slowly but surely

• New favorite thing to do after I get home after a long day: wash my feet.
• I am beginning to like coffee.
• Tonight I looked at the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table and noticed something different. The bananas where big! That is, they were the same size as in the U.S., but it was different because I have gotten use to the "mini" size of most of the bananas in Amman.
• Earlier today I played some soccer, the national sport of Jordan, with some Jordanian friends. Actually, as far as I could tell, one of my friends from the exchange program and I were the only Americans present in the entire facility.
• As of tonight, I have used the bus system three times in the past week. Statistics: 2 out of 3 successful—only one of them was on a route to a different city. Don’t fret though, I am 100% successful getting home at night.

I guess all this goes to show that I am really "experiencing" the culture. I am a tourist and will continue to be one for the duration of the semester, but learning the "local" way of life really contributes to learning like nothing else can.

Since it has been such a long time since my last post, I obviously have a lot to comment on.
Here is a quick synopsis:

Sept 30-Oct 2: Golden Triangle Tour
Everyone on the program took a three day trip through Southern Jordan.
Day 1 we spent at Wadi Dana Nature Reserve. This land begins over 3000ft above sea level and goes down to 200ft below sea level. The view was awesome and camping in a tent topped it off.
Day 2 we took the bus to Shobak Castle which was one of the first Crusader castles in the region. It was really cool to see the history.
We then continued our trip south to Wadi Rum. This is a vast desert, so the only way 120 of us could see it was by a two hour 4X4 truck tour followed by a two hour camel ride. We then spent the night in a Bedouin camp where we learned a traditional Jordanian dance around a campfire and watched a mock wedding.
Day 3 we made our way to Petra. First thing that comes to mind when many people think of Petra is Indiana Jones. Now I suppose this is cool, but there is so much more to it. It is an ancient city that served as a strategic and important location for both the Silk Road and the Spice Road. The architecture and ingenuity of these ancient people is astounding.
After Petra we drove back home to Amman.

Oct 3-Oct 7: Amman
Yep, I was in Amman. Big surprise. My classes continued but it was an extra long week after our long trip.

Oct 8: Ajloun and Jerash
Two of my friends and I traveled to the north to see what we could find. First we had to navigate our way to the bus station in Amman where we found a bus that costs 90 piasters (cents) to ride the 45minutes/1hour to Ajloun.
Ajloun has another Crusader Castle which we got to tour. Actually, a tour guide gave us a tour which was well worth the negotiated 1.5JD.
We then walked down the hill the castle sits upon. Along the way we ran into a friendly man who just so happens to be from Bend, OR. Small World.
Had lunch in Ajloun then bargained for the cheapest taxi ride to neighboring Jerash.
Jerash is a modern city build around and on an Ancient Roman City. Jerash is said to have the biggest and best preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. And I got to say, it was impressive.
Warning for those who may wish to visit: don't accept seemingly private tours from kind people who seem to just be hanging out. They will show you some really cool and interesting stuff, but they will ask for money when you try to leave. This seems obvious, but sometimes you just get pulled into it.

Oct 9-Oct 12: Amman
Back at school. Studying some Arabic and practicing it on the street. Some people in my Arabic class are frustrated that we are moving so fast. Personally, I like the pace. I will leave it at that.
For my other classes, I'm learning about Islam in the Modern Context and America and the Arabs. Actually, for my America and the Arabs, Jordanian students came to our class this week so we could discuss different topics. Next week is a debate.

Oct 13: Today!
Alarm went off; I lay in bed not wanting to get up; finally got up; ate breakfast; went to class.
*Quick note: I have a peer tutor whom I meet with three hours a week and practice Arabic.
Anyways, I met my peer tutor, his brother and friend then we went to play some soccer. We started off kicking the ball around then of course a real team with real uniforms showed up and kicked everyone off so they could practice. I didn’t want to complain too much because I’m sure they could beat me any day even though the majority of them were maybe in eighth grade and quite a few even younger. But after the practice we were challenged to a game (not from the "official" team, but a random group). From there we played about 4 hours of soccer “king of the court” (winner stays, loser goes).

