Sand to Salt

I boarded the bus to Northern Badia last Thursday and precisely 5 days, 50 cups of tea, 14 sheep, 11 goats, 9 siblings, 4 kilometers from the Syrian border, and 0 showers later.... I returned to civilization.

You may think, hmmm, Badia, never heard of that before, sounds fancy. Well, I'm here to tell you... it's not. The Badia is essentially just another word for desert. It's very flat, very desolate, and very sandy. Comprised of lots of little towns or villages, Bedouin life is very...simple. To put it in "American" terms, the Badia is kind of like a mixture of the Midwest and Amish people. That being said, let me explain how I ended up out there for five days.

In an effort to experience the "true" Jordan (aka the rest of the country outside of modernized Amman), the program I study through tasks its students each semester to venture out into the desert to live with a family in the Badia, a place that is in stark contrast to life in the states. The Badia is very, very traditional - some Bedouins live in tents, others in homes; Some rely strictly on their sheep, goats, or chickens for food, others go to the grocery store; Some homes have plumbing, some... do not.

I won't lie...I was terrified. I tried to remain pretty optimistic about it, but the possibility of living in a tent with scorpions and having to eat the intestines of a goat gave me nightmares. But, I wasn't about to back out of the experience, and I was ready to put myself to the test. I mean, I grew up in West Virginia, I've done the whole out-house thing, I should be able to do anything. So, about a week ago, I packed up some clothes, took a long shower and wheeled my little suitcase to the bus station to adventure into the unknown.

On the bus ride up north, I quickly discovered how different Jordan looks like outside of Amman. No more Mercedes rolling around the streets or people in Western clothes. Lots of camels and lots of long Joseph & the technicolored coat-esque clothing. If you've ever seen Star Wars and remember what Luke Skywalker's home planet looks like, I swear it looks exactly like that (nerd alert, nerd alert).





But finally, about an hour or so later, in the middle of no where, the bus dropped me off (to my relief) at a big house where I was greeted by my host mom and 3 youngest siblings. My host mom spoke zero English, so for a good hour or so I tried to communicate with her via Arabic before giving up. I've gotten much better with my Arabic since being here, but they use a very different dialect in the Badia so it was very hard to understand what she was saying - most of the time I just smiled, shook my head, and hoped for the best.



After a couple hours of hand motions and broken Arabic the rest of my siblings came home from school along with my host dad. The kids in the house kept multiplying by the minute and it was hard to keep track of who lived there and who didn't, but after a while of counting I finally determined that I had nine, yes nine, younger siblings all under the age of 16. I've always wanted to know what it was like to live in a big family, so I was actually pretty excited about that. I had 5 brothers and 4 sisters, the youngest of which was 9 months.


Host mom and two younger sisters :)


Host Dad!


Youngest sister

Somewhere along the way, I also managed to get a tour of my new pad for the weekend. Like I said, it was a very big house, much bigger than I had imagined but it was certainly not like any house I had ever been in before. The Bedouins, being as simple and humble as they are, don't really believe in furniture and by that I mean they don't have any. They prefer to eat, sleep, play and socialize on the floor. And they don't really wear shoes. In fact, as a sign of respect, before entering a room you take off your shoes. Most of the time, I just didn't wear any. I'm not sure why smelly feet is considered a more respectable way of life, but hey, who am I to judge.

The house had 3 stories:
First floor was comprised of a large sitting room for guests, as well as a smaller sitting room with a couple pieces of furniture - the only furniture in the whole house. It also had a computer! Even humble Bedouins need their Facebook fix from time to time, who doesn't?





Second floor was where I was most of the time. It had 3 large rooms as well as a kitchen. The larger of the 3 rooms had a TV and is where I sat most of the time; Its also where I slept. The rooms are lined with these thin mats which double as a place to sit and sleep - beds are very out of the norm in the Badia. Remember, they live in simplicity...extreme simplicity.


Big room - I sat/slept on those little mats along the walls



Third floor I never went up to because its the roof....and its where the men of the family slept. Typically in the Badia, the men of the family sleep outside. I'm not entirely sure why, but it doesn't seem like a terrible way to sleep I guess. The night sky was beautiful and its cool at night, so it can't too bad, right?

The best part however, was the backyard which was inhabited by a herd of sheep, goats, and chickens. My very own farm!



