I am not Superwoman (gasp)

This has been a week of highs and really real lows. Long story short, I pretty much was fired/quit one of my internships on Monday because I've been slacking there since i've been picking up other people's AIESEC slack. Basically, I underestimated all the work I would have to add to my normal AIESEC 'job' this summer since members are out of town or busy this summer. Of course, I love all the stuff that i've been doing, but it just means that I've gone to my internship later and later this summer as AIESEC stuff has picked up. Therefore, I realized that I am indeed not (contrary to popular belief, I know) Superwoman.
Now for those of you that know me, that was one of the most shocking things for me to discover. I've always been able to do it all, no matter how many things I have on my plate. Well, apparently, I can't. Bottom line, I have never felt so shitty leaving an office knowing that I was unable to give 100%, but I had to explain that AIESEC is my first priority. Oh the things we do for AIESEC!
So after my first sob fest in like a year and after a lot of very patient and sweet encouragement from Hannah and Eric, I am now able to accept the fact that sometimes, you just gotta cut back and accept that sometimes life gives you more than you can handle.
I'm going home tomorrow (after driving to Chicago to figure out my visa) and I could NOT be any more excited for amazing Wendy (my mom) food, good family lovin' and seeing some of my favoritest girls, especially my Ghana bound Goddess. Ahh, the wonders and healing powers of home.

Dody is the coolest person alive

SOOO... the Dodester is effing awesome. If anyone has not been to his place, he has a great apt. in the perfectest place to be in Chicago. THANK YOU DODY FOR HOUSING ME AND HIND~!
So the weekend had it's ups and downs, but bottom line, I'm in love with Chicago. To all of you that have told me that it's like Boston, you are SO right! Newbury St (boston) = Rush St. (Chi). Crazyness.
Also crazyness, I was the total minority this weekend. First out to a lovely (ahem) dinner on friday night with 2 northwestern folks and some of their Salaam and Kraft trainees- awesome awesome people and for once, I was the ONLY American out of like 10 people! Amazing. And then we went out with some of the people ready to party and at the club it was a table with an Indian guy, a Romanian girl, 2 Polish guys, a Moroccan, a Chilean/Argentinian and then myself. We were IHOP: the International House of Partying.
And then another minority experience the next night. Dody, Hind and a few of her friends from Morocco who are living in Chicago (great guys if anyone wants to meet them) and I went to this great Spanish tapas bar. Well, Dody and I were the only ones drinking (a lovely 'summer' sangria') which is an experience that I am certainly not used to anymore!
All in all, quite interesting. But I have to thank Dody and the others who showed me and Hind SO MUCH hospitality. And another thank you to Dody for the awesome late late night conversations- always pleases.
Go to SSC (subliminal message)

SSC

Everyone in the US- sign up for SSC! This is jjridonkulous. This is like one of THE most important conferences due to the fact that we're changing all of the local and national structures and THIS IS WHERE TO LEARN ABOUT IT! SO, if you're reading this and you haven't registered (especially from my LC), DO IT!
Also, SO excited for Chicago this weekend and going out tonight with Crazy Katie Eighty.

Oops

Okay, so in my last essay (sorry for the length) I forgot to mention MY cultural experience last weekend. I wentto my first Wisconsin County Fair with Eric in La Crosse- right down the street from his house!
Now, I've been to carnivals with games and fried food and rides and stuff, but THIS was different! Insane- you have barns and barns full of different animals (i liked the pigs the best because they were friendly and sniffed/grunted at my hands and then the goats because they have cute little friendly faces) and there's TONS of good food and dairy products and rides and 4-H (if you don't know what that is, it's a club for kids and they make arts and crafts type stuff and such and it's also in Goodbye Earl which is a Dixie Chicks song) stuff.
Bottom line, I must have totally embarrassed Eric because I looked like a little kid in a candy store squealing at the animals and jumping up and down. I called my mom in a big excited frenzy and she said that she was embarrassed that she raised such a 'city girl'- she grew up on an avocado farm and had horses and such.
In any case, definitely an 'American' experience to be had. I wish I could've brought Hind.. there must be another County Fair coming up somewhere!

