Home, Sweet Home

---

Well, I'm back home for Christmas. And considering a few weeks ago I couldn't wait to leave Syria - I'm now pining to go back. Damascus and Syria might have their faults but I already miss the friendliness of the people there (taxi drivers excluded), the bustling markets and the almost constant sunshine.

I could tell I was back home when at Heathrow Airport, I was left waiting for my luggage for over an hour after I had landed. As normal the UK had a special way of welcoming people!

Its been a while since I last updated the blog and to be honest its partly laziness and partly being rushed off my feet with University finishing for the term and the multitude of parties that were a result of lots of people leaving Damascus. When I first headed out to Syria I thought I would be in for an alcohol free few months but it turns out Christmas is going to be a kind of detox for me after the excesses of the last few weeks.

But please don't get me wrong - there has been much studying done by yours truly. The 2nd levelat the University was definitely a step up in difficulty but I think I coped ok and got 98% for the end of term result so i'm happy. It means I get to go through to level 3, after which I am no longer considered a beginner in Arabic which is always good to know.

One thing I've found in Syria is that you get to meet people you wouldn't ordinarily do in the UK or America. For instance,last week I was off to a club with some German, French,Russian and Yemeni students,when I randomly met a German guy who was in Damascus on holiday and wanted to know where to go for a drink or 2 in the Old City. I invited him along with us and then met up with himthe next evening for dinner. Turns out he works for Medecin Sans Frontieres (an aid agency) in Darfur, Sudan and has worked in the Congo and Iraq before. We ended up having a really good, deep conversation over a bevy of beers about his career and my future plans and it really helped totalk to a guy who had been there, done that and really knew what he was talking about.

I'm back in the UK until the 3rd January and then I'm back in Syria until, money permitting, August 2009.

I've been thinking about doing a Postgraduate Course a lot over the last few weeks and have now decided to apply to do a Masters at the University in my hometown of Reading in their International Studies Department, with a particular focus on politics in the Middle East. It does mean another year of not having a proper career and no money but hopefully it will be worth it.

Apart from that,there is not much to report. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Fantastic New Year and will hopefully speak to you soon.

Dom x

---