SURVEY.
Well. I should've blogged during survey, but I unfortunately did not. We had some sketchy internet service, and, I suspect, a media guy who stole all the bandwidth to update our class blog. ;) GRR, WES, GRR! :)
So. Here's some of the highlights/stuff/things I learned/found interesting.
-Survey is where you walk fields (parcels) and you look at the ground and pick shit (pottery, useful lithcs, stuff) up. You walk your own transect. And God forbid you cross into someone else's!
-Our team was led by Robert, the best g-d team leader/Army vet/paratrooper in all the land. He's a bit gruff and rough around the edges, but basically- he's the shiz, and seriously, a badass. He knows his stuff, I'd trust him with my life, and I'm really glad we got to work with him.
-We worked with Hussein, a professor from Yarmouk, and Dalal, one of his students. They were interesting characters, and I liked them a lot. I was actually very sad to see Hussein go on his last day.
-Alex and Ryan left us one day to go work with our soil guy, Bernhard Lucke, at Hesbon. Lucky bitches. :) But the day they left was pretty glorious in the field- we got 12 parcels done AND we were very relaxed and chill about it. (Thanks for our long breaks, Robert :D)
-Robert really kicked our butts the first few days, we hiked and walked and did fields at a very fast pace- but when it came to the end, we really had done so much, that we got to take it really easy.
-One day, the team got to play with camels. It was unfortunately the day I was sick. BUMMER. The camels apparently give kisses and hugs and try to play with you, but according to Alex, is more like trampling, but still playing nonetheless. haha
-Being sick SUCKED. I think I was just exhausted and had some serious sun exposure. My mom freaked OUT because I had (what we thought was) a spider bite, and she thought I was sick because of that. I assure you- I'm fine. The bite is completely gone. HOWEVER. I went out the field that day, even though I felt bad, because I mean.. our team is small, I wanted to pull my weight. I was fine, y'know? haha But the bus ride out, I was so queasy. And once we got off the bus and hiked a bit, I barfed, about 3 times. I wasn't happy- and in fact, I cried. Rachel had to tell me the logical thing to do "Your body needs rest, and you have to do the right thing for you." Instead of telling me "you're sick go home." Because I would've responded with "No, I'm fine, YOU go home!" (she knows this... because she's the same way! haha) So, she ended up having to tell Robert, because basically, I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't admit I was sick. And once he was like "It's fine, today will be pretty easy, don't worry about it." I started crying "I'm really sorry, guys!" They all looked pretty freaked out, as did our bus driver, and Mohammed, another professor from Jordan. Mohammed was really wonderful though- I'd probably venture to say he has kids. When we were on the bus, he'd ask if I needed anything, tell me where he was going when the bus stopped. Once, he made sure I'd eaten something, and I told him I'd had crackers. (which wasn't a lie, mom. lol) But he was really a lovely human being, and I appreciate him... and I appreciate the fact that he had a meeting at Yarmouk that day, so I was able to go back to the hotel, since the bus driver had to take Mohammed back to the University anyway. Needless to say, I slept for about 11 hours that day.
-Dave Hill and Seth visited for a day. I don't actually know why, but their help was appreciated. They actually did some work and pulled their weight- which is more than the other team had said about them. ;p However, that day was the ONE day we happened upon a home of Bedouins and were invited for tea. SUCH a lovely experience. I love the Jordanian people. We had several cups of tea, and some coffee. We got to hear all about their livestock, and the fact that they planted wheat this year- which is really interesting for Bedouins, since they are Nomadic, and not sedentary. We got to meet some of his children- to which I totally gave some snacks. :) His children were beautiful. It was just a really wonderful experience, which really makes me even more interested in Cultural Anthro.
HOWEVER. I think that I would be more interested in hanging out in the house, instead of the tent. I'm very interested in both places... But the women and men are separated very distinctly- and as a foreign woman, I have the honor of being able to be in both places.
I was really interested in the fact that, for this one rare opportunity, I was actually able to see and spend time with a Bedouin man's daughter. At first, we asked how many children he has. He said 3 boys....Then he hesitated, and added "And 6 girls." One was in the tent with us, serving us tea and coffee... maybe she was learning how to do it? I was very intrigued, as the rest of the women were still in the house.
The house is really where it's at, though... I'm really interested in what the women do, and what their role is and what they do while the men tend to the goats and sheep and wheat.
The man of the house offered us breakfast, but we couldn't stay. I'm fairly certain we offended him.... until he told us about a cave and tower nearby, and was able to drive us in a truck there, which I'm fairly certain made him very happy! It definitely made us very happy- we got to ride standing in the truck bed! :)
-We investigated some caves and possible tombs and a place where a building is/was/could've been a tower.... HOWEVER. the tower guards came out and told us to leave, because apparently- we were no longer in Al-Turra, but in Ramtha, the neighboring village. Soooo we could've been in trouble-- good thing Hussein was with us! :)
-Dr Walker seemed very interested in what we found- but it seems someone else has been working there... maybe the DoA or the University? I don't know... but we went out again and took photos and GPS coordinates and maybe it'll be a site in the future... who knows. It would be pretty awesome.
....and now, we're in Israel. Which has been a serious mystery/adventure/crazy awesome time all in itself. More to come on this subject... But for now- I sleep. We had a very full day in Jerusalem, and tomorrow, we hop a bus for Tiberius/Galilee/Safed.
:)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
No b'day is a happy b'day.
Today is Nate's birthday- I saw someone commented and said "Happy b'day mr masterson"... I wanted to comment and say "no bday is a happy bday!" (as in... bidet. as in... the toilet-like contraption. as in... no bidet is a happy bidet.)
It's not funny when you have to explain. lol
But seriously. No bidet is happy.
fa;dsfhaskjdhfasdf
It's been a long time since I've written, and that makes it difficult to write all the things that have happened/i've thought/we've planned/we've done....
So, I'll write a list. Because I like lists.
1. No bidet is... oh wait, we covered that point.
2. Today, I really miss laundry machines. My pants need to be dried so bad- they're too bid.
2a. I had to go up another belt loop, which ordinarily, would be great- but being here, it's a real hassle when my pants don't fit at all.
3. I'm fairly certain my next degree will be cultural anthropology. I like the study of people and culture- and being here, I'd much rather be sitting in a Bedouin tent, conversing with people about their homes and lives, instead of picking up random pieces of pottery off the ground, and mapping present-day water cisterns.
3a. However. If I become a cultural anthropologist, I'd want to study women. Weird, maybe. but Today when we had tea with the famaily, I wanted to know why they allowed one little girl to be in the tent with us- when usually, no females are allowed to hang out and converse with man-folk. I'd also just like to talk and understand why the male to female culture is what it is, understand how it's become what it is- understand where it can go from here.
3b. I think I just wrote a thesis. hahaha
4. But seriously. I'd like to know more about Arabic/Islamic/Bedouin female culture.
4a. I was interested to find out that in Jordan, veiling is a personal choice. You can veil, or not. I also found it very interesting that men actually frown up on the idea of a full veil- because apparently, the Quran never says women have to fully veil. This kind of thing is very interesting to me.
5. Hot is hot. I know this is dry heat, but heat is heat everywhere.
5a. However. I know that once we get back to the states, we're going to be instantly reminded how awful humidity is and then whine about it. haha :)
6. Yesterday, we had "wind from the east" as Hussein called it- the "bad wind"... the wind that "makes your lips and nose so dry." Today, however, we had wind from the west... Awesome, cool wind. The kind you just enjoy, no matter what you're doing. It was really lovely. Hussein told me that his family slept really well because of the wind.
6a. I think it's such an interesting thought, that during the summer months- wind makes them sleep well. But during the summer months in the states, rain makes us sleep really well. I wonder if, on rare occasion, when it rains in the summer here, if it's crazy and wonderful for them like it is for us. :)
7. Field school is really not that different from college. See also:
-we smell our clothes, and based on the level of dirtiness, we wear them. Or not. For example, I was looking for a tank top- I found one and smelled it, exclaiming "Yay! This isn't too dirty!" Then put it on. Granted, at school, we have laundry machines instead of sinks in which to wash out clothes.... so it usually gets done more often than here.
-Like everywhere else, people find a summer love. Wes and Lizzy, for example. They held hands and ate together and hung out and watched movies- and it was basically adorable.
-There's really stupid drama. Example: "Oh, she's going? Then I'm not." (The only difference from college: a dude said that. Not a girl.)
....I could go on, but I won't. At least not for now! :)
8. Tea and siestas are excellent, and I may take the tradition home with me. I really don't know why Americans don't have tea time. Or siestas. Who doesn't love a good nap?? I love napping here. By the time we've walked a billion miles and been in the sun for 6 hours- we need our nap. I love tea.
9. I could really use a nice warm shower. I think it's been several weeks since I've experienced a warm shower. It would be interesting to have one at this point...
10. I should be currently writing my appeals letter for my loans. But how do you say "i got screwed over by the fraternity I poured my heart and soul into, and this very University, and that's why I'm still in school" tactfully? I'm still working on ideas....
more to come!
Friday, June 18, 2010
"Maybe it's a tick." "Wait... seriously?"
We survived our first two days of survey.