Chitown

Okay, so I'll be honest. I was NOT excited to go to Chicago this weekend- I feel like i have not had a single day to myself- to have an Ali day to get shit done (can anyone say CO3!). I gots bills, appts. to make, UHauls to rent and roommates to try to see for once. I AM NEVER HOME.
BUT, after a quick email sent out over the Salaam listserve, a million responses from that and a great convo/invitation from AK from Northwestern, I AM SO EXCITED! First off, I've never actually been to the Windy City- yes, I've been to the airport, but that doesn't quite cut it. Second off, now that things are coming together and Hind and I (maybe Katie V??) get to wine and dine (well, i'll do the wining) with a bunch of Salaam and Kraft trainees and some awesome NU AIESECers, well let's just say an 'Ali weekend' pales in comparison.
However, DODY needs to write me back so I know if we have a place to stay or not, if not, I'll figure out something- i always do. "Staring contest, you me, go... you win, you always do." MMMMGOULET.
Okay, little side note there.
In any case, if anyone wants to come to Chicago this weekend (ahem, Rowdy region), come because it'll be awesome. AK is even taking us to a halal friendly restaurant on Friday night- Hind will be VERY happy about that. Even Aqeel- the awesome awesome trainee from Saudi Arabia via UAE who I met in NYC who is just awesome and so polite and friendly and interesting (yes, he made quite a positive impression) who is staying/interning in Seattle, emailed me to tell me that he might be coming out to Chicago for the weekend of cultural fun.
So yes, although I was stressed before about being gone for the 800th weekend in a row (i have not been in Madison and out in Madison on a friday or saturday since May and next weekend I am going to Boston to visit my fam and friends before Jessie leaves for Ghana) I AM SO EXCITED TO GO TO CHICAGO NOW!
Maybe Dody will help me and Hind upload pics onto this damn thing- i'm effing awful with computers and technology in general if you don't already know that. I promise (Mikey and Kaitlin) to get some pics of some awesomeness up here. But in my defense, I use disposable cameras and Hind has all the good pics on her camera.. and Sara. Blame Sara. BUt she's in Egypt- damn her and everyone else in Egypt- i'm jealous.
Yes, I'm a little insane right now. At the Governor's office and still damp from running to the Capitol in the pouring rain this morning without an umbrella. I should get taht out of my car i suppose.

Fingers Crossed

Supreme Court nomination is in T-minues 9 minutes... my guess- it'll be Edith Clements to play it safe and no Democrats will really argue. Then, when Rehnquist retires, Bush'll ass-ram us with a SUPER conservative, abortion and human rights bashing nominee.
That's my premonition.
Everyone sign up for SSC- this is effing ridiculous,.

Scarves

SO Hind and I had a great convo on Saturday night after a lovely dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Kabul- which is Afghanistan food AND has halal lamb which was awesome. In any case, I was talking to Hind about boys and stuff- you know, typical girly talk. And we got to the issue of wearing the head scarf. She says that in the reason why she wears it (which was completely her choice) is because men are inherently weaker then women and therefore she covers her hair so they won't be tempted to do something sinful.
Now my question (i'm not positive of what I think) for everyone is do you think that men are actually inherently weaker to resisting temptation or not?
I'll be interested in responses!

House on the Effing Rock

Today, Hind and Adam (herofthelight) and i went to The House on the Rock- dreamed up by Alex Jordan and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is AWESOME! Crazy crazy ass shit. Rooms and rooms of dolls, doll houses, fake ships, instruments that play by themselves. Not to mention a GIANT whale being eaten by a squid and the world's largest carousel. It was the coolest place in the entire world. I want more trainees so i can go there again

Inspiration

I just love when others start to understand what AIESEC is trying to do and why I spend every waking moment thinking/doing AIESEC stuff- here's an email I just got from my dad that made me smile for a long time (and am excited for a free book!)

Dear Ali,

Glad to hear from Mom that you had a great time in NYC. I'm sure she also told you that our trip went well. Sorry that we sent the postcards to the wrong address.

I'm writing to tell you that you'll be receiving a book from me in the next day or so. It's called "The World Is Flat", by Tom Friedman. He's a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist from the NY Times, though that's not the reason I'm sending it. I know the last thing you want to do is read a serious book during the summer, but this one is worth a look because it is so connected with what you are doing.

At the broadest level, the book relates directly to your interest in international relations and international business. As you will see, developments in technology and the globalization of business are causing the world to come right at you. That's a good thing.

A little more narrowly, the trends that are described in the book seem as if they could have a direct relevance to what AIESEC does.

And even more specifically than that, India gets a lot of prominence in the book as a country that is faring very well in the new economic order. These insights will provide near everyone with some new or additional perspective in preparation for your upcoming trip there.

I hope you might find that some or all of the above is useful. Talk with you soon.

Love, Dad

Finally

Alright alright. After being absent from the blog for awhile, i'm back. But this time i have a good excuse- a wonderful week in NYC with good friends. CO3 meetings took up the first 3 days, although Scott still managed to get me wasted with tequila shots at Tortilla Flats and CBGB's. Then the lovely lovely boat cruise to send off Rickesh and wish him a happy bday (tear). Sad to see him go for sure, but it's about time some of those old schoolers got out and made way for the new generation of AIESECers- JOKE! I'll miss him as I know others will- Rickesh has been an inspiration to me and a wonderful leader. And he's a very amusing drunk- oh those eyes!
Then Eric came out for his first time in NYC- and that was just an amazing time. Good food, good drinks, blues music, hanging out with an AWESOME Salaam trainee from Saudi Arabia via DUbai named Aqeel- most polite and thoughtful person. Did the touristy stuff and got to hang out with some of my favoritest people and see my best friend from Boston which couldn't have made me happier.
All in all, it was an amazing time- exhausting, but amazing. All i've wanted to do since i've been back is sleep sleep sleep- but instead, it's been work work work. Hind gets here in Madison tonight for the weekend which should be a good time. A big art festival on the Square on Saturday and we'll do a tour of the Capitol which is beautiful. By the way, i've had an awesome summer in Madison, but i sure do miss my Boston girls- especially since Jessie will be in Ghana next summer and I won't be able to see her until Christmas- crazy. If there are any AIESECers going to Ghana, you should let me know because Jessie is one awesome girl and i'd be happy to get y'all in contact.
Okay, well that's enough- peace, love and happiness to everyone!