More Jesuits

Managed to wander around a bit more, much to the neglect of my studying--eventually made my way back to the Jesuit Center for the French High Mass and feeling even more out of place than the Sudanese. Realized somewhere in the midst of it all that I knew enough Latin and Spanish to glean that the Gospel reading was the story of the Prodigal Son-- and it still managed to make me cry, as it always does.

Afterwards, chatted with the priests-- Frs. Carty and Francis (a Dutch priest that speaks some English, but we generally spoke in Arabic as our common language). I was amazed, in fact-- the two were quite welcoming and gt all giddy and schoolboyish when I asked about Arabic translations of the Bible and theological works (Francis seemed particularly pleased that I wanted to read the Bible in Arabic). Seems like a good way to develop my Arabic-- there's a theological library in the Center and considering I love reading that in English (though, admittedly, it's going to be a challenge)...I'm headed back today to browse around and hear the Arabic Mass. Feel pretty good about the whole thing, in fact.

Managed to make spaghetti and meat sauce-- quite creatively, I might add, considering that there was neither tomato sauce or tomato juice available. It was a most welcome Western meal.

Thinking Cairo this weekend, but not certain. We managed to convince Nehad to give us two four-day weekends, one of which is going to be my epic trek to Mt. Sinai and hopefully starry-nighted meditative amazingness. Might make another run to the West, but thinking that the Language of the Universe is telling me otherwise from the past weekend's events. More on that later-- especially considering the sudden almost-comprehension of French (which is REALLY freaking me out).