Work which I happen to enjoy a lot.
We're almost directly on the Jordan/Syria border, with land mine fields close enough to be explained as "across the street".
Sometimes we have soldiers from the watch towers come visit us and see what we're doing, make sure we're doing doing illegal stuff... sometimes though, I think they just want to visit with us.
I'm sure watch tower work gets lonely.
Survey work is fun and easy, I can't complain about it.
Our team is good- we work fast and efficiently.
The other team, it seems, is flabbergasted at the fact that we can move upwards around 15 and 16 parcels(fields, or sections of ground) a day. (Our days are 5-6 hours long.)
I also hear that several of the other team don't really care about their work, and lollygag around, complaining that it's boring, too hot, horrible, etc.
I'm glad I'm on my team now...
I was chosen to go with a Jordanian architect and his grad student to measure buildings and create architectural maps... But I opted out.
There HAS to be someone better suited for measuring, and math and maps. Because I'm honest to God, terrible at all three of those.
I would just feel uncomfortable, I think.
SO. I'm working with my team- and I like it a lot.
Our leadership is wonderful.
However.
If I could've hopped a plane and come home last night, I would have done it.
Some of our team came back from going out (I guess?), since one of our guys had a beer can in his hand, talking to some of the Jordanian guys in the hallway right outside my door.
I had been asleep for a while- maybe one or two hours, and loud talking/shouting outside my door was not what I wanted to hear.
So, I opened the door, and said "Go away." and closed the door again.
I heard my teammate mention to the Jordanian guys "Bitch".
So, I opened the door again and said as much as I could in about 15 seconds, because I was in my glasses, retainers and pajamas.. and slammed the door in his face.
I basically made mentioned of the fact that I couldn't believe he would think it was okay to call me, or anyone else a bitch, in front of Jordanian men who have NO idea how to respect American women in the first place.
(I may or may not have simply said something like "ASSHOLE. Do you seriously think that's okay? Seriously?" But I had been awake for like, 30 seconds... so I think I added "shut the fuck up" while he yelled back at me, and before I slammed the door in his face... basically- I don't remember what he said after I yelled at him.)
But I probably will say something to him today- I don't give a shit if you're drunk, there's no excuse. I've been drunk, I'm aware of the sensation.
If you can't control yourself- don't fucking drink.
And furthermore, if you KNOW we're not supposed to drink here in Irbid, don't drink in Irbid.
That's my two cents.
I was SO mad last night, I would've hopped a plane and came home immediately.
I am ready for my one bedroom apartment, with a roommate who meows instead of talks, and doesn't wake me up earlier than I'd like to be awake. (Sorry, girls who are reading this.)
Or, I have the choice to be around people or not. I can have Me Time.
I can use my phone without huge charges.
I can drink tap water.
I can go and do whatever I want, whenever I want and not want a chaperone.
And you know.. that's another reason why last night made me so furious.
I am an American woman in a country where I need a male escort so groups of boys don't crowd around the window where we're eating/watching soccer and our waiter has to shoo them away... Where I need an escort so men won't follow us on the sidewalk, make lewd noises, hiss at us, whistle, honk their horns....
And the fact that one of our American boys totally broke my trust last night in the presence of Jordanian men, makes me feel all the more unsafe here.
And that sucks a lot.
A lot.
I would still be willing to hop a plane.
Too bad I'm not a quitter... (GAH thanks mom and dad for raising me correctly!)
Because I care about this work and I care about helping Dr Walker meet her quotas and finding the information she needs for the project.
I don't care about any of the other shit.
I just don't.
I want to come home.
I want to take a hot shower.
I want to hang out with Nate.
I want to drive a car.
I want to walk on the sidewalk without being honked at.
I'd like to, at very least, recycle these plastic bottles from our drinking water.
And... furthermore, I'd like to stop whining now.
<3
Work which I happen to enjoy a lot.
We're almost directly on the Jordan/Syria border, with land mine fields close enough to be explained as "across the street".
Sometimes we have soldiers from the watch towers come visit us and see what we're doing, make sure we're doing doing illegal stuff... sometimes though, I think they just want to visit with us.
I'm sure watch tower work gets lonely.
Survey work is fun and easy, I can't complain about it.
Our team is good- we work fast and efficiently.
The other team, it seems, is flabbergasted at the fact that we can move upwards around 15 and 16 parcels(fields, or sections of ground) a day. (Our days are 5-6 hours long.)
I also hear that several of the other team don't really care about their work, and lollygag around, complaining that it's boring, too hot, horrible, etc.
I'm glad I'm on my team now...
I was chosen to go with a Jordanian architect and his grad student to measure buildings and create architectural maps... But I opted out.
There HAS to be someone better suited for measuring, and math and maps. Because I'm honest to God, terrible at all three of those.
I would just feel uncomfortable, I think.
SO. I'm working with my team- and I like it a lot.
Our leadership is wonderful.
However.
If I could've hopped a plane and come home last night, I would have done it.
Some of our team came back from going out (I guess?), since one of our guys had a beer can in his hand, talking to some of the Jordanian guys in the hallway right outside my door.
I had been asleep for a while- maybe one or two hours, and loud talking/shouting outside my door was not what I wanted to hear.
So, I opened the door, and said "Go away." and closed the door again.
I heard my teammate mention to the Jordanian guys "Bitch".
So, I opened the door again and said as much as I could in about 15 seconds, because I was in my glasses, retainers and pajamas.. and slammed the door in his face.
I basically made mentioned of the fact that I couldn't believe he would think it was okay to call me, or anyone else a bitch, in front of Jordanian men who have NO idea how to respect American women in the first place.
(I may or may not have simply said something like "ASSHOLE. Do you seriously think that's okay? Seriously?" But I had been awake for like, 30 seconds... so I think I added "shut the fuck up" while he yelled back at me, and before I slammed the door in his face... basically- I don't remember what he said after I yelled at him.)
But I probably will say something to him today- I don't give a shit if you're drunk, there's no excuse. I've been drunk, I'm aware of the sensation.
If you can't control yourself- don't fucking drink.
And furthermore, if you KNOW we're not supposed to drink here in Irbid, don't drink in Irbid.
That's my two cents.
I was SO mad last night, I would've hopped a plane and came home immediately.
I am ready for my one bedroom apartment, with a roommate who meows instead of talks, and doesn't wake me up earlier than I'd like to be awake. (Sorry, girls who are reading this.)
Or, I have the choice to be around people or not. I can have Me Time.
I can use my phone without huge charges.
I can drink tap water.
I can go and do whatever I want, whenever I want and not want a chaperone.
And you know.. that's another reason why last night made me so furious.
I am an American woman in a country where I need a male escort so groups of boys don't crowd around the window where we're eating/watching soccer and our waiter has to shoo them away... Where I need an escort so men won't follow us on the sidewalk, make lewd noises, hiss at us, whistle, honk their horns....
And the fact that one of our American boys totally broke my trust last night in the presence of Jordanian men, makes me feel all the more unsafe here.
And that sucks a lot.
A lot.
I would still be willing to hop a plane.
Too bad I'm not a quitter... (GAH thanks mom and dad for raising me correctly!)
Because I care about this work and I care about helping Dr Walker meet her quotas and finding the information she needs for the project.
I don't care about any of the other shit.
I just don't.
I want to come home.
I want to take a hot shower.
I want to hang out with Nate.
I want to drive a car.
I want to walk on the sidewalk without being honked at.
I'd like to, at very least, recycle these plastic bottles from our drinking water.
And... furthermore, I'd like to stop whining now.
<3
Monday, June 14, 2010
"Also, I was stabbed..."
SO. It's been a while, and SO much has happened...
Ranging from community service involving oil based paint, gasoline and an orphanage to thinking I'm going to die hiking/feeling like the fat kid in gym class on the Abraham Path to hanging out on a beach and reading 3 Cups of Tea to seeing schools of tiny blue fish jump over the water in what looks like fish-clouds to standing where Moses stood, looking out into the Promised Land, and figuring out life- and forgetting it all as soon as the sun set completely behind the mountains to coming to Irbid to the wrong hotel... then to the right hotel only to find out it was very wrong because construction wasn't done... Only to find out, it's just fine, because what's life without a bit of adventure?
What's an overseas trip without a bit of getting lost? :)
Hmmmmmmmm.
We left off with...
Wow... Mt Nebo and Madaba! It's been SO long since I wrote!
Madaba was beautiful. There was wonderful people there.
we went and saw the Orthodox church in Madaba, which houses the oldest mosaic map of the Holy Land... however, the church was SO beautiful, I forgot I was standing almost on top of the oldest map! haha :) But truly, the church was so beautiful. It was so still and lovely- How can anyone stand in such a holy place and not feel that wonderful stillness?
(Psalms 46:10a... Be still and know that I am God...)
I love the churches here. The history, the people, the art, the candles constantly burning... They're so lovely, and beautiful and, running the risk of getting emotional- my heart can barely contain the beauty. (I won't quote American Beauty, I'll spare you.. haha :D)
So, after we saw the church, and I saw in the pews, and enjoyed the stillness... Rachel and I decided to head to the bus to grab my backpack... But then got a bit lost trying to find the Archeological park where everyone else was... However, the people of Madaba are so gracious and wonderful, they saw two lost white girls who were frustrated, and they kindly pointed us in the right direction.
