In addition to wins like initiating increasingly deeper conversations and feeling more comfortable in Arabic, I placed Advanced-Low in an oral exam in July! This basically means I can speak conversationally about a range of topics at paragraph-length and am often catching my mistakes. The test was an encouraging way to quantify how far I’ve come in less than 2 years. While I still feel like there is a mountain of things I don’t know, it’s good to reflect on my accomplishments and perseverance. At this point in my journey, I’m learning more complex vocab and concepts, trying to listen to media on my own, and practicing talking about issues close to my heart like mental illness and personal values. I enjoy just chatting with friends the most, and I find my motivation to keep going in these conversations. As someone who's biggest fear was learning a new language, I'm so proud of myself and grateful for where the Lord has brought me and what he's allowed me to learn.