After getting acquainted with the house and the family, I pretty much just hung out...for five days. I didn't have a set schedule, so I just went with the flow of things every day. My purpose of being there was simply to observe and experience a different kind of life, so I was happy to go with the flow. In an effort not to bore you all to death, I'll just hit on some of the highlights of the trip - the memorable stuff.

I quickly found out that living in a house of nine kids is crazy. Someone is always crying, someone is always running around making a mess, and someone is always beating the shit out someone else (pardon my French). It was really comical to see that sibling dynamics stay the same no matter where you are...and that I'm not the only one who beat up on my younger sibling (sorry Adam).

The food was DELICIOUS! We ate lots of chicken, rice, and vegetables. Plus, my host mom made the bread fresh every day, so I always had warm bread with each meal. I finally had Jordan's most traditional dish - Mansaf - which is a dish filled with rice, lamb, and almonds. It was great - my host mom was an excellent cook.

One of the days I was there my host dad, Abu Mortez (Abu means Dad and Mortez is the name of the first born son - the mom and dad take their first born son's name, so its Umm Mortez - Mom - and Abu Mortez - Dad. Crazy, huh?) took me to the Badia Ecological Center where he works. From what I gathered, my host Dad is a pretty big deal in our village. He is involved in all kinds of different ecological things and works with a USAID funded project part of the time, which is really neat. The Ecological Center was basically the Badia version of a zoo, where they displayed the kinds of animals that run around in the area. They had your standard snakes, lizards, and desert rodents, and they also had a HYENA! I didn't even realize that hyenas lived in the country! I just always imagined them in Africa, like in the Lion King.



Another day, Abu Mortez drove me out to the nearby mountain in the evening to watch the sunset. We climbed to the top, which had sweeping views of my village and the surrounding area. Coolest of all though, we saw Syria out in the distance. The Syrian border was just a couple kilometers away from the village but we, of course, stayed clear of that area. Amidst all the unrest there, Syrians have been shooting at random people near the border so we were strictly told to stay away.


Host family looking out over Syria


Little brother Osama looking out at the view


Yep, that's me.

Other than a few other things here and there, I mostly just hung out with the family, read, and worked on some homework while I was in the Badia. Of everything I observed, however, one somewhat shocking theme stood out in my mind...gender roles. It was both shocking and frustrating to witness the differences in gender roles in the Badia. Not only that, but I got a rude awakening in domestication. The men of the family literally did nothing. Umm Mortez (host mom) did all the cooking and my oldest host sister Asra, age 14, and I did all the cleaning. After every meal Asra and I picked up everyone's dirty dishes and cleaned the entire kitchen top to bottom. It wasn't the chores that bothered me, it was having to watch my 14 year old host sister clean up all her brothers dishes, dirt, and crumbs that frustrated me. Maybe its the independent woman in me or maybe its having grown up in the U.S. where differences in gender roles aren't as prevalent, but it was very shocking to see how much women do and how little men do. These frustrations stem from my time in Amman as well, especially in regards to the hijaab. I just have a difficult time reconciling with the notion that women wear the hijaab because a man has essentially said they should. There may be ignorance to that statement, but I just can't imagine wearing certain things or acting a certain way out of fear of male intentions. It has been a notion that I have struggled to understand since I've been in Jordan, and is something I hope to come to better terms with in the future.

But anyways... as much as I enjoyed my time in the Badia, I was very much ready to head back to Amman and shower by time Monday came. It was a wonderful experience that very few can say they took part in, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to live with such a kind family. I learned a lot about the culture and gained some new perspectives about my own life. All in all, as strange and somewhat challenging as it was, I loved the experience and was happy I took part in it.

As quickly as I returned to Amman, I left again. The day after returning to the Badia I packed up and headed out to see the city Madaba, Mount Nebo, and the Dead Sea.

I went to Madaba first, which is a town about 45 minutes outside of Amman. Madaba is home to a Greek Orthodox church that has the oldest map of the Holy Land in the world...in the form of a mosaic on the floor of the church. The church, which was built around 500 AD was beautiful - it had lots of beautiful mosaic pictures on the walls, too. It's a very important place for Christians and is visited by thousands yearly - even the Pope!