Eventually we ended up in the right place.
The archeological park was interesting, but I was excited about walking around shops and pizza- and upset about being late. Because as much as I'm a last minute procrastinator, there's nothing I hate more than being late or getting lost because I left my stupid backpack on the bus! :)
BUT. I love when things work out!
So after that, we walked around Madaba and talked to some shop owners- lovely people.
But eventually, we met up with some other folks in our group, and one of the shop owners called us in and said "Come, the tea is almost ready!"
I'm not a girl to turn down tea- especially not here, because the hot tea is incredible- minty and lemony and super sweet... It's so good.
When Tarina and I walked in, we saw a few people from our team already sitting down and chatting with Yusef, the shop owner.
I had forgotten that Yusef has a tea drinking competition with the student groups who come through Madaba.
He was so gracious- gave us tea and cookies and talked about Jordan and his niece, Julia Sawalha, ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/prideandprejudice/characters/lydia_person_page.shtml ; http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/3500000/bennets_1600x1200-pride-and-prejudice-3580174-1600-1200.jpg ) who played Lydia in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice.. awesome.
[i do hope i got her name right AND the correct character.... that would be embarrassing...]
I really wish my pictures would upload so I could show the picture of Filip and Myself-- we all kept tally of our cups of tea on our arms.
I wimped out at 8 cups of tea- it was boiling hot and my tummy was SO full... but the 6'4 Filip gulped down 26 cups of tea. So, he had hashmarks all down his arm, and I had 8 tiny ones on my wrist. hahah From the look on my face in the photo, it look as if I so clearly won :)
[i hope that works!]
I ended up buying several headscarves from Yusef. He actually told us not to buy anything from him- that we were only there for his hospitality. But I wanted to give something back for his warm welcome.
People have really been so kind here. Everytime we meet new people, they welcome us to Jordan- they don't care how long we've been here, it's always "Welcome! Welcome to Jordan! How do you like Jordan so far??"
The culture and the people are truly wonderful.
That night we headed to Mt Nebo- by far one of my favorite places in Jordan. It was gorgeous! You can see for MILES. We sat and watched the sunset. It was so beautiful.
And really, it was incredible to think "Moses stood here. I am standing where Moses stood."
What a thought.
So inspiring. I swear, on that mountain, I thought I'd figured out the whole world- I felt so at peace.
I wandered off by myself for a bit, so I could think and pray and reflect and enjoy the solitude.
(1 Kings 19:11-12: And he said, "Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.)
[this is my favorite photo of the day- maddi and alex. it's lovely and candid.]
Shortly after that, the week of craziness began.
The Abraham path.
The first day was hiking... I was actually really jazzed about it- especially after checking out their websites and seeing the lovely photos- it looked like an enjoyable hike.
It turned out to be not so fun...
It was up and down and twists and turns and up and down and the part we weren't on concrete, it was mostly loose rock, so my ankles had a hard time keeping up and the ups were UP and the downs were DOWN and it was intense.
Also... I fell out of the bus. Which was hilarious later... but then, not so funny because I was super sleepy because I had just woken up from the bus ride...
But seriously. Ajloun nearly kicked my ass.
So, Tuesday, we did Community Service... which, to be honest, I was a little weary about- we didn't really know about it until it was right on top of us.
However... it turned out to be pretty incredible.
Half our team went to pick up litter in the mountains, and half of us went to paint a mural in a Catholic School/orphanage.
We chose Noah's ark for the large mural- and when we got there, it ended up being that we actually had two walls-- so we split up, a few of us painted the two Ark panels, and a few of us painted a soccer match mural- it was adorable, and the girls did SUCH a lovely job. I really liked it a lot. I think the kids did too.
With the ark panels, I think we have had too many cooks in the kitchen but our finished product was pretty awesome, SO I guess our cooks did just fine :)
It actually took us two days to finish- which was perfectly okay for me- that meant we got to miss a day of hiking AND we got to hang out with some of the kids AND they helped us paint AND we got to have lunch with them. It was really really fun.
That night, we headed back to the school/orphanage for a mishmatch soccer game- kids just playing soccer on the concrete with their net-less goals and no lights for when it got dark...
Some of us got to play too... but by the time I was brave enough, it was dark and some of our girls were already ready to go...
SO I had a lovely time watching them play.
After the game was over, the Priest asked if we wanted a tour- we, of course, said yes.
He showed us where the school building was, where the library was, where they've built and established a physical therapy building for both Christians and Muslims.. and then he showed us where the orphans lived.
We saw where the kids lived, where the babies sleep, we go to see where they eat and play and read and have downtime...
The most wonderful part was Sister Angelu.. she spoke wonderful spanish. (ah... muy rapido, indeed...) BUT. even when I told her it was very fast, she took Rachel and I by the hand and took us into rooms and showed us pictures and used her hands to talk and pointed...
The thing about being in Jordan is that nearly everyone TRIES.
Cabbies try to communicate even if their English is poor, and our Arabic is worse... Sister Angelu talked our ear off... but we understood, because she TRIED.
Communication here is so different from communication in the US.
But I love it. People try here. People listen carefully to the things you don't say, but instead to the makeshift sign language, the way your face moves, the directions you point.
The worst part was leaving.
There was one kid I really really wanted to bring home. His name was Sam.
At first I suspected he was special. Perhaps a bit slow.
But now I think maybe he's just got that little brother, loud mouth, lazy little boy who doesn't like to read thing going on....
I told the Priest I thought Sam was funny, and he was my favorite.
The Priest told me Sam was lazy and didn't care to read or write because to quote Sam, he "had a bad teacher". lol
Boys are so stinkin funny- I get it, man... no one likes to do the hard stuff. And maybe for Sam, reading and writing is freakin hard. I get that.
I've experienced a lot of kids who just don't get music, so they need a bit of extra help, some short cuts or helpful hints... Maybe Sam just needs someone to sit with him and help him realize reading is pretty awesome.
I'm considering maybe going back.
They need help with their english-speaking/teaching program.
I also suspect they might need help with soccer nets and comic books for little boys who don't like to read... maybe nail polish for little girls who live at the orphanage.
And you know, it's not about the fact that they're Catholic and I'm Baptist and you should leave the Catholic missions up to the Catholic churches.... It's about kids. And people. And helping.
Because if people don't start helping people- it's going to be a bumpier and bumpier ride...
(I keep thinking I Have it all figured out-- Antiquities, minor in Religious Studies, masters in Mythology... be a story teller forever... but then I realize that I just want to help people. And do community outreach and help people paint over graffiti and plant gardens and inspire change in the world. But i don't think they offer degrees in 'graffiti painting' or 'inspiration'.)
ANYWAY.
I cried when we left. Because Sam is adorable and I wanted to take him and his sister home with me- and I have a sneaking suspicion I might adopt someday... But not babies- kids who need homes and love but no one will take them because they aren't cooing/pooing babies...
Kids are the future, man.
SO.
The last day of the hike, I opted out.
My ankles hurt too bad from the first day hike and then standing around and painting and crouching and climbing onto scaffoldings... so I didn't go.
And I made the right decisions- because one of our staff came back and said "Anyone with weak ankles would've had a really really rough and bad time today. Lots of round rocks- easy to roll ankles on."
It was fairly boring, not much to do- but I welcomed the break.
We were at Pella- it was beautiful.
Boring but beautiful.
We took naps and read books.
Can't complain.:)
(I was also on drugs. The legal kind. I got car sick, so I took some anti-carsick pills... they made me SUPER loopy. It was hilarious. I'm fairly certain there's a video of me floatin around somewhere talking about how Jesus was not annointed with olive oil because it stinks, and royalty did not stink. loll... or something...)
[Just as a sidenote...It seems everyone on our team journals- even the grads and faculty.. When we get down time, they're always pulling out their journal to draw a picture or jot down some words. I like that.]
Then, we headed for Aqaba.
Ohhhhh wonderful, delightful, expensive Aqaba, how I loved thee.
It was beautiful and breezy and come on- directly on the beach of the Red Sea where I was in plain sight of Israel and Egypt, and not more than a few k's from Saudi... awesome.
AWESOME. seriously.
We stayed at a Radisson (sp? shrug...) and it was fairly westernized..
So that was delightful.
And fortunately (unfortunately?) their website led us to believe their rooms were 100jd a night, and when we got there, they expected 'roundabouts 180jd, I think, for a weekend price..... I'm not sure- I got real upset and had to sit down and eat a granola bar. (lol, kind of...)
HOWEVER. Dave, our fake habibi to ward off Jordanians... raised some hell and we got our rooms for even cheaper than the regular price.
Which is awesome.
So, even if the weekend was, indeed, about 100 more jd than I expected, it was still cheaper than it would've been.
The best part about the weekend was when Rachel and Alex and I walked into our room and turned on the tv and it sai "Welcome, Mrs Hill" everytime. hahaha awesome.
We took pictures.
(Speaking of which... I only got to take a small handful of pictures because Jordanian batteries seriously last about 7 and a half minutes. So. I had no batteries because mine died. Fail. I'll be stealing pictures from the boys or Rachel and Alex.)
