MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Merry Christmas from Jerusalem!!!

Snow in Jordan

Snow in Amman

Jordan gets cold in the winter. Really cold. Which is a struggle because the buildings are designed to be cool on the inside, since it's blazing hot for most parts of the year. Most winters, I've been told, it snows once or twice, normally in January, and because it's only one or two snows the country has not invested in snow removal equipment. This partically explains why schools have a month long holiday spanning from the first or second week in January until early Febuary. This year though, the snow came early. Snow covered much of the Middle East, including parts of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, and even (briefly) Egypt.

Starting early last week, everyone kept talking about how it was going to snow. It was cold, but I wasn't sure I believed them. Then, on Wednesday, it was pouring rain. None of the nursery aged students came to school, and only about half of the kingergarten and first grade classes showed up. It was a cold, wet miserable day. Around noon, the Headmistress announced that the school would have a three hour delay the next day, and would be opening at 11 because the news was calling for the weather to get worse. The news was calling for snow. I was excited for the chance to sleep in, but I was worried about getting transportation to Amman after school on Thursday- one of the other SALTers, Christine, was coming to visit me and I needed to meet her.

"Snow" in Husn

I woke up the next morning to my phone ringing. It was the teacher I car pool to school with, letting me know that school was canceled for the day because of snow. Snow? I looked out the window of my bedroom- nothing. I walked down to the big window down the hall, that has a beautiful view from it- ok there was a little bit on snow on some metal. Ok, fine with me. I needed to go to Amman anyway, so I called the bus service that I normally take, they told me that they had buses going at 12 and 2. I rushed to get packed and convinced a friend with a car to drive me to the bus station. I just missed the noon bus, so I used the time to check out the brand new Carrefour grocery/department store. Soon enough I was on the bus, on my way to Amman. I still hadn't seen very much snow, just a bit on cars or in deep shadows; I found it funny that it was a snow day.

Upon stepping out of the bus in Amman though I found that it was much colder in Amman than in Irbid, and it was snowing. The snow wasn't sticking to the ground, but it was falling. I caught a cab and met up with my Reps. We had dinner and then headed off to the airport, which is about 45 minutes, on a normal day, outside of the city. The farther we got out from the center of Amman, the more snow I saw on the ground, I felt a small amount of cognitive dissonance because the last time I had gone to the airport it was been at least 90F degrees outside, at the time I would never have imagined that there would be snow in just a few short months.

The morning snow/slush

We successfully received Christine from the airport, and had a relaxing evening in at the Rep Flat. It continued to snow throughout most of the night. The next morning, there was a blanket of snow on the road and sidewalks outside. I called the school Priest and found out that they had already canceled school for Saturday even though there wasn't any snow in Irbid. I decided to just stay in Amman for another day, even though I had originally planned to return to Irbid on Friday evening. Christine and I took the morning slow and had a relaxing brunch with the Reps before we trekked out into the weather, hoping that something would be open since the snow was melting. We made our way to downtown, and ended up in the Roman Ampitheater, then made our way to Rainbow Street and had a late lunch at an American style Waffle House (no relationship to the chain), since it was the only thing open. After that we headed back to the Rep Flat, where we spent some more quality time with the Reps before heading out to have dinner at a reasurant with some traditional Jordanian foods. It had started snowing again, and the roads were getting icy so we were one of the few cars on the roads, and earned some "are you crazy" looks from the locals as we climbed some hills.

The next day there was even more snow outside. We talked to some locals and found out that the roads were closed, and the government was encouraging everyone to stay inside. So that's exactly what we did. The Reps, Christine, and I spent the day playing card games, talking, and drinking delicious homemade hot chocolate in the apartment. The school Priest called me to encourage me to return to Irbid so I could attend the teacher's Christmas party, but there were no buses running. On Sunday, I finally caught a bus back to Irbid, with a little bit of rushing and panic since it was the only bus leaving. When I left, there was still snow in Amman but there wasn't any in Irbid still. Christine stayed another day, then took a bus to Israel/Palestine.

Playing in the evening snow

The snow effected schools and businesses all week; schools across the country could not open until 9. There is still snow in Amman and other places with high altitudes. It was in the news that one town up in the mountains needed food to be airlifted to it because of the roads were so impassible.

There is still no snow in Irbid. I'm praying that the weather stays like this, because I'm hoping to have a safe, easy trip on Tuesday, aka Christmas Eve. I will be following in Christine's foot steps and meeting up with her and another SALTer in Jerusalem where we are all going to spend Christmas together.

How Big is Your Life?

How big is the radius of your life? I mean it, think about that question. How far do you travel for work? For School? How far do you live from your parents and other family members? How far do you travel to go grocery or clothes shopping? How far are the other places that you go regularly? You got that mapped out in your head? Great! Now, how many people are involved in that life? How many people do you work with? Are these different from your friends? How about the people you go to Church with? Next question for you: What does the size of your life mean?