There in the center is Jerusalem and above it is the Sea of Galilee







After Madaba, we drove a little farther to Mount Nebo, yet another Christian pilgrimage site, which is the mountain traditionally believed where Moses saw the Promised Land. If you're familiar with the story, God told Moses he would never enter the Promised Land because he worshiped false idols at Mount Sinai where he received the 10 commandments. So, after 40 years in the desert, Moses climbed his old bones up Mount Nebo to merely get a glance of the land flowing with milk and honey.

I climbed that same mountain, and well, promising isn't exactly the word I would use. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a beautiful view but it was just very...desert-ey. Which should really come as no surprise, I just always imagined the view of the Promised Land to be rich and colorful and not so bland. No offense to Moses...or God, of course. Either way, it was a great view. You could see the Dead Sea and it was cool to say that I was on the same mountain that Moses climbed up long ago.








To end the day, we made the long-anticipated trip to the lowest place on earth... the Dead Sea. I floated in the salty water and laid by the pool all afternoon, which was very relaxing after the very long weekend. Only being able to float in the water was very surreal. You literally cannot swim because the water is so salty. I've never been much of a ocean swimmer, so being able to mindlessly float in the water was perfect. No worries of a shark eating you or of the waves taking you too far out - all you have to do is lay back and float. It was great. The only downer was, well, all the salt. If you hate getting a mouthful of ocean water then you will absolutely hate Dead Sea water. The tiniest bit of water that gets in your eye is enough to drive you out...or at least that's what happened with me. Either way, it was a very relaxing way to end the week.










Covering ourselves in Dead Sea mud - its rich in minerals and is supposed to be great for your skin!


Now drying the mud..


Sunset over Israel

Alright, I think I've blabbed on enough for one post. Hope I didn't bore you all to death! Leaving for Egypt in 12 days!! Absolutely can't wait.

Hope all is well at home!
xx
Ali

I got married! ...Sorta

Yes, yes the rumors are true... I got married. And by that I mean, kinda, sorta, not really. Let me explain.

Last weekend a bunch of students and myself took a day trip up to the city of Salt. If you're thinking 'I wonder if there's a city of Pepper' then you're too late...and you're not funny, because that's one of the lamest jokes I've ever heard. I know, because I said it and everyone laughed at me. But that's not important.

So, we traveled as a group up to Salt, which is a smaller version of Amman just 30 minutes outside the city. Interestingly, Salt was once the perceived soon-to-be capitol of Jordan, and up until the 1920s it was the only town of real importance in Jordan. It was a huge center for trade during the Ottoman empire days because its location is in the dead center to Damascus, Jerusalem and Cairo. So it has some awesome history, plus it was nice to get out of Amman for a day to explore.

We started the day doing the typical touristey stuff - we got Turkish coffees at the oldest cafe in Jordan, we went to a couple archeology museums, we went to the oldest school in Jordan, etc etc.





Fancy



First, we went to see this really, really cool old church. Being the born and raised, Catholic school girl that I am, I was psyched to be in a religious place where I actually knew what things were and was able to use my Catholic knowledge to impress people as opposed to what I usually am: strange, white, blonde, American girl wandering around the streets of Amman. Even better though, this church had some really awesome history. Plus, it was really cool to be in a church in the land where, well, Jesus and Catholocism essentially came from.

The little old man there explained that it is believed Saint George visited the church (which was build over a thousand years ago) and appeared to a blind woman while she was praying... and gave her sight! They also believe St. George left his footprint on the ground of the church (as seen below)









It was very cool to be there, and I loved being in a place that felt somewhat like home. Cheesy or not, it was nice to sit in the pews and see the altar.

After the church we headed to lunch, where I got married..... sorta.

Brief back story: Earlier that morning at one of the two archeological museums, we learned about the traditional weddings that take place in Salt. I forgot to mention earlier that Salt is a very traditional town. Amman is about a hundred times more modern than Salt is and the people of Salt love their traditions. So, they taught us a thing or two about the weddings there by showing us a video about all the ridiculous clothing they wear to get married. The men wear a typical black robe (or thobe as they call it here) and a scarf on their head but women... they're outfit isn't as easy. They wear this big cloak thing that looks like something the dementors from Harry Potter wear. I mean, its huge. But somehow, they wrap it around just right so its not as big and instead, it weighs about 20 pounds and is heavier than a winter jacket. I would know, because I wore one.

Alright, so we're at lunch, I was munching away on some falafal and Pepsi when they start asking for volunteers. I wasn't really paying any attention because I was enjoying my lunch too much, but I thought, hmmm, sure, I'll volunteer myself, that seems like a good idea. Wrong.