And that leads me to here. It is night and I am tired. Goodnight.

Brief Account of Week 4

And so begins month number two.

The past week was just as busy as the first three and I feel that it may be getting faster. In my Arabic class we have successfully graduated from the alphabet and are moving on to...grammar. I can't speak for the whole class, but it really isn't that exciting. I got to admit though learning to conjugate verbs is incredibly helpful when you want to say anything other than he ate, he drank or anything in masculine third person past tense. Speaking of which, I am still trying to get used to my Arabic professor and her way of teaching. She is great and I really like her, it is just a bit annoying that we have learned past tense before present tense.

In any case, we are moving along at a good pace.

As for non-school related events, I was able to go with my program to Usarah Village, near Ajlun in north Jordan, where we helped to begin the renovation/cleaning of the boys secondary school for the town.

Basically, the school is in such poor condition boys don't want to go to school, or ditch school and jump the wall to escape during the school day.

This is a picture of the classroom I helped clean. Each classroom has about ten chairs and one table that if they were not falling apart or completely broken could possibly be used in a first grade classroom. Mind you, this is meant for high school classes with up to 25 students in each classroom. So we have a lot to work to do.

Following our time at the school we enjoyed a traditional Jordanian lunch where a local family took us to their home, all 30 of us, and fed us. Can't remember what it was called, but it was zaky, or delicious.

And of course by the end we were all stuffed and happily content with a nice cup of tea.
Following our tea we took our bus to the local Soap house where local women make organic soap from the olive. We got to experience the process of soap making.

And now that I have just started, it is time for me to log off. I am leaving in about three minutes to go catch a taxi that will take me to the University where I will meet a bus which will be taking me on an adventure through Southern Jordan.
I have much more to add, and following this weekend, I will have even more.

I Had a Visitor

Classes started. I study. I tour. I experience daily life of Jordan.
Here are some of my thoughts from the past week and a half or so:

I am just finishing the second week of class and so far we are averaging over 200 words of vocabulary a week in my Arabic class. I do think this will slow down a bit when we start actual grammar, as right now we have to learn the alphabet. But for now, my flash cards are always with me.

This is one reason for my delay since my last post. Also, I really did have a visitor. I got busy meeting new people and experiencing new things.

Yesterday on my way to school I was riding in a taxi, like usual, but about halfway to campus the cab driver pulled over and politely asked if we would like some coffee.
This is a good example of Arab culture.
Hospitable, welcoming and genuinely kind hearted.

I am going to say, my host mom (Mama) is the embodiment off all these characteristics. A happy "Ahalan wa Sahlan" (Welcome) is waiting for me the second I walk in the door...along with a generous serving of the day's homemade meal.

Yesterday I was walking through campus and I was stopped by a student to inquire who I was and where I was from. The response to me has always been a genuine "Welcome to Jordan!"

Just today I was sitting outside the campus' library looking over some vocab when a UJ student came up to me to introduce himself and welcome me. He then took me to the cafeteria to get coffee and got my phone number so he could call me next Monday after class and help me with Arabic.

Last week on Monday when I got home from class, Mama handed me half a JD to go to the little street market right down the street to get libon. I quickly learned libon is not lemon (which is laymon).
I got to the market where a 14 year old boy was working and looked at me like I was crazy while I was desperately looking for a lemon. He of course kept insisting that I was supposed to get the yoghurt. Turns out libon is yoghurt.
I saw the 14 year old a couple of other times last week and the third time he greeted me as if we were best buds. I do have to say that I have tried to get home at the same times now so that I might run into him because he made my entire week; it is also fun to practice some Arabic with him.

And to add to my Arabic, I have gotten to know a couple of my “host cousins” who are in 6th and 8th grade. I don’t see them too often, but last Saturday as I was walking with them they were teaching me awesome words like crazy, donkey and monkey. Oh, the expanse of my Arabic!!
…if only I could remember every word I have been told…

One of the hardest things to get used to is the schedule of the week days. Sunday through Thursday are the weekdays with Friday and Saturday being the weekend. It is nice because it feels like the weekend comes a day earlier, but it is really confusing to think that after Tuesday I have made it over halfway through the week.