Back in the US, I was always working to give my life a bigger radius. When I stayed with my parents, my life wasn't very small. I went grocery shopping at the Walmart that was a 10 minute car ride from my house. The mall and movie theater were 45 minutes away in one direction, the place where I worked 45 minutes in another. My church happened to only be a minute or so drive from my parents' house, but the people who attend come from all over the area. But the town with my high school and favorite coffee shop and my friend's barn was a 20 minute drive away. And most my friends lived even farther. I went to college 3 hours away from my parents house and made my life there for 4 years. The daily life I had there had a physically smaller radius, I slept, studied, went to class, ate, hung out with my friends, and worked on campus. But I had ways of extending that radius. I took babysitting jobs off campus- one involved a 30 minute walk. I went to mall 20 minutes away. I took trains into Philadelphia. I rode horses at a barn 20 minutes away. I took summer jobs in different locations, one in Akron, PA another in Philadelphia, PA. In Akron, I walked around town, and took my car to a coffee shop in the next town over, and met up with friends 20 minutes away in Lancaster. In Philly, my job involved traveling all over the city and when I needed it I escaped to Swarthmore, to my college in the suburbs. I always wanted my life to involve more and new places. I tried to know people in a variety of places.

My life in Jordan is much smaller. I do most of my grocery shopping on the street next to the YWCA. I go to church a little farther up the street. School's farther away, 20 minutes by car, about 40 minutes if I'm walking and taking the bus. But, I do very little in between those two. I sometimes go to Church events at AES. Sometimes I go to University Street for coffee. When it feels too small, I run away to Amman, which is about an hour and a half away. But, all of this is augmented by the fact that I have family and friends that I keep in close contact with back in the US.

For me, the size of my life meant, and still means, that I didn't see my parents very often. Even when I was living with them there were days that we didn't see each other. Seeing my sisters was rarer. It meant that I spent a lot of time along commuting. It meant that I maintained friendships where I wouldn't see or sometimes ever speak to person in weeks, or months. Despite that, I always felt close to people.

In America, I always felt like I had a normal sized life. A lot of people commute to work and live far from their parents and go to school away from home. Sometimes, thinking about it makes my life in Jordan feel extremely small. But, in the Jordanian context my life is actually pretty big. Most Jordanians live with their parents until they get married. It's common for Jordanian young adults to tell their parents everywhere that they go. Often, young, unmarried women need their father or brother to drive them places. It's normal to shop in only a few stores, because customers are intensely loyal. Many of my students when asked about their dream vacation talk about going to Aqaba, which is about the same distance from Irbid as from my hometown to New York City. After spending my life in a culture that appreciates bigness, it's not always comfortable to step into one where smaller lives are common. It can feel like you're being watched and judged. But culturally, it means that people are much closer to their families. Decisions are made by the family. Friendships are made by the family. The people in your life are involved with everything. It means that people are more interdependent- as evidenced by the fact that people always assume that I'm lonely since I don't live with family.

So, I ask you again: How big is your life? And what does that size mean?

Holiday Season Abroad

Judith and I with the Christmas Tree at Church

This holiday season marks my second holiday season abroad. The first time, I was in Belfast, Northern Ireland on my semester abroad.  For Thanksgiving weekend a friend who was studying in London flew over to visit. I didn't have class that day so just hung out for most the day, then we joined my classmates and Professors (a mix of Americans, Northern Irish, and Internationals) for Thanksgiving dinner. We had a wonderfully eclectic dinner on that rainy, cold evening. The whole city was decorated for Christmas by mid-November. I would wander the streets looking at the Christmas lights. I'd hang out outside of City Hall with a cup of tea just so I could look at how beautifully decorated it was. I attempted to not spend money at the Christmas market, which was one of my favorite places in the city.

This Holiday season is a bit different. Thanksgiving was a long, hectic school day. Afterwards, Judith, Ina (the German volunteers at AES), and I hopped on a bus to Amman, where we had dinner with the (Canadian) MCC Reps and another American friend of theirs. We spent the even chatting, with a large focus on cultural differences between the three nationalities represented as well as the one we are all living in. The next day Ina, Judith, and I explored the Roman Ampitheatre then headed back to Irbid. We spent the week leading up to, and after Thanksgiving, making handmade Christmas cards for the school. Slowly over the past few weeks, Christmas decorations have started popping up in a few store windows, especially in Husn which has a relatively high Christian population. Last Friday, Ina and I helped the Headmistress and Pastor's children start decorating their apartment by putting together their tree and getting out the decorations. Last night, the Church in Irbid had it's first Christmas event- the decorative lights were turned on and the children's chorus (lead by the talented Judith) performed.

