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Last year, when I went to Damascus to study medieval arabic sources in teh French Institute of Damascus, I was also supposed to write my yearly thesis at history.
It is a long affair, I wanted to write a medieval work again, but was supposed to write a modern history, so I was postponing it and postponing until it was VERY late. Actually, You HAVE to register for writing it until march, and I registered somethere in june I think. I decided to write my work abotu Cairo in western descripitons. As usual, I got to the point I have too few sources, so I've read something like 11 sources, all but one in french, some in XVI-century french (it was very hard, needless to say). I went to Syria wanting to finish it. But it turned out hard. I've had enormous ammount of material. I worked and worked in really hard conditions (55 degrees, in my friends' apartament, where everyone were having fun, and everyone, including me, were usually drunk). Eventually I got to the point that grade 3 (in 2-5 scale) will be enough for me to pass, so I put all my horrible notes together and sent it. It was very messy, with lots of unimportant information, and lots of french grammatics structures transphered directly into polish language. Additionally, I've sent it through a friend, and she didn't have arabic fonts in her printer, so it got even more messy, with strange signs appearing all over it.
I got teh worst brush-off ever, but a very polite one. He eventually agreed to give me 3, but under condition I will correct this work. He told me not to hurry, that I may give it until the end of new semester or something.
For half a year, I was busy with my master's degree, and did nothing. I came to him the last possible end before the end of the semester, but he was gone, so again, I did nothing for some time. then I came and promessed to come to him in a week's time, then I came, and told him I will give it to him in two weeks. This date is today. I worked entire night, fixing this work. And this day as well. I missed several lessons I should have gone too. It still sucked.
I deleted many things, the work looks much tidier, but still it's somewhat badly crafted.
It goes like this:
1) Entry, in which I say that teh sources are interesting, but suck altogether, and that's why my work sucks.
2) Teh part about the population of the city, in which I say that all that is written in teh sources is rubbish.
3) Teh part about buildings in the city, in which I complain about teh sources, and describe
- teh usual habitats
- mosques (that they are described badly)
- hospitals
- Nilometer
- Mataria (don't tell me to explain)
4) Teh part in which I am talking about water, its different use and how it was transported to people drinking it, Also, other liquids are mentioned.
5) Teh food
6) Teh holidays and entertainments in teh city, such as
religious holidays, executions, and folk plays
7) Teh ending, in which I say that, after all, the itineraries are a good thing, because they show a complicated image of Cairo: that it's rich, and that there are many poor poeple there. That there's tolerance, and that there's intolerance. that the Turks protect trade, and that they are doing it fairly miserably etc.
Anyway, I came to mr profesor today, and he was as nice as usual, he even told me he can correct my grade, but I told him thanks, I do not need it. He is teh nicest of all profesors, always shakes hands and smiles.
That's why I hate to disappoint this guy again, and i think I will.
It is a long affair, I wanted to write a medieval work again, but was supposed to write a modern history, so I was postponing it and postponing until it was VERY late. Actually, You HAVE to register for writing it until march, and I registered somethere in june I think. I decided to write my work abotu Cairo in western descripitons. As usual, I got to the point I have too few sources, so I've read something like 11 sources, all but one in french, some in XVI-century french (it was very hard, needless to say). I went to Syria wanting to finish it. But it turned out hard. I've had enormous ammount of material. I worked and worked in really hard conditions (55 degrees, in my friends' apartament, where everyone were having fun, and everyone, including me, were usually drunk). Eventually I got to the point that grade 3 (in 2-5 scale) will be enough for me to pass, so I put all my horrible notes together and sent it. It was very messy, with lots of unimportant information, and lots of french grammatics structures transphered directly into polish language. Additionally, I've sent it through a friend, and she didn't have arabic fonts in her printer, so it got even more messy, with strange signs appearing all over it.
I got teh worst brush-off ever, but a very polite one. He eventually agreed to give me 3, but under condition I will correct this work. He told me not to hurry, that I may give it until the end of new semester or something.
For half a year, I was busy with my master's degree, and did nothing. I came to him the last possible end before the end of the semester, but he was gone, so again, I did nothing for some time. then I came and promessed to come to him in a week's time, then I came, and told him I will give it to him in two weeks. This date is today. I worked entire night, fixing this work. And this day as well. I missed several lessons I should have gone too. It still sucked.
I deleted many things, the work looks much tidier, but still it's somewhat badly crafted.
It goes like this:
1) Entry, in which I say that teh sources are interesting, but suck altogether, and that's why my work sucks.
2) Teh part about the population of the city, in which I say that all that is written in teh sources is rubbish.
3) Teh part about buildings in the city, in which I complain about teh sources, and describe
- teh usual habitats
- mosques (that they are described badly)
- hospitals
- Nilometer
- Mataria (don't tell me to explain)
4) Teh part in which I am talking about water, its different use and how it was transported to people drinking it, Also, other liquids are mentioned.
5) Teh food
6) Teh holidays and entertainments in teh city, such as
religious holidays, executions, and folk plays
7) Teh ending, in which I say that, after all, the itineraries are a good thing, because they show a complicated image of Cairo: that it's rich, and that there are many poor poeple there. That there's tolerance, and that there's intolerance. that the Turks protect trade, and that they are doing it fairly miserably etc.
Anyway, I came to mr profesor today, and he was as nice as usual, he even told me he can correct my grade, but I told him thanks, I do not need it. He is teh nicest of all profesors, always shakes hands and smiles.
That's why I hate to disappoint this guy again, and i think I will.
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