They lead me up to this room with 4 other students and they tell us we're about to put on the wedding robes we saw in the video earlier and we're having a pretend wedding. That's when I knew that I would never, ever volunteer for anything again.

All of a sudden this woman is dressing me in this ridiculous black robe, covering me with jewelry, and wrapping this thing around my head. The next thing I know....I'm an Arab woman. Every inch of my body was concealed but my face and I was sweating profusely under the weight of the carpet like material I was wearing.



THAT is what I wore





The wedding party - yes, that's me at the bottom with the red thing around my head


So they led me downstairs followed by my entourage of 'bridesmaids' and my husband Alec and I circled around the room, I was forced to dance around a bit (embarrassing), and then we went back up, they took the robe thing off and... BAM! There was my wedding day. Romantic, I know.

But in all seriousness, while it was very hot and constricting in that robe, it was a pretty cool experience to wear the traditional outfit of a Salt bride. Plus, it made for some pretty funny photos.

After my wedding day, we saw a couple other places and then headed back. But, even better than my wedding... we stopped on our way back to Amman to watch the sunset over the Jordan Valley. Unbelievable. By far the coolest thing I've seen thus far in my trip. We literally sat on this Lion King-esque rock and watched the sun set over the Jordan Valley and near the West Bank. The first of many sunsets to come, I hope!









I head out into the desert near the Syrian border to live in a village full of Bedouins for 5 days tomorrow morning. Things I will not have access to: technology, plumbing, clean water, showering, English. Things I will have access to: scorpions, hyenas, Syria.

Things could get dicey. Say a prayer I come back alive. And if I do...get ready for some entertaining stories.

Can't. Stop. Sweating.

If I could describe Amman in precisely 3 words right now, it would be just that: Can't. Stop. Sweating. (With special emphasis on the pauses...creates a more dramatic effect)

I don't know if its gotten hotter since I've arrived, or if my body has finally realized where it is and gone into panic mode, but it's hot. HOT. The thing is, I think the weather could be bearable, but the whole 'no shorts or bare shoulders allowed, sitting in a classroom all day with no air conditioning, but oh wait, lets just use these pre-historic electric fans to move the hot air around' gig is really starting to take a toll. My persperation levels must be skyrocketing.

It should cool down soon, so I'm certainly looking forward to that day. But, other than the whole sweating all day and night situation, things have been going great over here!

While my home stay family has been my biggest challenge thus far, I have started to become more comfortable as part of the family. Being thrusted into someone's home and becoming apart of their family can still be a bit awkward, but I'm coping with the hurdles.

One hurdle, however, I am not ready nor will I ever be able to cope with are bugs.

I don't deal well with bugs. Ladybugs? Gross. Butterflies? No thanks. Other disgusting creepy crawlers... no no no and, no. But, to my pleasant surprise, my first 2 weeks in Jordan were bug free! The occasional fly here and there, but that was about it. I was on the verge of celebration, when one night last week all my hopes and dreams were eternally squashed. Yes, I came face to face with evil itself.....a cockroach. You may roll your eyes and gawk at my wimpy-ness, but this was no ordinary cockroach. I'm convinced it made its way to Jordan straight from the African jungles where it had mutated into a killing machine. Either way, it found me. Of course, I was home alone when it happened so, I was forced to face the demon myself. I lived to tell the tale, and here it is:

It was late one night last week, just as I was about to go to sleep when I opened the bedroom door to turn off the light. That's when I saw it. He was just moseying down the hallway like he owned the place, making his way to the bathroom. I figured it'd find a home in there far away from me, but of course like me, he got scared of the bidet and decided to take cover in my room. Since no one else was home and I was clearly not going to fall asleep knowing it was creeping around, I was forced to hunt him down, but it wasn't easy. I chased him around for a while, trying to trap him, but he was fast. I lost him at some point and thought all was lost until I saw him try to make a quick escape from out of the closet. I knew it was my only chance so I bit my lip and went in for the kill. Luckily, my host sister's shoe was nearby so I squashed him several times to ensure his death.

It was horrible, as you can imagine. And below is proof of his existence. Try not to shriek at its horror.



I hope it will be the last encounter, but I have a feeling he has siblings who will seek revenge. Lets just hope they go into someone else's room next time.

But anyways...

