The End.

Hey everyone,

This is my 100th and final post on my "Life in Lebanon" blog. I just submitted my Economics paper and have just final editing/footnote formatting left to do! :) These three months have gone by SO FAST and I have learned a great deal not only academically but about....well life....in Lebanon. Haha guess my blog was appropriately titled. I am so thankful that I got to spend so much time here with my family and make friends and memories I will never forget. I am sad to leave, but happy to return to the states and start a new adventure. The real blessing to me is that I know when I leave here in 6 days I will be coming back to visit often. My only disappointment is that I am still not speaking Arabic, a goal I have had for years. But, this is my own fault for not really studying it. BUT I do understand loads more than I used to and I see that as a big positive. I can follow conversations now and usually understand the gist of it. I plan to continue studying Arabic until I get it, but I will have to do it out of textbooks now!

My post would be a novel if I wrote out all the things I've learned so I won't but i assure you it was quite beneficial to me. I hope that this experience will force me to open my eyes from now on to different perspectives on life and read and observe with a new take on life. Speaking of reading, I will be working a lot (hopefully) when I return to the states and for the first time in a very long time not have homework and exams. I want to take this time to really read and enhance areas of knowledge that I am weak on. If any has any suggestions on good current event, history, political, economical, social whatever type books let me know! I have gotten into a really good habit of reading the news online here so I hope to keep that up and add notable magazines like the Economist and Time to my list of things to do weekly so I can really expand my horizons.

I cannot express how thankful I am for the love and support of my family and friends who made it possible for me to come here and experience this...but also who gave me their support and blessings, however reluctant, to come home and try something new. In 5 months I'll be off on another adventure in New York City, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, and I couldn't be more thrilled, scared, excited, nervous and optimistic! Living in NYC has been a dream of mine since I first started looking at colleges and would have given anything to go to Columbia (altho funny story, I didn't want to fill out the extremely long application! haha so I guess not ANYTHING). I will keep the same URL for my blog but change the heading name and will keep up my blog in the city!

For now, I will be in Wenatchee spending quality time with my parents and grandparents, the gym and when the weather gets nice the loop :) ...and whomever of my high school friends are around! haha Come back after the first week of June to partake in my city life adventures!! Thanks for keeping up with me!

Much love,

Sasha