And now I must go to bed. The Turkish Soap Operas (dubbed in Syrian) have kept me up late. They are just so entertaining.

I will end with two pictures I took just yesterday. It is the view from a local art gallery where I can go to do some studying.

Citadel

East Amman

in search for a park

I have offically been in Amman/Jordan/the Middle East for a week now. It has been quite the experience, and I still have so much more to come.
This last Saturday was good. I got kind of tired of just hanging out in the apartment on Friday, so Saturday morning I got up to wander around my neighborhood. Turns out it is very close to downtown, but the walking was surprising easy to do. Let me explain. Amman is a horrible city to walk in. I mean you can, and people do, just not extensively.
My neighborhood was explianed to me to be part of "Old Amman" which was the "posh" place to live back in the day. But yes, it is nice and a fairly quiet neighborhood.

This is walking out of the apartment building.

To the left.

And to the right.


I played soccer in this street, well kicked a soccer ball around, later Saturday night. Later being midnight because cousins and uncles were over visiting and it was only the first day of school the next day so why not?

Fun facts about Amman: the population of Amman is about half the population of the entire country of Jordan. Also, in terms of water as a natural resource, Jordan is the fourth poorest nation in the world (I have not done this research, but this is what we were told at our orientation.) This means short showers, and not everyday.

It also means fountains lack the water.

But they are really nice.

I found a park close to the house!

Since then, I attended a youth service with my host brother at his church that night. Sunday was my first day of Arabic class and I'm beginning to learn how to use the taxi to commute across the city to get to class. Luckily there are quite a few other people in the same program living close so we can split the cost, which makes it very cheap.
Today was my second day of class so we started our area studies courses which I am pretty excited for. As for now, I have some studying to do.

Ma3a ssalama.

Ammani Life for a Central Montanan

So I just moved in with my host family yesterday. I have spent a total of one night with them, and so far they are great.

The Ammani lifestyle is different from that of Central Montana. First off, there are a lot of people. People keep reminding me that Amman really is not that big, that everyone knows everyone and it is really easy to find your way around. However, these people have yet to realize that I come from a town with a population of less that 7,000 people that has a total of four stoplights.

Amman:
Traffic is interesting, to the point of exciting for an adventurist. What are designated traffic lanes anyways? I mean, really. And crosswalks--whatever, just cross the road...

It is also going to be quite different living in a place where the closest spot to play soccer, hide 'n seek, or even dodgeball is the living room.

But, I got to say, the ability to throw fire crackers out of the kitchen window onto the sidewalk is entertaining.

Now, none of these thoughts or comments are meant or should be taken negatively. I do find them to all be part of the experience. When I say "experience" I do not mean as a tourist or an adventure seeker. I say "experience" to mean a way to understand how millions, correction, billions of people are living today. Now, not everyone in similar circumstances have the same experiences, but my time in Amman is meant to try to understand in part what society and culture is like in a life so different from my own. Already, I have begun to learn.

I have learned that humility is huge. Also, contentment is just as big. In a place where everyone knows everyone and hospitality is crucial to the culture, people are always present. To make the best of every situation, one must find a balance of humility and contentment. Now I may wish and desire and utterly long for the chance to walk out my back door and lie in grass where the closest neighbor is half a mile away, but the truth of the matter is, at this moment myself and billions others are unable to do this. I alone have no room to talk because I chose come here (which I am very grateful for the chance to do so).
Having the ability to be content and humble with all that one is given and receives makes life...good.

Note on the Blog

So it is kind of cool that my comperter recognizes that I am in a different country, but it means that everything is in Arabic. If the blog is also in Arabic, I am sorry. I don't know how to change it

Sight, Sound, and Feel of Amman

Here are some more pictures

Roman Theatre, 820 AD

Sitting at the Emperor's seat

One veiw of downtown

View of East Amman from the Citadel

View of West Amman from the Citadel

Ruins of Hurcules Temple

Remains of Hurcule's Hand

Random pictures of the citadel

*Note on the citadel: it has ruins dating back to the bronze age with structures that were from Greek and Roman empires=Really cool