Apart from the bug, the upside of family life is without a doubt, the food. Lots and lots and lots of good food. Jordanian family life revolves around meals. To paint you a little picture, here is the break down of typical Jordanian meals:

Breakfast: You won't catch people munching down breakfast bars, yet alone doughnuts in Amman. And while it varies in each family, breakfast usually consists of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and breads. The real treat, however, is the Turkish coffee. To put it simply: it is the bomb.com. Although, if you think it tastes anything like coffee in the states then you guessed wrong. In fact, it tastes absolutely nothing like any coffee I've ever had. Its a thick black strong coffee that's served in a wee small cup and served at nearly every hour of the day - a Middle Eastern staple if you will. It's delicious, but if coffee isn't your thing, the tea here is just as tastey and served all day, every day.

Lunch: Usually considered the biggest meal of the day, but since I am at school all day, I usually pop into the little market nearby or, if I'm feeling adventurous, I walk a ways up the street to my personal favorite........ McDonalds. I've gotta say, I've always heard people talk about how McDonalds tastes different overseas and how it isn't as good, but I have found all these things to be lies. It is just as delicious, just as fattening, and just as well worth the calories as I remember in the states. Lunch usually involves another Turkish coffee or tea of some sort to keep the momentum going, which you can conveniently purchase at McDonalds as well.

Dinner: I believe the word 'feast' is more appropriate. Imagine the scenes from Harry Potter where every food item known to man appears on the tables and everyone is fighting for a share...its like that. A lot of chicken, lamb, rice, pita, vegetables, fruit, more pita, hummus, etc etc etc. It varies in each family, but we pretty much have a mixture of that every dinner. The food isn't as spicy as I would have imagined, but its still very good. Dinner is usually topped off with.. you guessed it, Turkish coffee or some flavored Argeela (or hookah, as they call it in the US), which is hugely popular here.



And for snacks: You can never go wrong with some falafal. It never fails and its sold everywhere. Plus, if the Middle East had a sponsor, it'd be Pepsi, which you can find anywhere and everywhere for about 30 cents.



So, in summary: food is good.

Moving on.

Did some pretty neat stuff this past week. The Jordanian soccer team played China in the playoffs for the World Cup here in Amman, and they won! And man, did the city get wild. I think it was an upset, seeing as China has like 10 gazillion people and the Jordanian soccer players can barely run because they smoke cigarettes all day, but either way, people got crazy. My host brother drove me around the city after the game to see all the celebrations. People literally filled the streets, they were honking their horns, and waving the Jordanian flag out of their cars. It was very cool to see the huge amount of Jordanian national pride. Its always interesting to me how sports are capable of bringing so many diverse people together. It was a very fun experience, and I'm already gearing up for the next big game in October!

We also managed to do some more exploring in the city this past weekend. A couple of us explored some of the famous Amman souks (markets) downtown, which is always a fun way to spend the day. Downtown has all kinds of different souks. Some have knick knacks of all sorts - anything from hair scrunchies to watches - and some have art pieces and jewelry. We haggled with some locals and picked up some cool things.

It's always a fun time wandering around downtown. It is Middle Eastern in every sense. People fill the streets selling fresh produce, assortments of nuts, and some parts even sell clothes! Its crazy. But it definitely has the most Middle Eastern vibe of any part of the city I've been to thus far.

After a bit of exploring we finally made our way up to the Citadel - which essentially is a hill filled with all kinds of ruins from different centuries. It has Roman ruins from the Temple of Hercules; Byzintine basilica ruins; and mosque/palace ruins from the Umayyad period. Very cool to see three entirely separate centuries of ruins all on the same hill, yet alone the same area. We took lots of pictures and had great views of the city. Some of which, I shared below.

Other than that, just been doing the whole school thing. We're taking a day trip to Salt this weekend and then spending 4 days in the Badia region next week (the rural area of Jordan) followed by the long awaited trip to the Dead Sea! Lots of fun things to come in the next couple weeks.

On a last note: 9/11. I don't think I could have ever imagined a decade ago that I would be in the Middle East during the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. I still remember where I was and what I was doing on that day in 2001.

