Arabian Nights

Me with my Riqq (tambourine) 🙂

Every day, I wake up with Arabian drumming patterns stuck in my head.  Not because I have Aladdin DVRed on my TV and saved for all of eternity (though I do), but because Global Drumming Traditions happens to be a part of my crazy, full schedule this semester.  In this past month, I have learned enough combinations of dum and tac, the different sounds on the drum, to drive my roommates up the wall. They even asked me to practice in my car a few times.  But nonetheless, I feel lucky to have the opportunity to broaden my horizons in this way. Because I am a social work major, I don’t get around to the music building very often and for someone who can’t clap and sing at the same time, college music courses do not sit well with me.  But I stepped out of my comfort zone for a bit to take this class on rhythm.  Who knows, maybe by the end of the semester, I will be able to clap along to a song!  I also find it fascinating to learn about the culture of the Middle Eastern nations where this music comes from.  Middle Eastern nations, especially now, are portrayed as ruin, as fighting, as war, as hatred.  But in taking this course, I have been encouraged to research what else goes on in these countries, and there is oh, so very much.  From food, to music, to customs, I am learning so much about Iraq, Syria, and other Middle Eastern countries.

In addition to Global Drumming Traditions, I am taking Organization and Community Practice, Spanish, Field Seminar, and my 16 hour/week field placement at Family and Children’s Services.   Things get a little crazy and I am usually going, going, going from 6:30am until 7pm (that also includes working, not all classes).  I love scheduling classes because I feel like I have the opportunity to try whatever I can fit into my schedule.  Eventually I ended up with these core classes, though I also tried out Legal Forensics, Changing the World, and a few others.  These classes unfortunately did not end up working out with my schedule, but when you have a clean and open slate, the opportunities for classes seem endless!