late thoughts

Just came back 20 minutes ago. From 5 am till 9 pm, I was celebrating the eid for 16 straight hours with a very nice group of Egyptians and half-British half-Egyptians, some only know Arabic, some only know English, some understand Arabic but talk in English, and to make it more culturally and linguistically interesting, there was one who is half-Algerian half-Italian who could also fake an Egyptian Arabic accent. I can't tell you how great it was or how tired I am. And this is only day 1 ;-) Actually it's the first day that matters.

p.s.
I got to listen for the first time to a sermon both in Arabic and in English. It was interesting that, in the English version, the sheikh was talking in 'normal' English throughout, then towards the end where he prays to God for forgiveness etc. he then says "for thou art the most gracious and the most bounteous". A dramatic 'formal' shift, isn't it?

Mai