It was nice to be able to share my experiences with my peers about 9/11 and growing up in the 10 years after. The staff was very kind as to share their thoughts, perspectives, and memories on that day as well. What really put things into perspective for me, however, was realizing that I am currently living in a region that was arguably affected just as much, if not more, by the events of and after 9/11, than the United States itself. Of course, I in no way mean that in disrespect to those who lost their lives and were affected by that tragic day as well as the war after, but I must admit, being in a region where US influence is both desired and despised, brings a whole new amount of perspective on the past 10 years.

Just some food for thought. Either way, I was happy that the day went smoothly both over here and in the US, and I continue to send my thoughts and prayers to all of those affected around the world by that day, and by terrorism as a whole.

Thinking of you all!
xx







Roman ruins - Temple of Hercules (or whats left of it)



Umayyad palace on the left, Byzintine palace ruins on the right - both built in entirely different centuries



More of Byzintine palace ruins

The Joys (& Woes) of Having a Home

Oh boy. I don’t even know where to begin.

Well, first and foremost, I finally have the internet. Usually 3 days without connection to the outside world doesn’t bother me, but being in a foreign country and being disconnected from the outside world can be quite alarming. But alas, I somehow managed to find the most American café in Amman and thus, free WiFi connection.

Alright. Let’s recap the past couple days, shall we. They have been full of all sorts of entertainment.

To start, I must say I am still in unbelievable awe of this beautiful yet mysterious city – a feeling I do not think will ever fade. Hearing the call to prayer fill the streets of Amman each morning, afternoon, and evening is truly a beautiful and incredible experience. Each time it comes on, I literally have to pinch myself. Like wow, I’m actually here. This is actually happening.

In a lot of ways the Arab world is just as I imagined it would be. While Amman is very modern and Westernized in comparison to its neighbors, there are a lot of obvious differences to Western cultures.

The most obvious and blatant of which is religion, which reigns supreme. From hearing the call the prayer ring throughout the city 5 times a day, to the way both women and men dress, it is obvious that Islam is a very important aspect of daily life for most Jordanians. The division between classes is also very obvious, like in most cities. Don’t let any perceived notions of the Middle East fool you. Yes there is a lot of poverty here, some parts of town are worse than others, but no, people don’t live in tents and roll around town on camels - in some parts of the country, yes, but not here in Amman. There is a large upper class, obvious by the caliber of Range Rovers and Mercedes on the road, but I’d say most of the population is of middle class – just like the states.

Not every woman in the city where’s the hijab either (the head scarf), and not every man wears long flowing robes like something out of a biblical movie. Yes, a lot do, but like I said, Amman is much more westernized than what you may think. Most people here rock iPhones or Blackberry’s and I hear American music on a pretty daily basis. Jordanians are a very proud people and are not afraid to tell you. They are proud that Jordan has remained safe amongst its more violent neighbors and they are very passionate about their country’s progression - as they should be! They love Americans and American culture, its U.S. policies they're not a big fan of – which, in some regards, can you blame them? They may benefit from U.S. aid but they have also been surrounded by the war in Iraq, which was largely brought on by the United States. But, we’ll save that whole discussion for a later date.

Anyways, the past couple days have been a rollercoaster of events. We finally managed to move out of the orientation phase of the program and into the most anticipated/exciting/nerve-racking/potentially-scariest phase: the home stay.

We were given a short description of our family the night before so I had somewhat of an idea what my family would be like…or so I thought.

See, when I received the short description of my family I was on a bus going to dinner, so it was loud and the woman was very soft spoken. I thought she said I had a ‘mama’, ‘baba’, & 4 siblings, but due to the loud atmosphere I somehow managed to miss some very crucial information.

Yes, I have 4 siblings – 2 younger siblings, twins, a boy and girl who are both 21: Muhammad & Ma’ise (pronounced like “mice”); as well as, 2 older siblings in their late 20’s: Ahmed & May (pronounced like “my”). However, the ‘mama’ and ‘baba’ part…not so much. Unfortunately, they both died about a year ago. I’m not sure how, too afraid to ask. But from what I can gather thus far, it wasn’t expected and the 2 older siblings have since moved home. A different sort of family dynamic than previously expected, but I am optimistic nonetheless.

May & Muhammad picked me up from the program base on Thursday – waiting for which, was somewhat similar to be picked up by your parents from grade school…only you don’t have any idea what your parents names are or what they look like. Either way, I got the initial hellos over with and we made our way “home”. They are a middle class family, so it isn’t luxurious living by any means, but it is still a very comfortable and nice apartment.