The Christmas traditions here feel a little different than back home, or in Northern Ireland. There is still lots of Santa, and trees, and lights and ornaments. The children sing Christmas Carols about sleigh rides, and snow, and other things that make me wonder if they even understand what they're singing. But, they're mixed in with palm leaves and sand and other things that feel more locally appropriate.

The biggest difference between this holiday season is that I know that I'm not going home. This will be the first year that I won't be at my parents' house for Christmas, waking my sister up earlier than she wants to open presents, hanging out in pjs with my cousins, and avoiding kitchen so that I don't have to help my mom with dinner. I'm going to miss it terribly, I know. But, I also know that I have some absolutely amazing Christmas plans in the works, something that I few people ever get the chance to experience. I'm not going to talk about it just yet, because things are not set in stone. But for now, just know that I will not be sulking alone on Christmas, dear reader.

"You're Ninjas!"

We walked into the hall laughing. We just passed a hand full of 7^th graders, some in costume some not, laughing and greeting us on the stairs. “Welcome!” one of the English teachers greeted us with a hug, “Here's your tickets.” She handed us green squares of paper, some of the invitations that were given to the students, each with a number hand written in the corner and interesting spellings of our names at the top. We continued to the bathroom to complete our costumes, we hadn't wanted to wear them in the taxi. In the bathroom be ran into more of the middle school girls, chatting loudly and touching up their costume makeup. We took off our coats and tied our scarves like bands around our heads.“You're ninjas!” the girls exclaimed. We laughed and felt proud of our simple costumes.

 

There isn't very much to do in Irbid, especially not for pre-teens and young teenagers, so once in a while AES throws parties for the older students. This one was a Halloween Party, yes in the middle of November. The party was a cross between a middle school dance, a costume party, a dinner, and a bingo night. It was fun seeing all the students dressed up and out of uniform. The school has strict rules about make up and hair styles, so this was the first time I'd seen any of the girls with their hair down and in any makeup- even if for most the girl it was costume makeup. The music played during the dancing portions of the party was a mix of American and Arabic dance music. Like at most American middle school dances, the girls all danced together while the boys stood along the wall acting too cool to dance. And the girls all sat together during the bingo games and during dinner. It's good know that some things are the same in both America and Jordan.

A Thank You Note

Sometimes international mail is not the most reliable. Almost a month and a half ago, I mailed out a beautiful stack of bright pink thank you cards to everyone who donated to fund my year in Jordan on the SALT program. So far, I have only heard of one of those cards reaching it's destination. I apologize for the delay, and if anyone else receives their thank you card, please let me know. I am hoping that they did not all get lost in mail.

Since, there is no guarantee that the cards will reach their recipients in a timely manner, I post this blog instead. Thank you! Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this process in anyway. Without all of you this year would not be possible. I cherish your thoughts and prayers when things are difficult or when I miss home, and I am in wonder of your support and care during the fun times and the once in a lifetime adventures. Thank you all for everything you have done to help me get here, and I am thinking about you all and praying that God blesses you always.

Sick Day

 So I took my first, and hopefully only, sick day from School today. I've been in bed for the better part of the past two days. I'm taking medicine and eating soup. I've been given camomile tea to soothe my stomach and oranges for vitamin C. I'm still not feeling great, so thankfully I don't have school tomorrow.

Really, though, there is nothing like being sick to make you miss home. When I was finally able to drag myself to the pharmacy I knew what medicine I wanted- if I was in the States anyway but I had no idea if they had what I wanted here in Jordan. So I just asked for aspirin and something for upset stomach. I then walked over to the little convenience store next door, and found some Ramen- which was pretty exciting because that's what I always eat when I'm sick at home. I spent most of today wanting my mom to take of me, and a hot water bottle to cuddle with.

But, there is also nothing like being sick to show you who your friends are. All of my friends here in Irbid, and the teachers and administrators at school, wanted to know how they could help me- if they could get me medicine, if there was any food I needed, if they could help me figure out what caused it. It's been wonderful to know that so many people who have only known me for a short time truly care about me and my health. I'm grateful to have such a loving and caring network around me, even when I'm far away from home and the things I'm used to.

Some pictures from my time in Irbid and Husn so far

The Country Reps and I with some friends of MCC in Husn

The view from my front door.

Hanging out.

Making silly faces with one of the German volunteers.

One of the roads I've been hiking on, this way stretches to oil fields in Iraq.

And this way it stretches to ports in Israel/Palestine.

Pretty view of Husn.

