Here I go...

So...
Here I am.

I am not too good at this...

I guess I can start with a bit of a purpose statement. I would like to use this blog as a place to chronicle my education in regards to the Middle East, Arabic and Middle Eastern culture. I am currently a junior in college, and an international studies major. I have been studying Arabic for two and a half years now and I am applying for a study-abroad program that will take me to Amman, Jordan. I would like to use this blog to post publicly about my experiences in this travel and this vein of study, considering I have recently been exposed to some amazing poetry and other cultural experiences that seem to be lacking in most discourse regarding the Middle East. I must state that I have a very low tolerance for ignorant behavior. I don't mind comments or even criticism, but hate speech that revolves around race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, etc, will not be taken well. If you must express something ignorant and hateful, if you just can't hold it in until you're around someone who cares about your narrow view, then at least express it in relatively proper English, spelled correctly, and with some point other than that you hate me/what I say/who I'm talking about. If you don't like what I say, then ignore me. I've got no problem with that.

I am open to debate, and discussion. I'm trying to learn, and to teach, so if you can present me with logical arguments and data to back you up, we can discuss and debate like adults. I am also very open to giving, receiving and searching for information, but I will not go and look up something if it is presented to me as fact on a dissenting side of the debate. If you call something into question, please be able to show me where your information came from.

I will occasionally be posting rants and verbal vomit. I'm easily frustrated in regards to the total lack of care for other cultures in my culture, or the total ignorance of supposedly "educated" individuals. These will come with a warning tag, and if something is a rant, or a rage, or a roar for that matter, then it is NOT up for debate or discussion.

Anyway, just had to get that all out of the way.
I plan on posting some poetry as soon as possible

~Dori