But seriously, though.. it was so wonderful. Just to sit on the beach and read, swim in the Red Sea- which is so blue, by the way, I have no idea why it's called the RED sea. (So deep blue, but so clear, you can see the bottom a long way out...)
Beautiful.
I could spend a long time there if that were an option and of course, money were no object.
I think the best part (and by best I mean.... worst. let's all be honest here.) was the bus ride to and from.
We couldn't read the numerals and the stewardess definitely didn't put us in the right seats and on the way there, an entire family of Jordanian women and children got seriously angry at us "but my children! where will they sit!" I wanted to say, I don't give a shit, lady, find a new place- we did. But I couldn't say that, so I just moved instead... and unfortunately, Rachel and I got stuck behind this giant gorrilla of a sweaty man who pushed the seats so far back our tiny midget legs couldn't fit.. so Rachel moved to the front- I stayed and sat sideways, and had tiny baby hands constantly grabbing my tattooed foot.. The stewardess poking me so I'd move my legs so she could stand in the isle and shoot the shit with the ladies who stole my seat... Needless to say, my ride was less than enjoyable and I was very tired when we got to Aqaba.
The ride back wasn't as horrible- but I did have to share my seat with a Jordanian man. I think we both felt very, very awkward about the situation.
The coolest part about Aqaba was watching soccer. :)
It was quite the adventure sitting in the Heatwave (their swanky bar...), watching soccer with some Jordanians... us yelling, them yelling... everything was in Arabic, but we all understood the game...
:)
America and England finishing with a tied game.
Awesome.
Awesome awesome awesome.
That was fun. (even if I did get a bit sleep towards the end..lol)
It's such an interesting feeling to know that the World Cup is SUCH a huge deal- and I'm here, watching it, surrounded by a completely different culture.
(And just FYI- I'm totally cheering for South Africa because they're SOOO the underdogs, and I love the underdogs- even if they lose- I love the underdogs.
But I am, of course, cheering for the American boys... who are also underdogs!
Then maybe England. :)
I realy love soccer because it's such a melting pot of sports... my buddy Dave and sat, watching the game, trying to decide who was America and who was England based on last names and skin color- and we couldn't do it.
(Until we saw the crest on England's uniforms...) It's just cool, man..
Hmm... so. we went back to Amman just to pack up and leave again...
And now we're in Irbid. Our arrival was... rather interesting with the fact that the hotel we were told we were staying in was actually.. incorrect.
Al-joude was not the hotel we were staying in, but Al-jadeen.
And while Al-joude was ready to accept us after all their communication with Dr Walker, we had to leave, because once again- Yarmuk messed up our living arrangements again..
We got placed in Al-jadeen which is actually under construction and not ready for us at all...
It's been interesting, indeed.
Dr Walker had to come in and lay the smack down- I love listening to her speak Arabic. Coming out of her mouth, it's beautiful! Even when she's yelling! haha
So now we have the use of a kitchen and hot water and sheets.
Yes. Sheets.
We didn't have those at first....
The culture of Irbid is WAY different than that of Amman.. I really didn't expect it to be different at all, I guess, considering it's all Muslim and all Jordanian.
But I guess that would be like saying I would expect Seattle and Houston and StL and New York to all be the same in culture and aspects and behaviors- and they're not.
I guess I'm just very surprised by the... bold and outspoken behavior of men in Irbid.
Alex, Rachel and I had a teenage boy (who, I suspect had mental issues, honestly) follow us for a while. He said hello to us, and we kind of waved him off-- but he followed us and tried to shake my hand- which is a HUGE no-no in this community- Jordanian men do NOT touch women unless they are married. He snuck up behind us to tried to shake my hand though, and when he wasn't startled that I was startled, that's when I suspected he had mental issues...
Regardless, though.. It's not okay that he kept following us for a few blocks, and even when we crossed the street, he followed us, and then when we were walking into Hardees to escape- he grabbed Alex's tush.
At the time- it was not funny.
Alex waved her arms, and basically yelled "fuck off" in arabic and the boy sprinted away.
....and then he ran into traffic, right up to some random car that had to stop because of a line of cars in front of them.
I dunno man. I think he had real issues... but still, that's no excuse for the other Jordanian men who whoop and hollar and cat call and hiss at us just because we are A, white women and B, wearing tshirts.
Yep.
I will not miss this part of Jordanian culture.
For the most part, men have been EXTREMELY polite and appropriate and offer any help they can, and they shake the hands of the men we're with and offer their cards (most are cab drivers) and tell us if we need anything we can call, even if it's just translation issues...
When we got back to the hotel and told Dave, our fake habibi, what had happened, he asked if we wanted him to go beat his ass- which made me laugh. Because it's such an american response.
And I dig it a lot.
Irbid is just... interesting...
SO. that's what I'm currently up to.
Today, we didn't do much- I've been updating this and we went and got lunch and met some unruly natives and now Alex and Rachel are napping again and I'm updating this again and later, some of the boys are cooking dinner because they're first on the list. :)
Pretty bummed my Keens finally gave me a blister... so I'm going to blame it on my flip flops. Because flip flops suck. :)
Anyway... there are unruly children in our hotel again...
This trip has made me want to never have children but yet adopt all the children in the world..
Strange. Yet true.
Much like this trip...
In other quick and random news...
I'm thinking about continuing spanish...
And finishing my antiquities degree somewhere other than MoState...
and getting a masters in Mythology...
And researching volunteer opportunties like my roomie Alex did in Africa, because I'm totally interested.
I think if I could be a volunteer forever, I'd do it.
I just want to help make people's lives better.
If I could help make American people's lives better, I'd do that first- because we have orphans and starving babies and poverty and illiterate folk and graffitied neighborhoods that need painting and people with unsafe drinking water and people living in rubbish too....
I just don't know where it seems worse- American where people know better.
Or here, where they might know better and don't give a damn- OR where they might know better and can't afford better.
There is a clash of culture here in half of Jordan- in Ajloun where we were volunteering and hiking- you can drive by the gas station, and see someone herding their goats through town...
It's bizarre to think that there is such a clash of culture, and it works for them.
My brain is all scrambled and I have so many thoughts on these subjects- but really, man, I just want to help make lives better, that's all.
And I'll leave you with that. :)
Ranging from community service involving oil based paint, gasoline and an orphanage to thinking I'm going to die hiking/feeling like the fat kid in gym class on the Abraham Path to hanging out on a beach and reading 3 Cups of Tea to seeing schools of tiny blue fish jump over the water in what looks like fish-clouds to standing where Moses stood, looking out into the Promised Land, and figuring out life- and forgetting it all as soon as the sun set completely behind the mountains to coming to Irbid to the wrong hotel... then to the right hotel only to find out it was very wrong because construction wasn't done... Only to find out, it's just fine, because what's life without a bit of adventure?
What's an overseas trip without a bit of getting lost? :)
Hmmmmmmmm.
We left off with...
Wow... Mt Nebo and Madaba! It's been SO long since I wrote!
Madaba was beautiful. There was wonderful people there.
we went and saw the Orthodox church in Madaba, which houses the oldest mosaic map of the Holy Land... however, the church was SO beautiful, I forgot I was standing almost on top of the oldest map! haha :) But truly, the church was so beautiful. It was so still and lovely- How can anyone stand in such a holy place and not feel that wonderful stillness?
(Psalms 46:10a... Be still and know that I am God...)
I love the churches here. The history, the people, the art, the candles constantly burning... They're so lovely, and beautiful and, running the risk of getting emotional- my heart can barely contain the beauty. (I won't quote American Beauty, I'll spare you.. haha :D)
So, after we saw the church, and I saw in the pews, and enjoyed the stillness... Rachel and I decided to head to the bus to grab my backpack... But then got a bit lost trying to find the Archeological park where everyone else was... However, the people of Madaba are so gracious and wonderful, they saw two lost white girls who were frustrated, and they kindly pointed us in the right direction.
Eventually we ended up in the right place.
The archeological park was interesting, but I was excited about walking around shops and pizza- and upset about being late. Because as much as I'm a last minute procrastinator, there's nothing I hate more than being late or getting lost because I left my stupid backpack on the bus! :)
BUT. I love when things work out!
So after that, we walked around Madaba and talked to some shop owners- lovely people.
But eventually, we met up with some other folks in our group, and one of the shop owners called us in and said "Come, the tea is almost ready!"
I'm not a girl to turn down tea- especially not here, because the hot tea is incredible- minty and lemony and super sweet... It's so good.
When Tarina and I walked in, we saw a few people from our team already sitting down and chatting with Yusef, the shop owner.
I had forgotten that Yusef has a tea drinking competition with the student groups who come through Madaba.
He was so gracious- gave us tea and cookies and talked about Jordan and his niece, Julia Sawalha, ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/prideandprejudice/characters/lydia_person_page.shtml ; http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/3500000/bennets_1600x1200-pride-and-prejudice-3580174-1600-1200.jpg ) who played Lydia in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice.. awesome.
[i do hope i got her name right AND the correct character.... that would be embarrassing...]