My Work at the Arab Episcopal School

The school is 4 stories tall and the property takes up about half of the city block. Like all of the buildings in the city, and most of the country, the school house is made of  white concrete. A tall, white concrete wall fences in the property, separating it from the rest of the neighborhood. A driveway cuts from the front of the property to the back, with a large green sliding door on either end. There are two pedestrian entryways at the front of the property, both with large, heavy, green metal doors that automatically lock when closed. Upon entering the property, you stand in a courtyard, the building on your left and right and above your head. The concrete floor is covered in colorful paintings. The rafters in the ceiling above have phrases like "Home of Peace Education" on them. On the far side of the court yard is a black top with soccer goals posted on either end. To the left and right of that are two smaller buildings.The first is small and red, and is used as a meeting space; the other one is the Church, the sanctuary on the ground floor and a meeting hall and small kitchen are in the basement. The ground floor of the school is for the Kindergarten classes. Where in America we have Pre-K and Kindergarten, here both the age groups are called Kindergarten, KG1 and KG2 respectively. The second floor houses the office, a small kitchen, the teacher's lounge, and the 1st through 6th grades. On the third floor there are classrooms for the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade, a music room, a science lab, and a computer lab. The fourth floor is incomplete and off limits to students, the school is hoping to open it within the next few years as they expand to include a 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. There is only one class in each grade. Some, like the first grade, are large with about 30 students, others are small, like the 9th grade, as small with less than 15 students. The hallways all have bright yellow railings along the walls so that the blind students and teachers can navigate more easily. There are posters written in a mixture of languages: English Arabic and French, and the most important ones have a transparent plastic cover with the braille printed on it. This is the Arab Episcopal School (AES) in Irbid.

The rafters in the courtyard.

The school is fairly young, this year is it's 11th year, but it does huge amounts of work in this community. AES is one of the few schools for blind children in Jordan outside of Amman. These students are taught to read and write both Arabic and English braille. The school doesn't just work with blind and low vision students though, the school seeks to integrate these students with their sighted peers. This is done in the hopes of normalizing and de-stigmatizing disability. Though the school is Christian, the majority of students are Muslim, as are many of the teachers, and the school offers religion courses on both Islam and Christianity. The school hopes that it's graduates will be able to compete in the world job market, and thus teaches two compulsory foreign languages, English and French.

The third grade class.

I am humbled in many ways to be part of the team at this school. At the school, I sever several functions, though my official title is "Teacher Assistant", I personally think the best title for my job is "Resident Native English Speaker." I work with two English teachers, Miss Abeer for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classes, and Miss Huda for the 7th grade, both of whom I hold in high regard . In the 1st grade class I mostly help with pronunciation and grading, so that the students can have immediate feed back. In the 2nd and 3rd grade English classes, I work specifically with the low vision students. I tell them what's written on the board and give them one-on-one attention to keep them from falling behind their peers. I also do this in the 7th grade, but on top of that I also work with the class on their conversational English, by leading conversation classes. On Thursday the classes are shortened to add a period at the end of the day for special activities. During this period, I am often asked to teach conversational English classes. I've discovered, from not well received classes based around role playing, that for most of these I'm probably going to play review games in order to help them practice their English. In addition to this work, I also assisted with the office's English correspondence. I write emails, assist the school newsletters, and will soon start writing the school's Christmas cards.

Some of the 7th graders.

The students are energetic and are truly interested in everything they learn. I'm not yet a month into my work at the school, but I'm already excited to see where these children go and to be part of their journey.

Hiking, Missing Home, and Finding Strength

 I've lived in Husn for two weeks now. And for those two weeks I've been struggling to find my place in this town. I'm a stranger and a foreigner, I don't know anyone. Most of my interactions happen with shopkeepers. Though, increasingly I've been spending time with the other girls at the YWCA. It's still not the same as knowing the place where I live though. I've been a bit homesick this week. I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss sitting in coffee shops. I miss going out with my friends. I miss having easy opportunities to meet and interact with new people.

Last night was a particularly bad night. I made the mistake of watching the groups of young men hanging out in town, there were no women out, I was jealous of their freedom. Today, I spent the morning reading and drinking tea, still feeling mildly stifled. I decided to go on a hike to feel more independent. So, I put on my hiking boots and trekked up the hill. I took a big road that I've been told leads from oil fields in Iraq to ports in Israel/Palestine. In total I was out for less than two hours, but it did the trick. Standing on the crest of the hill, with the wind billowing around me, I felt freer. I felt like I could do anything. Even the stares from the passengers in the cars driving by couldn't dampen the feeling. I was doing something by myself and proving my ability, strength, and independence to myself in the process.

The hike reminded me of why I love doing what I do. I love getting to see new places and to try to understand them. I love the chance to get to know people and to start to learn their stories. And to hopefully have a positive influence in the midst of all of that. Yes, some days it's hard, and sometimes I want to do go home and be somewhere familiar, but really, I would not give this opportunity up for anything.

Has it really been a month?