I live in the neighborhood of Arjan, which is close to a gym, grocery story, & only about 7 minutes away from school. So cheap cap fare each day is a plus. It’s a nice apartment on the first floor of the building complete with: a family room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and a big beautiful outdoor porch & garden, which has a cool view of the city and gives a very Middle Eastern vibe.

Unfortunately, I will be sharing a room with Ma’ise, for the next 4 months. I was kind of bummed about that because I was looking forward to having my own room to unwind, but I’ll make do. After all, I should be a pro at it seeing as I’ve lived in the sorority house for 3 years. Ma’ise speaks the least amount of English, so it’s a bit of a challenge to converse, but also kind of works out to my benefit because now I’m not forced to hold awkward conversations…which I hate. Plus, she’s never really here, or so it seems, so maybe it won’t be so terrible after all.

The bathroom/shower situation is…well, it’s new. If you didn’t know, plumbing is a luxury and never again will I take it for granted. The plumbing in Amman isn’t like that in the states, which means there are some new standards to become accustomed to. Throwing your TP in the toilet is now a thing of the past, as I now toss my TP in the closest trash bin. Yes, trash bin.

Breathe that in for a minute.

A potentially messy situation, but a do-able adjustment.

There is also the issue of the bidet. You know, the odd sink thing that you find next to the toilet in some foreign countries. Well, from what I have gathered, you are supposed to use this strange contraption to, err, “wash” after using the bathroom. And by wash, I don’t mean your hands. Catch my drift?

To be completely honest, that thing scares me. I just can’t imagine having to scoot myself over after using the toilet to “wash”. I just can’t bring myself to do it. So the bidet will continue to be a mystery to me, one that I’m not sure I want to solve.

Apologies if that is TMI (too much information), but these are just a couple new challenges I now have to face on a daily basis. So while you all use your luxurious bathrooms at home…I’ll be here…with my bidet.

The issue of the shower isn’t as problematic, it’s just an adjustment to realize that hot water is a luxury and that water pressure is pretty much non-existent. Only one shower has hot water, so all 5 of us share that one. Fun times. Good thing I packed some shower flip-flops. Nonetheless, showering isn’t a terrible experience by any means. I just won’t exactly be engaging in a long, leisurely shower any time soon.

I have been prepared in almost every way to face the challenges of the Arab world; it’s just the small things like these I have somehow forgotten to give a wink of thought to. And I’m sure there are all sorts of new learning experiences to come.

Okay, so things aren’t exactly ideal, and I’ve definitely had a couple “holy moley, I don’t think I can handle this” moments, but I am prepared to deal with the obstacles and am trying my hardest to view it as a learning experience, because it is. Believe it or not, things like plumbing and hot water aren’t a norm in most parts of the world. And if 4 months without these things is all I have, then I am more than happy to deal. I’m slowly starting to transition from the “holey moley” moments to the “man, I’m really blessed” moments. Something I think all of us should be forced to adopt at some point in our lives.

I’ve had 2 days now to cope with the changes and get settled and I must say, I’m feeling much better now than I was the first day. Because I won’t lie, the first day was a bit of a breakdown for me. The transition was a lot more alarming than I think I had previously expected but I’m now learning to take things with a grain of salt. Hanging out with other American students has really helped me to see that, too, because they all are going through the same things.

Needless to say, I’m feeling much better today and am actually much more optimistic about my home stay family.

My two brothers speak wonderful English and last night I sat with them outside to watch the Jordan vs. Iraq soccer game, which was very entertaining. They informed me that we have many Iraqi neighbors so it was essential we watched it out on the porch so that we could be loud and obnoxious when Jordan scored. Jordan won 2-0 and man, they weren’t lying about making some noise. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole city heard us screaming and making noise!

The two brothers made me feel much more comfortable, as we joked around about my experiences thus far. The oldest brother, Ahmed, used to work for CIEE (a study abroad program) and he now works with tourism so his English is perfect. He also understands that I’m going through a bit of a cultural adjustment and has been very kind in helping me find my way around. He gave me a number of different restaurants, cafes, and bars to visit and was very happy to answer any of my questions.

It’s also incredibly nice that he speaks perfect English. And I mean perfect. It’s a lot more comfortable to speak in English at this point, but I know having a family who communicates primarily in Arabic will be hugely beneficial to my Arabic speaking skills, which is very important to me. I’ve already managed to pick up a few good words thus far, and its only been a couple days!

