I'm not an Arab. Stop shooting.

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. This is mainly because of the classes that I've had to attend lately. By the time I get back home, my brain won't be functioning normally so I'll be in a zombie-like state most of the time. But it's Saturday today. Yahoo!

I don't understand why people would come to Russia to study. I really don't. But they do keep coming despite vast media coverage of racist attacks in Russia. A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting another idiot like that. A 28 year old dude from Syria by the name of Rami. I was introduced to him by another friend from the Student Council because he had no idea what to do with him.

Now Rami doesn't speak Russian at all and speaks only a bit of English. I find it frustrating trying to communicate with him because I feel like I'm talking to a child with all sorts of hand gestures flying around. People around me on the other hand, find it amusing. I don't blame them because I would be laughing too if I was not on the receiving end.

So as Rami and I try our best to communicate, I picked up a few words in Arabic that might help smoothen the flow. As fate would have it, Rami lives on the same floor as I do. He comes every now and then for help and I seriously don't mind. But there's fine line between being someone of need and being someone who's annoying.

Maybe it's frustrating because we don't communicate that well? Or maybe it's just because he comes at the most inappropriate times. For example, I was having a very late lunch. I was so hungry that I could have eaten a horse and a cow. Well, maybe not a cow but you get the idea. He comes in asking me to translate a few forms, insisting that it'll only take a few minutes. Tired and pissed off, instead of telling him sternly that I have to eat first, I help him out with a smile on my face.

Or maybe it's just because I look like an Arab myself? Because the first time he saw me, he started talking gibberish and only moments later did I realize that it was Arabic ( I'm not ignorant, I was just half awake at that time ). Or maybe he's just trying to recruit me into Al-Qaeda for looking like an Arab? I don't find the image of me with a turban and shouting 'Death to America!' to be appealing. I'm not being racist over here. I get more shit from racism that you can imagine.

So my Arab Brother has yet to do anything that would be the last straw that breaks the camels back. But he did introduce me to a bunch of Iraqis a couple of days back. Gulp. Something tells me I should just forget about French and pick up Arabic instead.