I really wish my pictures would upload so I could show the picture of Filip and Myself-- we all kept tally of our cups of tea on our arms.
I wimped out at 8 cups of tea- it was boiling hot and my tummy was SO full... but the 6'4 Filip gulped down 26 cups of tea. So, he had hashmarks all down his arm, and I had 8 tiny ones on my wrist. hahah From the look on my face in the photo, it look as if I so clearly won :)
[i hope that works!]I ended up buying several headscarves from Yusef. He actually told us not to buy anything from him- that we were only there for his hospitality. But I wanted to give something back for his warm welcome.
People have really been so kind here. Everytime we meet new people, they welcome us to Jordan- they don't care how long we've been here, it's always "Welcome! Welcome to Jordan! How do you like Jordan so far??"
The culture and the people are truly wonderful.
That night we headed to Mt Nebo- by far one of my favorite places in Jordan. It was gorgeous! You can see for MILES. We sat and watched the sunset. It was so beautiful.
And really, it was incredible to think "Moses stood here. I am standing where Moses stood."
What a thought.
So inspiring. I swear, on that mountain, I thought I'd figured out the whole world- I felt so at peace.
I wandered off by myself for a bit, so I could think and pray and reflect and enjoy the solitude.
(1 Kings 19:11-12: And he said, "Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.)
[this is my favorite photo of the day- maddi and alex. it's lovely and candid.]
Shortly after that, the week of craziness began.
The Abraham path.
The first day was hiking... I was actually really jazzed about it- especially after checking out their websites and seeing the lovely photos- it looked like an enjoyable hike.
It turned out to be not so fun...
It was up and down and twists and turns and up and down and the part we weren't on concrete, it was mostly loose rock, so my ankles had a hard time keeping up and the ups were UP and the downs were DOWN and it was intense.
Also... I fell out of the bus. Which was hilarious later... but then, not so funny because I was super sleepy because I had just woken up from the bus ride...
But seriously. Ajloun nearly kicked my ass.
So, Tuesday, we did Community Service... which, to be honest, I was a little weary about- we didn't really know about it until it was right on top of us.
However... it turned out to be pretty incredible.
Half our team went to pick up litter in the mountains, and half of us went to paint a mural in a Catholic School/orphanage.
We chose Noah's ark for the large mural- and when we got there, it ended up being that we actually had two walls-- so we split up, a few of us painted the two Ark panels, and a few of us painted a soccer match mural- it was adorable, and the girls did SUCH a lovely job. I really liked it a lot. I think the kids did too.
With the ark panels, I think we have had too many cooks in the kitchen but our finished product was pretty awesome, SO I guess our cooks did just fine :)
It actually took us two days to finish- which was perfectly okay for me- that meant we got to miss a day of hiking AND we got to hang out with some of the kids AND they helped us paint AND we got to have lunch with them. It was really really fun.
That night, we headed back to the school/orphanage for a mishmatch soccer game- kids just playing soccer on the concrete with their net-less goals and no lights for when it got dark...
Some of us got to play too... but by the time I was brave enough, it was dark and some of our girls were already ready to go...
SO I had a lovely time watching them play.
After the game was over, the Priest asked if we wanted a tour- we, of course, said yes.
He showed us where the school building was, where the library was, where they've built and established a physical therapy building for both Christians and Muslims.. and then he showed us where the orphans lived.
We saw where the kids lived, where the babies sleep, we go to see where they eat and play and read and have downtime...
The most wonderful part was Sister Angelu.. she spoke wonderful spanish. (ah... muy rapido, indeed...) BUT. even when I told her it was very fast, she took Rachel and I by the hand and took us into rooms and showed us pictures and used her hands to talk and pointed...
The thing about being in Jordan is that nearly everyone TRIES.
Cabbies try to communicate even if their English is poor, and our Arabic is worse... Sister Angelu talked our ear off... but we understood, because she TRIED.
Communication here is so different from communication in the US.
But I love it. People try here. People listen carefully to the things you don't say, but instead to the makeshift sign language, the way your face moves, the directions you point.
The worst part was leaving.
There was one kid I really really wanted to bring home. His name was Sam.
At first I suspected he was special. Perhaps a bit slow.
But now I think maybe he's just got that little brother, loud mouth, lazy little boy who doesn't like to read thing going on....
I told the Priest I thought Sam was funny, and he was my favorite.
The Priest told me Sam was lazy and didn't care to read or write because to quote Sam, he "had a bad teacher". lol
Boys are so stinkin funny- I get it, man... no one likes to do the hard stuff. And maybe for Sam, reading and writing is freakin hard. I get that.
I've experienced a lot of kids who just don't get music, so they need a bit of extra help, some short cuts or helpful hints... Maybe Sam just needs someone to sit with him and help him realize reading is pretty awesome.
I'm considering maybe going back.
They need help with their english-speaking/teaching program.
I also suspect they might need help with soccer nets and comic books for little boys who don't like to read... maybe nail polish for little girls who live at the orphanage.
And you know, it's not about the fact that they're Catholic and I'm Baptist and you should leave the Catholic missions up to the Catholic churches.... It's about kids. And people. And helping.
Because if people don't start helping people- it's going to be a bumpier and bumpier ride...
(I keep thinking I Have it all figured out-- Antiquities, minor in Religious Studies, masters in Mythology... be a story teller forever... but then I realize that I just want to help people. And do community outreach and help people paint over graffiti and plant gardens and inspire change in the world. But i don't think they offer degrees in 'graffiti painting' or 'inspiration'.)
ANYWAY.
I cried when we left. Because Sam is adorable and I wanted to take him and his sister home with me- and I have a sneaking suspicion I might adopt someday... But not babies- kids who need homes and love but no one will take them because they aren't cooing/pooing babies...
Kids are the future, man.
SO.
The last day of the hike, I opted out.
My ankles hurt too bad from the first day hike and then standing around and painting and crouching and climbing onto scaffoldings... so I didn't go.
And I made the right decisions- because one of our staff came back and said "Anyone with weak ankles would've had a really really rough and bad time today. Lots of round rocks- easy to roll ankles on."
It was fairly boring, not much to do- but I welcomed the break.
We were at Pella- it was beautiful.
Boring but beautiful.
We took naps and read books.
Can't complain.:)
(I was also on drugs. The legal kind. I got car sick, so I took some anti-carsick pills... they made me SUPER loopy. It was hilarious. I'm fairly certain there's a video of me floatin around somewhere talking about how Jesus was not annointed with olive oil because it stinks, and royalty did not stink. loll... or something...)
[Just as a sidenote...It seems everyone on our team journals- even the grads and faculty.. When we get down time, they're always pulling out their journal to draw a picture or jot down some words. I like that.]
Then, we headed for Aqaba.
Ohhhhh wonderful, delightful, expensive Aqaba, how I loved thee.
It was beautiful and breezy and come on- directly on the beach of the Red Sea where I was in plain sight of Israel and Egypt, and not more than a few k's from Saudi... awesome.
AWESOME. seriously.
We stayed at a Radisson (sp? shrug...) and it was fairly westernized..
So that was delightful.
And fortunately (unfortunately?) their website led us to believe their rooms were 100jd a night, and when we got there, they expected 'roundabouts 180jd, I think, for a weekend price..... I'm not sure- I got real upset and had to sit down and eat a granola bar. (lol, kind of...)
HOWEVER. Dave, our fake habibi to ward off Jordanians... raised some hell and we got our rooms for even cheaper than the regular price.
Which is awesome.
So, even if the weekend was, indeed, about 100 more jd than I expected, it was still cheaper than it would've been.
The best part about the weekend was when Rachel and Alex and I walked into our room and turned on the tv and it sai "Welcome, Mrs Hill" everytime. hahaha awesome.
We took pictures.
(Speaking of which... I only got to take a small handful of pictures because Jordanian batteries seriously last about 7 and a half minutes. So. I had no batteries because mine died. Fail. I'll be stealing pictures from the boys or Rachel and Alex.)
But seriously, though.. it was so wonderful. Just to sit on the beach and read, swim in the Red Sea- which is so blue, by the way, I have no idea why it's called the RED sea. (So deep blue, but so clear, you can see the bottom a long way out...)
Beautiful.
I could spend a long time there if that were an option and of course, money were no object.
I think the best part (and by best I mean.... worst. let's all be honest here.) was the bus ride to and from.
We couldn't read the numerals and the stewardess definitely didn't put us in the right seats and on the way there, an entire family of Jordanian women and children got seriously angry at us "but my children! where will they sit!" I wanted to say, I don't give a shit, lady, find a new place- we did. But I couldn't say that, so I just moved instead... and unfortunately, Rachel and I got stuck behind this giant gorrilla of a sweaty man who pushed the seats so far back our tiny midget legs couldn't fit.. so Rachel moved to the front- I stayed and sat sideways, and had tiny baby hands constantly grabbing my tattooed foot.. The stewardess poking me so I'd move my legs so she could stand in the isle and shoot the shit with the ladies who stole my seat... Needless to say, my ride was less than enjoyable and I was very tired when we got to Aqaba.
The ride back wasn't as horrible- but I did have to share my seat with a Jordanian man. I think we both felt very, very awkward about the situation.