School starts tomorrow, because the workweek is Sunday through Thursday here, unlike in the states - another different transition. I am actually very excited to get the ball rolling in regards to school. It’s been a while since I’ve really had to use my brain, but I’m ready to dust off the ole cobwebs and get into a routine again.

I’ll be taking Arabic 5 days a week, 3 hours a day, so I’ll certainly be perfecting my skills. Additionally, I’ll be taking 2 seminar courses until the research period of my trip begins. I’m taking a Field Study Seminar, which is essentially a course to assist in my research honing skills. We’ll do some community work as well, which I’m looking forward to. The other seminar course will be for 2 hours a day and is very general – it’s mainly a seminar to discuss a number of different topics about Jordan and the region as a whole. It’ll be a wonderful opportunity to discuss a lot of current topics including the Arab Spring and Arab-Israeli conflict and there will be a number of guest lecturers from Jordan who will come and speak to us. An exciting course, which I’m very much looking forward to!

I’ll leave things at that. Information overload, I know. I hope I didn’t lose anyone back there, but like I said, its been one hell of a past couple days.

I’ll leave you with a couple of last entertaining notes from the past couple days - just a couple short blips of funny things. The first of many to come, I’m sure - Enjoy!

1. Cell phone: I finally managed to purchase a cell phone two days ago, so I am no longer a roaming nomad of a foreign country with absolutely no means of communication. I will mainly use it to communicate with my student friends and host family, so don’t expect a phone call form me any time soon, but still, it was a relief. After my tearful goodbye to my Blackberry before leaving the states, I was thoroughly looking forward to this moment. Unfortunately, my finances couldn’t afford a new Blackberry while in Jordan, so, while it may not be the hippest gizmo to hit the market, I purchased myself a snazzy Nokia phone. Yes, a Nokia. Remember those? Its key features include: a black and white screen, large brick like shape, and T-9 capabilities. Face Time, 3G, and touch screen features? Who needs ‘em when you can have this state of the art technology?!

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1. Taxis/Cars: I was a little bit nervous about the whole taxi situation, seeing as it is my main form of transportation throughout the city. But it actually hasn’t been that challenging at all. As long as you know somewhat of where you’re going, the cab should be able to get you there…and if not, well, then I suggest getting out and trying again. As far as roads and order goes, however, well, it’s pretty much non-existent. Cars and taxis literally drive around with no order. If you can cut someone off up ahead, then by all means, do. If you’d like to drive as fast as possible through the streets, then have at it. It is seriously incredible the way the whole traffic system works here. It’s literally every man for himself and it gives a whole new meaning to the word road rage. While sometimes its funny, I have to admit, it can be pretty darn scary, too. According to my Safety & Security information sheet, “In Jordan, road accidents are the second cause of death. There is a traffic accident every 5 minutes, and a citizen is killed every 9 hours due to road accidents.” So, there you have it. Looking both ways before crossing really is important, and they are now words to live by.

3. Revolution policy: During the orientation phase of the program we went through the standard information: safety and health guidelines, program expectations, course syllabi, and, of course, guidelines and procedures in case a revolution occurs. We’ve been advised that while riots and demonstrations may seem “cool” to our naïve American eyes, they are indeed, not cool in Jordan and in fact, pretty darn dangerous. So yes, Mom, Dad, you can breathe easy knowing that if a revolution of sorts occurs in the streets of Amman, there is a phone tree to alert students to get the H out.

4. Running: several of us were concerned with being able to, you know, exercise while we are here. Not exactly a modern fad, but running is a pretty frequent event in my life, so naturally I was curious about it. We were informed that there are gyms in Jordan and that we can certainly use them if we’d like. But when we asked if running around town was a possibility, they informed us that it probably wasn’t a good idea. The exact quote was, “Running in the street isn’t encouraged because Jordanian’s first impression is to think that they are running from someone or being chased”. Stick to the gym, got it.

5. Party Rock Anthem: For some reason, people in Jordan are seriously obsessed with this song. Not only does my younger brother Muhammad play it on repeat at my house, but also I’ve heard it streaming into the streets almost every night. Not exactly the tune I would have assumed they’d be jamming to, but I figured ACD & NWS would appreciate it (code name shout outs).

Alright, signing off for now. Hope all is well in the states!

Love and miss you all!