And So It Begins..

Well, not technically. I'm in DC, currently hanging out in my gorgeous hotel room with some of the girls who will accompany me to Oman. There are seven of us, none of which have any formal Arabic training besides a collection of YouTube videos and google searches that taught us how to read and write.
For those of you wondering what would bring us group of girls to the Middle East, the answer is a wonderful program called NSLI-Y. More formally the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, the State Department sponsored program sends 650 American students abroad every year for either summer or year-long programs to learn languages that aren't normally taught in schools. Although they offer Tajik, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin, Korean, and Turkish as well, I chose Arabic, and was placed in Oman (Morocco and Jordan also host students). If you're a high school student who is a citizen of the United States, you can apply for the 2015 program! If you get accepted, the entirety of the trip (flights, room, board, the whole deal) is paid for, and since 650 students are accepted, it's definitely worth the application.
As of the moment, the seven of us are in DC for the pre-departure orientation. There will be another orientation in Oman, but we first have to be aware of the laws and customs so as not to get arrested on the first day (Fun Fact: It's against the law to disrespect people. Flipping someone off is means of deportation). While we're here, we'll get an introduction to Omani culture at the Sultan Qaboos Learning Center, suggestions to maximize our Arabic study, an introduction to Islam, a visit to the Omani Embassy, and a visit from State Department Representatives.
I can't believe it's all happening! We just got our textbooks, everyone I've met is amazing, and I'm so excited for this summer. If you have any questions about Omani culture, NSLI-Y, the Arabic language, or for some reason would find my input valuable, feel free to email me at swhipple98@gmail.com.