The coolest part about Aqaba was watching soccer. :)
It was quite the adventure sitting in the Heatwave (their swanky bar...), watching soccer with some Jordanians... us yelling, them yelling... everything was in Arabic, but we all understood the game...
:)
America and England finishing with a tied game.
Awesome.
Awesome awesome awesome.
That was fun. (even if I did get a bit sleep towards the end..lol)
It's such an interesting feeling to know that the World Cup is SUCH a huge deal- and I'm here, watching it, surrounded by a completely different culture.
(And just FYI- I'm totally cheering for South Africa because they're SOOO the underdogs, and I love the underdogs- even if they lose- I love the underdogs.
But I am, of course, cheering for the American boys... who are also underdogs!
Then maybe England. :)
I realy love soccer because it's such a melting pot of sports... my buddy Dave and sat, watching the game, trying to decide who was America and who was England based on last names and skin color- and we couldn't do it.
(Until we saw the crest on England's uniforms...) It's just cool, man..
Hmm... so. we went back to Amman just to pack up and leave again...
And now we're in Irbid. Our arrival was... rather interesting with the fact that the hotel we were told we were staying in was actually.. incorrect.
Al-joude was not the hotel we were staying in, but Al-jadeen.
And while Al-joude was ready to accept us after all their communication with Dr Walker, we had to leave, because once again- Yarmuk messed up our living arrangements again..
We got placed in Al-jadeen which is actually under construction and not ready for us at all...
It's been interesting, indeed.
Dr Walker had to come in and lay the smack down- I love listening to her speak Arabic. Coming out of her mouth, it's beautiful! Even when she's yelling! haha
So now we have the use of a kitchen and hot water and sheets.
Yes. Sheets.
We didn't have those at first....
The culture of Irbid is WAY different than that of Amman.. I really didn't expect it to be different at all, I guess, considering it's all Muslim and all Jordanian.
But I guess that would be like saying I would expect Seattle and Houston and StL and New York to all be the same in culture and aspects and behaviors- and they're not.
I guess I'm just very surprised by the... bold and outspoken behavior of men in Irbid.
Alex, Rachel and I had a teenage boy (who, I suspect had mental issues, honestly) follow us for a while. He said hello to us, and we kind of waved him off-- but he followed us and tried to shake my hand- which is a HUGE no-no in this community- Jordanian men do NOT touch women unless they are married. He snuck up behind us to tried to shake my hand though, and when he wasn't startled that I was startled, that's when I suspected he had mental issues...
Regardless, though.. It's not okay that he kept following us for a few blocks, and even when we crossed the street, he followed us, and then when we were walking into Hardees to escape- he grabbed Alex's tush.
At the time- it was not funny.
Alex waved her arms, and basically yelled "fuck off" in arabic and the boy sprinted away.
....and then he ran into traffic, right up to some random car that had to stop because of a line of cars in front of them.
I dunno man. I think he had real issues... but still, that's no excuse for the other Jordanian men who whoop and hollar and cat call and hiss at us just because we are A, white women and B, wearing tshirts.
Yep.
I will not miss this part of Jordanian culture.
For the most part, men have been EXTREMELY polite and appropriate and offer any help they can, and they shake the hands of the men we're with and offer their cards (most are cab drivers) and tell us if we need anything we can call, even if it's just translation issues...
When we got back to the hotel and told Dave, our fake habibi, what had happened, he asked if we wanted him to go beat his ass- which made me laugh. Because it's such an american response.
And I dig it a lot.
Irbid is just... interesting...
SO. that's what I'm currently up to.
Today, we didn't do much- I've been updating this and we went and got lunch and met some unruly natives and now Alex and Rachel are napping again and I'm updating this again and later, some of the boys are cooking dinner because they're first on the list. :)
Pretty bummed my Keens finally gave me a blister... so I'm going to blame it on my flip flops. Because flip flops suck. :)
Anyway... there are unruly children in our hotel again...
This trip has made me want to never have children but yet adopt all the children in the world..
Strange. Yet true.
Much like this trip...
In other quick and random news...
I'm thinking about continuing spanish...
And finishing my antiquities degree somewhere other than MoState...
and getting a masters in Mythology...
And researching volunteer opportunties like my roomie Alex did in Africa, because I'm totally interested.
I think if I could be a volunteer forever, I'd do it.
I just want to help make people's lives better.
If I could help make American people's lives better, I'd do that first- because we have orphans and starving babies and poverty and illiterate folk and graffitied neighborhoods that need painting and people with unsafe drinking water and people living in rubbish too....
I just don't know where it seems worse- American where people know better.
Or here, where they might know better and don't give a damn- OR where they might know better and can't afford better.
There is a clash of culture here in half of Jordan- in Ajloun where we were volunteering and hiking- you can drive by the gas station, and see someone herding their goats through town...
It's bizarre to think that there is such a clash of culture, and it works for them.
My brain is all scrambled and I have so many thoughts on these subjects- but really, man, I just want to help make lives better, that's all.
And I'll leave you with that. :)
Friday, June 4, 2010
Everything works as it should.
I so appreciate that everyone in my life is so wonderful and so sweet, and wants to help so much- but everything works out :) so don't you worry your little heads!
(Maybe I should take that same advice from time to time! ha!)
The dig is over.
It's so horribly bittersweet- I LOVED my field, my field sup, our team. We worked so well together. We moved some serious dirt- opened and closed 4 squares. Dang.
That's seriously awesome.
Yesterday was a bit confusing- as I've already stated...
I'm still wondering what's up with our passports/visas... Maybe I'll talk with Dr Walker and figure it out.
After all that jazz, the hotel threw a wonderful party for us- food, ice cream, and A DJ! lol
It was pretty wonderful of them!
We all danced up a storm.
We presented our "hotel mother" with flowers and a card, and a sizable tip, and to our "assistant director" Filip, we gave a card.
We gave the hotel giant photos of our dig group and they gave us all pro-Jordan head scarves to remind us of our travels and stay in Jordan.
It was so sweet.
A very wonderful token.
Then a few of us went to Books@Cafe, which could've been more fun- but a very large group went.. which I thought was a bad idea.
Our small table of 4 had a good time though, cheeseburgers, pizza, hookah (argileh)... it was a nice time.
We talked a lot about our different dig fields and our experiences, enjoyed some really awesome food, and just really... enjoyed the company of people we don't usually spend our time with.
I like eye-opening experiences where you get to know someone you thought you had a pretty good opinion of.. but obviously didn't.
Then Rachel and I slept in until about 10:30 or 11... which was fabulous.
Now, we're all just hanging out.
I'm trying desperately to finish this Jodi Picoult book and get it to Rachel so she will have something to read! haha :) She's currently reading my copy of the Zombie Survival Guide.
One of two of my books she hasn't read. (the other 4, she's already read. lol)
Anyway.
This weekend, Mt Nebo and Madaba to see the museum where our mosaic is kept.. Should be interesting.
Next weekend, a few of us are thinking about Aqaba. Which would be awesome-- snorkeling!
This next week is the Abraham Path... I guess it should be interesting?
I would like to know more about it, like, how much we'll be hiking each day, and where we're sleeping- I've heard a lot of rumours, but that's all I've got so far.
Hopefully we'll have a meeting soon to discuss it.
Still missing home, Nate, my family- my bffs! Last night, we were trying to do silly things with hookah smoke and I couldn't do one where you stick out your bottom teeth-- which reminded me of the BFFs from home-- the lower jaw photos = <3 fo sheezy.
Random texts, skype and email have been getting me through. :)
I miss people- but I'm not ready to come home yet.
Well... that's all I've got for right now... that, and swollen feet for no good reason! lol They're like sausages!
I leave you with that wonderful thought!
byeeeeee
I so appreciate that everyone in my life is so wonderful and so sweet, and wants to help so much- but everything works out :) so don't you worry your little heads!
(Maybe I should take that same advice from time to time! ha!)
The dig is over.
It's so horribly bittersweet- I LOVED my field, my field sup, our team. We worked so well together. We moved some serious dirt- opened and closed 4 squares. Dang.
That's seriously awesome.
Yesterday was a bit confusing- as I've already stated...
I'm still wondering what's up with our passports/visas... Maybe I'll talk with Dr Walker and figure it out.
After all that jazz, the hotel threw a wonderful party for us- food, ice cream, and A DJ! lol
It was pretty wonderful of them!
We all danced up a storm.
We presented our "hotel mother" with flowers and a card, and a sizable tip, and to our "assistant director" Filip, we gave a card.
We gave the hotel giant photos of our dig group and they gave us all pro-Jordan head scarves to remind us of our travels and stay in Jordan.
It was so sweet.
A very wonderful token.
Then a few of us went to Books@Cafe, which could've been more fun- but a very large group went.. which I thought was a bad idea.
Our small table of 4 had a good time though, cheeseburgers, pizza, hookah (argileh)... it was a nice time.
We talked a lot about our different dig fields and our experiences, enjoyed some really awesome food, and just really... enjoyed the company of people we don't usually spend our time with.
I like eye-opening experiences where you get to know someone you thought you had a pretty good opinion of.. but obviously didn't.