 It's hard to believe that I've been in Jordan for over a month now. Sometimes it feels like I've been here for so much longer. It feels like it's been years since I was in Akron at Orientation. But, at the same time I feel like I just got here. It feels like just yesterday I was standing in downtown Amman for the first time, marveling at the little blue lights that decorate the street. It's been quite a month. I started to learn the layout of Amman. I took Arabic Language lessons. I visited Ancient Roman, and Byzantine, and Islamic ruins. I saw Irbid and Husn for the first time. I went to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Mount Nebo, and Madaba. I attended a Lebanese indie band concert in the Roman Ampitheater. I made friends with many interesting ex-pats and a wonderfully welcoming Palestinian family. The craziest part is that at after all of that I moved into the YWCA in Husn (which is a 15 minute car ride away from the Arab Episcopal School), started living on my own, and finally started volunteering at the Arab Episcopal School.

On Saturday morning, I moved all of my possessions into the living room and ran to my last Arabic class. After that I said my goodbyes to my classmates, made promises to let them know when I visit Amman, and hopped into the Country Reps' car. We dropped Caleb off at the airport shuttle to take him to his new home, and set off to Husn. The Country Reps helped me move my bags into my room, walked around the town with me while I found grocery, said their goodbyes, and left me on my own. My Saturday night, I was officially living on my own at the YWCA.

I enjoy the independence of living on my own. I like making my own schedule and routines. I enjoy the opportunity to explore the town at my own pace. But, it's a challenge as well. I'm still learning what amenities the YWCA has, and its schedules. I know where I can store my food. I've built up my bravery to light the gas stove with the lighter, even though I think I've going to burn myself every time. I figured out how to use the showers, though I've been taking cold showers since I still don't know when the hot water is actually on. I figured out where I can buy fruits, vegetables, hummus, and bread. Meat it still an issue because most of what I've found in the stores here is processed (i.e. chicken nuggets, that sort of thing.) I've discovered that cooking for one is not nearly as much fun as cooking for several, and thus have become extremely lazy about actually making food for myself. Since Saturday, I've made 3 or 4 salads and eaten too much pita and hummus. Can you blame me for eating so much hummus and pita though? It's so good, and super cheap! I get the hummus fresh from a shop down the street and a kilo of pita still warm from the bakery a few doors down for less than $2 combined. I've made pasta a few times as well, but until I get a better plan for buying meat I don't think I will do much actual cooking.

Monday was my first day at the Arab Episcopal School (AES). I felt pretty lost most of my first day. School has been in session for several weeks now and the schedule is pretty routine for everyone else by now. I just tried to follow along. I'm working with the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 7^th grade English classes. I love being around kids and teaching. All of the classes are fun. The 1^st graders all clamor for my attention and want to tell me what things are called in English. The 2^nd graders have started trading the Arabic names of things for the English names with me and desperately want me to call on them when I help with conversation. The 3^rd graders impress me every time I'm with them, with their vocabulary and their quick grasp of English grammar. The 7^th grade is silly, and has much better reading comprehension than I had after 3 years of high school French.

With all of the classes, I particularly work with the low vision students, helping them write and making sure they are paying attention and comprehending. In the lower grades I've also been assisting with conversational English and checking work in and out of class. I'm supposed to run a conversational English class once a week, I'm not sure what exactly that entails but I'm excited. Tomorrow I'm going to start assisting with the English correspondence in the office.

There is no doubt in my mind that the next 10 months at AES is going to be a challenge, but I'm excited to face it. I love every minute I'm with my students, even when they are driving me up the wall. I can't wait to look back in July and see just how far both my students and I have come.

(I apologize for the lack of pictures, my internet here is too slow to load them. I will post some the next time I'm in Amman or when I have access to faster internet.)

I apologize for how long it's taken me to post, I've had some computer problems. My computer suddenly started running really slowly, I've run a scan to check for viruses but nothing's come up. It's running faster now that it was earlier this week. I'm hoping that this is a sign that it'll fix itself and I won't have to take it somewhere to get fixed. Currently, I'm borrowing Caleb's computer so that I can Skype with my parents soon (Happy 71st Birthday, Dad!).

It's been about two weeks since I last posted right? Last week was pretty quiet. A lot of studying at the house. This past week though was just filled with adventures.

I've attended two different Churches here in Amman. One service is in English for Westerners. It's a more liturgical service and they use a mix of hymns and worship music. It's nice to be able to understand what's happen in the service, though between that service and my Arabic lessons the vast majority of people I talk to on a regular basis are expats. I was able to attend an Arabic service that one of my friends goes to. It was a very fun upbeat service, with worship music and live English translations of the sermon and prayers. I recognized some of the songs and tried to at least hum along to the words. My Arabic skills are now quite good enough for me to sing along yet, though.

