Campus

I am reasonably sure that I've never walked across campus--something I've done at least once each day since I arrived--without seeing a moped delivering food to a residence.  All full-time faculty must live on campus and about half the student body chooses to live in dorm and we all like to eat.  Fast-food chains (Hardee's, Burger King, Pizza Hut) deliver.  Many mom-and-pop joints deliver.  Good ethnic restaurants deliver.  Beirut was like this too--little mopeds weaving in and out of traffic, bringing burgers and fries, or hummus and falafel, right to your door.  The Palestinian and Afghani places I love in Sharjah City both deliver but I've never used the service before in part because I like the ambience of both and in part because the bus-walk combination seems like a much healthier way to access sustenance.  Maybe when the weather gets too hot, I'll change my philosophy.

Campus is getting a major, temporary facelift right now as student organizations prepare for Global Day, a misnomer, really, because the event stretches across two days of indoor performances and outdoor displays.  It's like a world's fair, or Epcot Center.  Student cultural groups are building (or having built) miniature structures all over the mall on the academic side of campus.  I'll take pictures this Thursday and Friday, when festivities commence.  I got a ticket for Friday's performance (dances, music, etc) but Thursday's was sold out by the time I got to the cashier.  The outdoor displays are free of course.  All the advertisements say this is the University's biggest event, and I believe it.  Most countries that are part of the Arab and/or Islamic worlds are represented (within the student body, and also at the events).  Looking forward.