Then Rachel and I slept in until about 10:30 or 11... which was fabulous.
Now, we're all just hanging out.
I'm trying desperately to finish this Jodi Picoult book and get it to Rachel so she will have something to read! haha :) She's currently reading my copy of the Zombie Survival Guide.
One of two of my books she hasn't read. (the other 4, she's already read. lol)
Anyway.
This weekend, Mt Nebo and Madaba to see the museum where our mosaic is kept.. Should be interesting.
Next weekend, a few of us are thinking about Aqaba. Which would be awesome-- snorkeling!
This next week is the Abraham Path... I guess it should be interesting?
I would like to know more about it, like, how much we'll be hiking each day, and where we're sleeping- I've heard a lot of rumours, but that's all I've got so far.
Hopefully we'll have a meeting soon to discuss it.
Still missing home, Nate, my family- my bffs! Last night, we were trying to do silly things with hookah smoke and I couldn't do one where you stick out your bottom teeth-- which reminded me of the BFFs from home-- the lower jaw photos = <3 fo sheezy.
Random texts, skype and email have been getting me through. :)
I miss people- but I'm not ready to come home yet.
Well... that's all I've got for right now... that, and swollen feet for no good reason! lol They're like sausages!
I leave you with that wonderful thought!
byeeeeee
Thursday, June 3, 2010
"What's that?" "Tofu."
I'm really not in a peppy sort of mood.
(Eventually at the end of this, I'll write about happier things. But the beginning just holds a few more pressing matters.)
(I have more than 3.97. That's just my checking account. However, my student loan account is nearing about 240jd... not a lot. Makin' me worry.)
I recently just found out that I can't get any loans without filling out an Appeals Form because I have too many credit hours.
Isn't that what colleges want? People to take classes and pay them money?
I have been in school to long to not have received at least one bachelors. I accept that.
I also accept that music majors generally take 5 years. That's a given.
Plus one semester if you add up all my degree changes before my junior year.
Plus a year dealing with Fraternity/Lawyer things.
So. 6 and a half.
IF I student teach fall semester. (fall 2010.)
If I don't... Spring 2011.
Then after that, I still want my antiquities degree.
Because I like it.
I like this work, i like the reading and research and history.
A masters, because you can't do anything without a masters.
Perhaps in Classics.
Maybe in religious studies.
That's like... a thousand years in college.
And a million dollars in student loans.
And schools and people constantly telling me I can't and I shouldn't.
BUT for right now, I have Missouri State telling me I can't.
I can't get student loans because I have too many credits.
So I have to fill out an appeals form, which isn't as crazy as it sounds, come to find out, because one of the guys on our team had to do it while he was getting two masters degrees.
BUT. I had to contact my lawyer because I don't know how to tell the University while I'm still in school or why I have a lawyer, and that's how I've been enabled to continue with my classes- because my Big Bad Wolf is clearing a path for me.
So. I sent an email to Joe. And now I wait.
The form is supposed to be turned in like... this week. Maybe next week.
I guess we'll find out.
Financial Aid has been throwing me through firey hoops, and I'm getting ehxausted.
IN DIG NEWS.
Seth and I got booted from our cave.
See also: Dave the field sup kept our squaresups and sent Seth and I to another field for the day, because they needed our help.
Turns out, though, they didn't need our help as bad as they thought because after second breakfast, Seth and I got to work with bones! My favorite!
Seth got to clean bones, I worked inventory.
I actually had a lot of fun working inventory- I like the tedious things, it turns out...
After that, we came back to the hotel and showered, ate lunch, then left to tour some other dig sites in the MPP (Madaba Plains Project). We saw Umayri and Jalul- both very interesting sites.
One of the Andrews girls, Lizzy, is going to work at Umayri the 23rd-- one dig right after the other- so cool.
She's pretty awesome.
All dig sites seem to be very similar it that all living spaces were built to protect, to be strongholds- so they were all built on high hills, some with high walls, others not. Umaryi had excavated the protective walls, and actually found a mote. Pretty cool.
After touring the dig sites, we went back to our own site, and we had our site party with the workman. One of the Andrews guys made BBQ (ish) for us and we all hung out for a bit.
Some of the workmen sang and danced, impromptu-like. It was pretty great. They got some of us out there to do it too. I had a lot of fun.
Great food, fun singing and dancing.
We had a visit from a movie star, apparently, who was filming a perfume commercial on our Tell (?)... I dunno, man.. I thought it was pretty weird considering we always leave the Tell smelling awful. haha
Then we all came back to the hotel and slept.
This morning I got to sleep in a bit because, while I needed to help with bone registry, I thought I needed to go to the Police Station to have my passport checked more-- Jordan has a policy where all foreigners have to get an HIV test if they're in the country for a month or more. But the HIV test is so unsanitary, it's pretty unsafe and can actually make you sick/give you diseases. So, Dr Walker won't let us do it- the fine for not doing it is 1.5 jd's a day for every day after a month...
Which is roughly the cost of the HIV test.
That's basically what the police station told us (Which is what we, MSU kids, already knew...
So, instead of going to the site to help MJ with bones, a couple of us helped Jeff, our doctoral student from Andrews, pack the "backyard" up so it's ready to be taken back to the site.
One of our guys helped Lizzy do pottery registry and pack up...
A lot of the Andrews kids kind of just... took off and went to the mall.
It's kind of strange.. the desire to work between them and us.
A lot of them, it seems they're here strictly for religious reasons, and all of us, we're here to dig.
I dunno. I might be completely wrong in that thought. Who knows. Everyone knows what assumptions do.
So.. now we wait until lunch.
And maybe tonight, we'll go out.
I'll celebrate how little money I have.
SIGH. I don't want to be a party pooper, but with such little jd, I can't help it!
I reaaaaaalllyyy hope my lawyer gets back to me quick so I can straighten out my loan business....
Money. The bane of existence.
(Eventually at the end of this, I'll write about happier things. But the beginning just holds a few more pressing matters.)
(I have more than 3.97. That's just my checking account. However, my student loan account is nearing about 240jd... not a lot. Makin' me worry.)
I recently just found out that I can't get any loans without filling out an Appeals Form because I have too many credit hours.
Isn't that what colleges want? People to take classes and pay them money?
I have been in school to long to not have received at least one bachelors. I accept that.
I also accept that music majors generally take 5 years. That's a given.
Plus one semester if you add up all my degree changes before my junior year.
Plus a year dealing with Fraternity/Lawyer things.
So. 6 and a half.
IF I student teach fall semester. (fall 2010.)
If I don't... Spring 2011.
Then after that, I still want my antiquities degree.
Because I like it.
I like this work, i like the reading and research and history.
A masters, because you can't do anything without a masters.
Perhaps in Classics.
Maybe in religious studies.
That's like... a thousand years in college.
And a million dollars in student loans.
And schools and people constantly telling me I can't and I shouldn't.
BUT for right now, I have Missouri State telling me I can't.
I can't get student loans because I have too many credits.
So I have to fill out an appeals form, which isn't as crazy as it sounds, come to find out, because one of the guys on our team had to do it while he was getting two masters degrees.
BUT. I had to contact my lawyer because I don't know how to tell the University while I'm still in school or why I have a lawyer, and that's how I've been enabled to continue with my classes- because my Big Bad Wolf is clearing a path for me.
So. I sent an email to Joe. And now I wait.
The form is supposed to be turned in like... this week. Maybe next week.
I guess we'll find out.
Financial Aid has been throwing me through firey hoops, and I'm getting ehxausted.
IN DIG NEWS.
Seth and I got booted from our cave.
See also: Dave the field sup kept our squaresups and sent Seth and I to another field for the day, because they needed our help.
Turns out, though, they didn't need our help as bad as they thought because after second breakfast, Seth and I got to work with bones! My favorite!
Seth got to clean bones, I worked inventory.
I actually had a lot of fun working inventory- I like the tedious things, it turns out...
After that, we came back to the hotel and showered, ate lunch, then left to tour some other dig sites in the MPP (Madaba Plains Project). We saw Umayri and Jalul- both very interesting sites.
One of the Andrews girls, Lizzy, is going to work at Umayri the 23rd-- one dig right after the other- so cool.
She's pretty awesome.
All dig sites seem to be very similar it that all living spaces were built to protect, to be strongholds- so they were all built on high hills, some with high walls, others not. Umaryi had excavated the protective walls, and actually found a mote. Pretty cool.
After touring the dig sites, we went back to our own site, and we had our site party with the workman. One of the Andrews guys made BBQ (ish) for us and we all hung out for a bit.
Some of the workmen sang and danced, impromptu-like. It was pretty great. They got some of us out there to do it too. I had a lot of fun.
Great food, fun singing and dancing.
We had a visit from a movie star, apparently, who was filming a perfume commercial on our Tell (?)... I dunno, man.. I thought it was pretty weird considering we always leave the Tell smelling awful. haha
Then we all came back to the hotel and slept.
This morning I got to sleep in a bit because, while I needed to help with bone registry, I thought I needed to go to the Police Station to have my passport checked more-- Jordan has a policy where all foreigners have to get an HIV test if they're in the country for a month or more. But the HIV test is so unsanitary, it's pretty unsafe and can actually make you sick/give you diseases. So, Dr Walker won't let us do it- the fine for not doing it is 1.5 jd's a day for every day after a month...