On Monday, the Country Reps took Caleb and I up to Irbid. It's about an hour and a half drive north of Amman, up and down hills the whole way. It was a fun ride, especially since it was my first trip out of the city, my first time seeing what other parts of Jordan are like. Irbid is a bit greener and definitely flatter than Amman. Which is nice because I'm getting tired of walking up and down hills all the time. I got to visit the Arab Episcopal School and meet some of the teachers and the German Volunteers. I'm going to be working with 1st and 2nd graders, which I'm looking forward to. While there we stopped by the YWCA. I was given a tour and received the key to my room!

I will write more later, I have to get ready to go to a concert now!

So the Transition Begins

Amman's skyline at sunset.

Adjusting to a new place is always rough, even moving to a new town. When you move to a new town you don't really know where things are, you aren't always sure of the best way to get around, you don't really know anyone, and you have to figure out how the community functions. Now, imagine doing that when you don't speak the language and are functionally illiterate. That's been my last week, and will probably be my life for most of the year. It'll be smoother at some points than others, but that's okay.

Caleb and I at the Roman Amphitheater.

My first week was more rough than I'd like to admit. Back home, I enjoy being independent, I love going places by myself or making plans with friends and going where ever I chose, especially in the evening. That's a little more difficult here for many reasons. One: I don't really know where anything is or how to get there. And it's really hot during the day so I try to avoid long walks during that time. Two: it's not all that common to see young, unmarried women out alone, so I feel like I awkwardly stand out. Three: I really do standout when I go places because I'm so obviously a Westerner. (I'm trying to get used to thinking of myself as White in this context, even though I would never identify myself that way.)

The Temple of Hercules.

Last Monday, I started taking Arabic lessons. I've had a lot of mixed feelings about them. While I'm in class I feel really stupid, and mildly defeated. Arabic's really hard, the structure is different and there are many sounds that we don't use in English, or at least that we don't distinguish as separate sounds. And I'm only taking it for 4 weeks (3 to go!) so I often feel like there's no point when I'm struggling to remember or pronounce words. But then I go out and I hear people talking and I can recognize words. Or like last night, I had a taxi driver who didn't speak English, and I was able to understand a little bit of what he was telling me about where we were and where we were going. In these moments, I feel encouraged. My struggles in class aren't in vain. I am learning something.

In the Umayyad governor's palace.

Arabic lessons have dominated my life for the past week. They take up the whole morning, and are exhausting. Afterwards, Caleb and I either head to the MCC office or back to Reps apartment, where we hang out, relax a bit, and study. My life can't be all work and no play though, so I have been trying to do fun things when I'm not studying. Before classes started, I had some time to get to know the city. The MCC Reps took Caleb and I to the Royal Automobile Museum last Friday. And on Saturday they introduced us to an American student, Clara, who is doing an internship and studying Arabic here in Amman. That day we walked around the hill she lives on, saw the old Roman Amphitheater, and hung out on Rainbow Street, which has a lot of cafes and is a popular hang out spot for young people and expats. Tuesday was a holiday for municipal elections (yes, after one day of class I had a day off!), so Caleb and I went to the Citadel. The Citadel is a historic site in Amman, with artifacts dating back to the Neolithic Period (which began around 10,200 BC and ended around 2,000 BC). The excavated architecture includes a Roman Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine Church, and early Islamic Mosque, and a Umayyad governor's palace. It is absolutely amazing to see. Caleb and I spent most of the day exploring the Citadel and taking pictures. While there we were, we ran into a group of young boys. The moment they saw my camera they asked me if I could take a picture of them, so I did! They looked at the picture after and were excited and went on their way. It seems that that's a thing here, the kids want you to take a picture of them because they like posing for pictures and the idea that you have a picture of them.

The concert we stumbled upon.

Thursday nights are the Jordanian equivalent to Friday nights in America, and the big thing that people do it just hang out. One popular spot to this is outside of the Abu Darwish Mosque. So Clara, Caleb, and I hung out there. We had ice cream and some sweets, and listened to a concert that we stumbled upon. I think the concert had something to do with a Islamic theology class that some boys just finished, but I'm not really sure. It was a great time. We attracted a lot of attention as a mix gender group of Westerners though. Some of the attention was from adorable little kids. There was a group of little girls who really wanted to talk to us, but were really nervous and didn't know much English. When they finally built up the courage they came over and told us hello, ran back giggling to who I think was their Dad. They came back and asked our names, and ran away giggling. They returned and told us their names, then ran back to their Dad. They asked where we were from, ran away, came over and told us they are Palestinian, and ran back. After that they had to leave so they came back one last time to tell us "Welcome to Jordan!" before heading home. Some of the attention is from random weird people. One guy was talking to Caleb for a long time, and slowly a circle of teenage boys joined the conversation, Clara and I were commenting that he had a fan club. When the original man left one of the boys told us, "He's crazy," so really they were just trying to save him. And some of the attention is from young men. There were several groups floating around us, who seemed to be trying to get the courage up to talk to us for most the night. It was all very fun though.

