Ahlan...

Egypt / Lebanon Montage from Khalid Mohtaseb on Vimeo.

Stumbled across this... (thanks Samer)                                       

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                            جميلة جدا. مشالله

Mysterious Paths

Well...

Who would have thought? Guess what, I got in! Not the MSc in Middle East Politics but the MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies Program. My major, and field of my dissertation - God willing - will be 'Modern Trends in Islam' (with Dr Katherine Zebiri).
Not the way I originally planned but it's amazing how it all turned out. I'm actually really excited about the slight change in focus (I'm already dreaming of that Phd afterwards). Alright, now I've decided to stay on course with Cairo, so I've submitted a request to defer my offer until the next academic year. So it's still going to Cairo first then back to SOAS come Fall'10.

Alhamdulillah ya Rabb! Inshallah it'll all work out, fingers crossed ;)

Swapping

So...

Life has spoken, hasn't it? I didn't get into the Masters program at SOAS. Well, officially I'm still waiting for a decision on my application, but seeing how lectures start today, it's time to start packing. Swapping books, London weather and libraries against the sun and noise of le Caire. God, I can't wait! Strange, I should be more upset, and in a way I am but I can't help feeling torn.
Torn between the excitement of finally making it, getting closer to the city that has captivated my imagination for about half a decade and the sadness of leaving behind SOAS, at least for a year. SOAS, my university, the community of truly amazing and inspiring people, that come together in their desire to explore, to expand their knowledge and understanding of the world within and around, to grow as individuals and to simply celebrate the diversity that makes this place so remarkable. I think I'm homesick, and I haven't actually left...

"To God We belong, and to Him is our return" (2:156)