Sometimes, you have to give up the things you like to make way for other things that you might detest but really have to get through.
In my case, in the past few weeks, I had to give up blogging to work on a health technology assessment project for my Health Economics class that I absolutely and beyond words hated and just counted down the hours till the deadline was met.
Thankfully, it’s beyond me now.
I’ve heard this a million times before, I’m sure you have too: but being a graduate student is hard.
Being a graduate student in a country where you don’t speak the language and many of the professors have limited knowledge of English or really bad accents, as well as living on your own for the very first time, can really suck the fun out of the most fun-loving girl (ie, me).
Which is why I haven’t been showering you with my insights and adventures like I set out to.
But I’m back- or at least I hope so.
For the past week, I’ve tried to bring myself to open WordPress and pour out my heart’s contents on this blog that is slowly being used interchangeably with my introductions- and I’m very proud of that, considering that Beyond Beirut was started just because I cannot simply repeat all my adventures to everyone I love and care for around the world on Skype.
But getting myself committed to it again has been just too difficult.
For once, where do I start? It’s been almost three weeks since I last published something and yet, my mind has not stopped generating ideas, even at times when I was feeling completely in the dumps, even at times when I was buried under a pile of readings (that I honestly remember nothing of now).
So I did what I know best: I made a list and stuck it above my desk so it could be the first thing I see whenever I decide to procrastinate.
A girl has got to have a sense of priorities of course. And again, there’s nothing better than the feeling of getting things done and crossing them off a list.
And I promise all you 10 faithful readers who have been nagging that I write again, that I won’t ever take another extended vacation like that.
Truth be told, apart from my Zumba classes (more about that later), Beyond Beirut is a stress-reliever.
You might be wondering what news I have from Beyond- or below if you want to be technical.
In short, things have been really good. I’ve been very blessed in terms of accommodation and flatmates, classes- though having their own ups and downs- are going okay, and life here in Maastricht has been easy and simple. And of course, I’ve been learning a lot about myself and the world, accomplishing just what I really wanted to do.
So here’s hoping I’ll be able to get everything written and done with so you can see what this is all about.
Until then, Eid Mubarak to all my lovelies. I wish you nothing but infinite blessings and happiness, while being surrounded by the people you love.
Beyond Beirut 