I'm excited to have more adventures this week, and my goal is to face the awkwardness and culture shock. I'm going to find a coffee shop to study at in the afternoons, and I want to try to go to the market at least once by myself. I'm trying not to retreat from the roughness of transitioning, and hopefully that will make it smoother in the end- especially when I move to Irbid where I really will be on my own.

Safe and Sound in Jordan!

MCC's Meeting Place.

Honestly going in to SALT Orientation last week I didn't really see the point. I was especially not into how everyone seemed so excited to become best friends with people that they weren't going to see for 11 months. But it truly was worth it, and I've so glad that I did it. Orientation was a time and space of transition, after we'd already said our goodbyes to our families and friends, where we were in fellowship with people going through the same thing as us. We were able to talk about our fears and our hopes. Over the week the SALTers serving in the Middle East (Jessy, Caleb, Christine, and I) became very close. We are so excited to see each other at regional retreats, and are hoping that we are able to schedule our vacations together.

The Middle East SALTers.

Yesterday was the big day! Well, yesterday according to when I slept, in reality it was Wednesday, so two days ago. Jessy, Caleb, and I had the same first flight to London. We were able to sit together on the plane, though I'm not a very good travel companion. As soon as the plane took off I found a movie and watched it, so I wasn't the most talkative. Caleb at least found my "random" laughter funny. I tired very hard to sleep, but I don't think did. Eventually we landed in London. Every other time I've flow to London I've flown to Gatwick, so this was my first time in Heathrow. It's HUGE. We had to take a train and bus to get from the terminal we landed in to the terminal our flights were leaving from. Once we got there we had to go through security again- I managed to forget that I filled up my water bottle in Philly so they had to check my bag, I spent the whole time apologizing to Jessy and Caleb about it. Caleb and I had a 2.5 hour layover, so we were able to sit and relax for a bit before finding our gate. Jessy had a longer layover, so she hung out with us until we boarded. Finding the gate was an adventure. According to the sign we read it's supposed to take about 20 minutes to get there from the main part of the terminal, so Caleb and I speed walked the whole way, with Jessy trailing behind us laughing. She was right, it did not take us nearly that long. But, we did have to go up and down, and around, and even took a sky walk at one point. From the gate Caleb and I said our final goodbyes to Jessy and left her to catch her own flight. I slept for most of the flight from London to Amman. I woke up just as we were flying over Israel. I didn't have a window seat so I didn't have the best view out the window, but it was still amazing to look at. I've never been to a desert before, so it was crazy for there to just be desert as far I could see. We landed, changed our money, and got our visas. The line took a while so we were able to people watch. There were a large number of people just sitting around, not in a line, which I still don't understand. And there didn't seem to be any women traveling alone, so I'm glad I was traveling with Caleb because it made me stand out less. The MCC Reps, Gordon and Carolyne, picked us up at the airport. It was great to actually met them after emailing back and forth for so long.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

I'm staying at the MCC Reps apartment while I'm here in Amman. I can't remember the name of the hill we live on, but it's near the Blue Mosque, which is gorgeous. After dropping my stuff off at the flat, and changing out of my jeans (it's a bit too hot for those), we all went to dinner downtown. We had wonderful pita and hummus. Then we just walked around downtown for a while, including the market.

Caleb and I definitely dealt with adjusting in different ways. Caleb had question after question to ask the Reps about Jordan, MCC, and our schedule. I just wanted to observe. I felt like the most productive use of my evening would be to start figuring out the appropriate way to act as a young unmarried woman. So, I tried to note how many women I saw on the street, who they were with, what they were wearing, who they spoke to, and so on. Navigating gender roles here is definitely going to be an adjustment, but I knew that coming in.

Downtown Amman

Amman is so interesting, and I'm really excited to get to explore it. Arabic lessons start on Monday, so until them I'm going through in country Orientation with the MCC Reps. But for now it's the weekend, weekends are Friday and Saturday here, so we're taking a bit of time to relax and just take things slow.

Letter from my Father

Dear Hannah,

You are about to embark on an international career, with a year working in Jordan. You will be departing in the midst of terrorist threats and shut-downs of American and other embassies in many countries. Am I worried and concerned, and do I want you not to go? The answers are, “yes” and “no,” in that order.

How could I not be concerned? I love my daughters, and I even worry about the “safe” one in Charlottesville, VA. Do I want either of you to change your goals and choices in life because of my parental protectiveness? No!

Laughing at Graduation

Both of you are intelligent people, wise (I think) beyond your ages. You have made your own choices for years, and are following the paths you have chosen, for which you have taken very specific educational paths. You are going to do what you choose. That is a good thing.

