I am visiting the Middle-East next summer, and would like to meet new people, improve my Arabic, and see the places from a local perspective!! Why I'm visiting the Middle-East: 1. I want to rapidly improve my Arabic (**one big reason why at bottom of page**) 2. I think Arabic and many aspects of Middle Eastern culture are incredibly beautiful. 3. If I can, I want to work for a couple weeks with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. 4. I want to learn more about the world and myself. 5. Part of me feels at home in this culture. since my grandma is Israeli. **If I don't know Arabic, my information about the conflicts/crisis in the Middle-East, comes from 2nd hand accounts of events, and translations (which are often bias). If I know Arabic, I can find more accurate information by talking to people and reading primary sources.

My favorite books are: Harry Potter, The Giver (Louis Lowry), Heidi (Johanna Spyri), Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain), Hons and Rebels (Jessica Mitford), and Behind Enemy Lines (Marthe Cohn). I don't watch many movies. My favorite movie is Avatar (the blue people).