October 23, 2005

Can't Sleep

i have a latin midterm tomorrow, and i was studying all day, and now i have latin phrases running through my head to the point that they're annoying me for (1) they're being repeated in my head and i can't stop myself from thinking about them (what if i'm missing something?) and (2) they are so ridiculously useless: for example- ascendimus collem ut videamus templum- we are climbing the hill to see the temple; now what is the likelyhood that while climbing a hill to see a temple i feel the urge to say to my companion, climbing the hill with me, "we are climbing the hill to see the temple"? as if my companion has forgotten midway through the journey, up this hill upon which the temple sits, the reason for our toilsome ascension up the hill.
at least if i took french i could go to france and find the main shopping districts with a bit of ease. or if i took spanish i could go to spain and endulge in the architecture, romance and life that drifts through the streets and corridors of a city still ancient. or if i took hindi, i could navigate myself through india and experience the juxtapostion of the below freezing Himalayas and the passion-filled tropical climates of Madurai. and if i had taken any other language besides latin, i could have gone anywhere in the world and felt as an insider as i walked through the morning market hearing the business of the day, i could learn to say "how do i get to..." and "where is..." without seeing the ridicule on the face of the one i ask as i try to piece together words to find my way home. and i could enjoy where i am and feel i belong and am connected to everyone around me in a small but important way.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

hehe i'm just imagining you saying random latin words out loud..lol

5:18 p.m.  

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