Why should you not choose to work abroad? I did. For many years. In many places. In the midst of civil wars, droughts, and political unrest. In countries ruled by leftist and right-wing dictatorships, by the military, by (often oppressive) “Christian” and “Muslim” leaders. In extremely rigidly controlled societies, with privileged economic and political classes and extremely poor majorities.

How could I object? My first overseas assignment, 49 years ago this month, was in the Congo, in 1964. In the midst of a civil war. I flew there just days after a group of Americans were taken hostage in Stanleyville. That group included a friend from college (he was later rescued).

We make choices; we have options thrust upon us. We can’t always not choose risk if we want to impact those around us.

Bless you, Hannah. We pray the Lord’s safekeeping of you, and for those around you. Go in peace, and come home, at least for visits, once in a while.

Go change the world. Make it better. Amen.

Love, Dad

Traveling During a Travel Alert

I was going to wait until tomorrow to post, since then I'd be able to announce that I have one week until I leave for Jordan, but I figured I should probably address the embassy closures and travel alerts recently instated by the US Department of State. These events have not had an effect on my travel plans. I am still going to Lancaster for Orientation on the 14th, and I am flying to Jordan on the 21st. I received my ticket yesterday, I am officially flying from the Philadelphia Airport to Amman with a brief layover in London, England (Heathrow). I leave Philly at 6PM on the 21st, and will arrive in Jordan at 4PM Jordanian Time (9AM EDT time) on the 22nd.

In short, the US government issued a worldwide travel alert for all Americans and temporarily closed a number of embassies and consulates in response to threats of terrorist attacks. These actions were taken as a cautionary measure, in order to keep Americans traveling, working, and living abroad safe. The travel alert does not mean that Americans cannot travel internationally at this time. It just means that Americans need to take caution, and should register with the government, so that the government has a record of their travel and can contact them in case of emergency. The travel alert is set to last until August 31st, so I will be traveling during this alert. The US has temporarily closed at least 25 diplomatic posts throughout the Middle East and Africa. The embassy in Amman, Jordan is closed but is set to reopen on Saturday, August 10th, along with many others in the Middle East. The embassy should be open by the time I arrive in Amman on August 22nd.

I appreciate prayers and well wishes during this uncertain time, for my safety, for the safety of other travelers, and for the safety of all the civilians who are just trying to live their normal lives despite the turbulence around them. Pray for peace and understanding.

One month to go!

The countdown:
17 days until I leave my summer job.
23 days until MCC Orientation begins.
30 days until I fly to Jordan.

You know what that means? In exactly one month I'm going to be in Amman, Jordan! AHHH!!!

Hanging out at the beach

I was at work yesterday when this realization hit me. I almost needed to sit down for a minute. I cannot believe how quickly this summer has gone by. This summer has been exactly what I needed. I've been able to hang out with my family, earn some money, spend time with my friends, and make some new ones. And, of course, wear all my non-Middle East appropriate clothes (basically all of my dresses, skirts, and shorts). Though I am starting to miss doing research (seriously, what is wrong with me?), I haven't been able to do as much research on Jordan as I wanted to this summer. I'm definitely looking forward to starting Arabic lessons and adventuring around Amman.

I am now in the last minute prep stage. I'm trying to figure out what I have, what still need to buy, and how I'm going to pack it all. I have one last appointment for some immunizations tomorrow. What else do I need to do? I'm not sure. I'm sure my parents will start lecturing me about things I'm missing soon enough.

Fundraising complete: CHECK!

I am ecstatic to announce that as of today I have officially completed my SALT fundraising! I have raised over $5,000.

Thank you to all the people who have donated to support my year in Jordan- family, friends, distant cousins I haven't met, and everyone else! Special thank yous to Holly Grove Mennonite Church, Wallingford Presbyterian Church, and the Rehobeth Ruritan Club for their support.

Tiffany and I, before she left for Taiwan.

If you're now thinking "Oh, shucks! I was going to donate to her!" Never fear! There are other SALTers still fundraising. Go here to find a SALTer still in need of support. Or, my friend Tiffany Barron is still fundraising to support her year in Taiwan with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Click here for more information on what she's doing, or click here to donate!

Again: Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me through donation, prayers, and well wishes! Please continue to support me throughout the year, and to keep in contact with me! (I love comments on my blog!)


In other SALTing news: I have started going to my pre-MCC doctors appointments (I know I'm late in the game). I have registered for my Arabic lessons in Amman, still waiting to hear where I'm living for that month. And, I know where I'm living from October until July- I will be at the YWCA in Al Husn (alternative spelling because of transliteration include Al Hassan and Al Hosn). As soon as I have official word on my mailing address I will let you all know.