growing up!!! He’s almost a year old, and I still haven’t seen him! Another horribly horrible part is that when I go back home, his mom won’t be able to visit me during the time I’ll be home because she has a conference or whatever else, and by the time that ends, I will have to my new home! Oh the woes that fall on the Amira sometimes! Ya Allah!!! Djfhajfhdjfrwieuriewurieur!!!

Khair, all shall be well.

Wait, I forgot to say the most important thing regarding Kashmala: When we were going to Pakistan, we told her that, right. And since then we “disappeared” for her for a good month (me and my dad) or 2 months (my mom and my brother), she started to believe that Pakistan is this place you go to to “get lost” or just disappear in. So now, whenever she loses something, she says, “Pakistan ta laaro” (it’s gone to Pakistan)!! How CUTE is that, damnit!! And Imagine! I get to miss her saying this!!! But happily, whenever she gets something new, like clothes or shoes or toys, she tells everyone that I (clearly her favorite aunt! :D) got them for her!! I KNOW!! HOW ADORABLE IS THAT!!! Ahhh!! And to think I don’t get to hear her saying this, either :( Ya rabb!!! 

I still have lots more to say. But I’m tired. And today is literally the 3^rd day we’ve had completely free to ourselves since June 15^th, so I’m hoping to get some studying done. AND guess what :D I slept at like 1-ish (am) and woke up at like 12:30pm :D:D Almost 12 hours of sleep. Felt soooo good! But a free day means studying, since I haven’t had a chance to study at all, and there’s unfortunately a LOT to catch up on. Like memorizing the 10 currently most important awzaan (or patterns) used in Arabic. It’s because of these awzaan that I love, love, LOVE Arabic. Once you get these patterns, you get Arabic! Well, okay, not entirely, since the jazr (root) is more important, I think, than the wazn (singular of awzaan), because once you know the jazr of a word, you know at least 6 other words in Arabic that stem from that same root. It’s beautiful. So Arabic is a very organized language, and I love it mostly for this reason. And I don’t think it’s difficult at all; it’s just a matter of actually sitting down alone and working some of its complexities out. 

Next time, I’ll talk about taxi drivers in the Middle East (= this country alone as of now), k? I’d do it now, but I need to do other things right now, beloveds! Y’all understand.

Ma’ assalaamah! 

~ Al-Amira :)