Laying the Foundation

I was in tenth grade when I told my parents that I wanted to learn Arabic. They gave me a look that said, "uh huh, have fun with that, Alicia" and proceeded to tell me how difficult that would be. After that moment I gave up the idea.

Life always has a way of working out though.

I am a college student studying Communication and Middle Eastern Studies in Erie, Pennsylvania. Whenever I tell people what I study, I get a variety of reactions. Many curious for more information and others disgusted at the thought.  Thus the purpose of this blog.

I don't claim to be an expert on everything Middle Eastern - I'm simply a student who sees a need for bridges to be built between cultures and will go out on a limb to make that possible.

Now comes the fun part, we talk.  About personal stories, music, books, current issues, the language, and anything else.

So let's get the ball rolling...