Which is roughly the cost of the HIV test.
That's basically what the police station told us (Which is what we, MSU kids, already knew...
So, instead of going to the site to help MJ with bones, a couple of us helped Jeff, our doctoral student from Andrews, pack the "backyard" up so it's ready to be taken back to the site.
One of our guys helped Lizzy do pottery registry and pack up...
A lot of the Andrews kids kind of just... took off and went to the mall.
It's kind of strange.. the desire to work between them and us.
A lot of them, it seems they're here strictly for religious reasons, and all of us, we're here to dig.
I dunno. I might be completely wrong in that thought. Who knows. Everyone knows what assumptions do.
So.. now we wait until lunch.
And maybe tonight, we'll go out.
I'll celebrate how little money I have.
SIGH. I don't want to be a party pooper, but with such little jd, I can't help it!
I reaaaaaalllyyy hope my lawyer gets back to me quick so I can straighten out my loan business....
Money. The bane of existence.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Gerbil Chariot, away!!
Ohhhhhhhhh my.
WHAT A WEEK/WEEKEND.
This past week was our second full week of digging... and really, we don't do full weeks of digging, because Fridays are short days because of the Sabbath.
Wes and I closed our square- so long, cistern.
We finally hit bedrock (Or, a plastered floor, rather.. so we didn't dig through. Heck, it might've been bedrock, just plastered. The whole cistern is plastered, probably as a means to keep their water source protected and clean.)
So, we drew the sides of our squares- well, 2 sides.
Wes drew one, I drew the other.
I used my eraser a lot- Wes didn't. lol
But we got it done, and they look pretty good.
Our new home is here:
(disregard... stupid internet.... I was going to upload a picture... but nevermind!)
Audrey's second square. Inside what I think is probably a store room.
Our fieldsup thinks it's probably where looters put all the extra dirt- So, all the newer pottery will be on the bottom, and the older pottery on top, because when looters dig for rich stuff, they cavalierly throw dirt (and whatever is in the dirt) wherever they want...
Therefore- fieldsup's hypothesis.
Which makes total sense.
That's what I like about this work- it makes sense. I like the problem solving.
And in the Near East, people are constantly reusing things for logical reasons- each generation, each decade reuses what we now find to be timeless and historical and precious for logical and understandable reasons-- Like, the car parked in a burial tomb. Sure, it may be a burial tomb, and it was probably looted... And now there's a car parked in it- but seriously- where else would they park? Pretty logical.
Anyway.
New hole.
Today was our first day joining Audrey in the new hole.
And on our first day- we had a cave in.
Really, it was my fault. The rock I was using as my seat (for about an hour, mind you!) was suddenly not as stable as I thought and it totally just collapsed the wall.
Lessons learned- we cleaned up the hole, tossed out the dirt, and kept going.
In the collapse, I totally uncovered the wall of the store room though.. which is awesome.
I mean, it was totally a mistake- but an awesome mistake.
Now we have proof that it IS a room, instead of hypothesizing.
This weekend, we TRAVELED.
I am SO tired.
Friday, on the way back from the dig site, we got to tour a Green Home- a home made from plastic bags, dirt, a bit of cement and some water. Crazy awesome.
It was made for $2,000jd.
Which is even more awesome!
Such sustainable living!
Then we all went back to the hotel, ate, showered, napped, etc.
That night, some friends I went to the Blue Fig, a coffee cafe and bar, enjoyed ourselves for a bit, then 3/4 of us headed to Books@Cafe, another cafe/bar/hookah joint.
The evening was mucho fun.
I mean.. really really really fun.
Then saturday, we SLEPT IN.
It was GLORIOUS.
I slept till NINE. incredible.
In the afternoon, we headed to the Amman Citadel and saw things like the ampitheatre and Temple of Hercules and other such wonderful things- I took lots of photos. I can't wait till I can upload them.
Sunday, we headed to Jerash, a very well preserved Roman city- some say it's even better than Rome itself.
It was pretty dang awesome. I also took lots of photos of it..
Next, we headed to Ajlun Castle.
It kind of looked like every other castle... but it was neat, still! And I took lots of photos.
After Ajlun, we went to Bethany.
I was actually very very excited about this site.
A lot of people in our group weren't, which was a bit of a buzzkill, but that's okay! I still had a wonderful time, took some photos, and got to dip my feet in the Jordan river like all the devout old women.
They were SO sweet, dipping their feet, their hands, their wooden crucifixes into the water. I could cry- they were so precious.
Directly across this now-tiny river was the West Bank.
Crazy, right?
So I took a few photos- it was pretty anti-climactic, but still awesome to know that I was on the East bank, and could see the west bank.
The baptism site of Christ was also pretty anti-climactic, but still pretty neat, and awe-inspiring to know I stood in a place where Christ walked.
The tour guide said they knew it was the site because of the marble stairs. (That's pretty much the only part I caught- his accent was THICK)
(I'm not supposed to say this, Because Rachel's mom reads this and she worries-- but Apparently Bethany is a seriously dangerous place- or WAS. It apparently use to be a border, and there are still land mines; it's a pretty heavily guarded area by the military. We took a bus tour, and then were led through a gated path by a tour guide. SO, don't worry, Fay! No danger to us! I promise neither Rachel, nor I, stepped on a land mine!:D)
After Bethany was the Dead Sea-- which was much appreciated after the long walk through Bethany to see the Baptism site of Christ.
The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect. It was wonderful.
But let me tell you- It was SO strange to float in water.
FLOAT.
I thought it would take some effort, like, "oh, I'll float, but here, I'll give the buoyancy a little help..."
Nope. You float. It's difficult to swim, hard to switch from tummy to back or anything else- if you stay in one position, you're golden! lol
We all floated and enjoyed our time, then we dug up mud and rubbed it all over our skin and such.
Crazy how soft it made us...
(that sounds creepy. BUT we all agreed it made our skin SO soft!)
After that, we all headed home (back to the hotel).
And slept. lol
Then today, we dug.
SO tired and in serious need of showers (We were stinky, for real.).. but we had great days.
I felt SO much better today- I've been feeling pretty ill just about every day we've been here with stomach issues-- my tummy just doesn't agree with Jordan.
So, three weeks in, genius that I am.. I realized that even in the states when I drink too much juice, my stomach hates me.
SO. I just didn't drink juice today. (I also took my cipro today, too...)
I feel great! Yay!
It's way easier to enjoy the trip when you don't have to spend half of it in the bathroom...
(that's probably too much information... but 'round here... we talk about it. haha. Because we ALL have issues sometimes. It happens to EVERYONE. Dr Walker wasn't lyin'!)
Hmmm... what else...
I'm trying to finish my Jodi Picoult book in a timely fashion so Rachel has something to read. ;D
She's read 7 books since we've been here-- the girl reads FAST.
She read 5 of her own, one of mine, and she's working on her 7th now.
....I just want to finish one! haha :) Maybe more if I get around to it!
Maybe I'll read slow... just so I KNOW she'll have something for the survey. lol
Man... I can't believe this is week 3. That is CRAZY.
Know what else is crazy? I forgot what month it was... what the date was... And therefore, I totally forgot it was memorial day.
It's so different "celebrating" memorial day here... Because now I have such a completely different view of a lot of things..
Basic things like... being able to drink my tap water without getting sick- that's a big one here. We pay for bottled water so we don't get sick.
Being able to walk down a sidewalk by myself in America. I mean... I don't think I would feel at all threatened walking here alone.. but I don't think I would feel comfortable. Much like.. I wouldn't go to the Souk (open air market) without a group of girls, and at least one fella... Or, just a guy friend. Always with a guy.
I am grateful to be American. I am grateful for the ability to have clean water. I appreciate that I could play in the sprinklers every now and again when I was a kid. I appreciate that while we might not have lived in the fanciest or nicest house on the street- I had a house. I had clothes. I had a roof over my head that didn't leak or let animals in. I had food to eat and family that loved me. I grew up with a faith that has never failed, even with my logical academic mindset caused the idea of "religion" to fall away.
I hope everyone gets the chance to see a "third world country" and understand the gratefulness I feel today.
I'm not homesick- But I do wish I could be home for the holiday.
Today was wonderful. :)
WHAT A WEEK/WEEKEND.
This past week was our second full week of digging... and really, we don't do full weeks of digging, because Fridays are short days because of the Sabbath.
Wes and I closed our square- so long, cistern.
We finally hit bedrock (Or, a plastered floor, rather.. so we didn't dig through. Heck, it might've been bedrock, just plastered. The whole cistern is plastered, probably as a means to keep their water source protected and clean.)
So, we drew the sides of our squares- well, 2 sides.
Wes drew one, I drew the other.
I used my eraser a lot- Wes didn't. lol
But we got it done, and they look pretty good.
Our new home is here:
(disregard... stupid internet.... I was going to upload a picture... but nevermind!)
Audrey's second square. Inside what I think is probably a store room.
Our fieldsup thinks it's probably where looters put all the extra dirt- So, all the newer pottery will be on the bottom, and the older pottery on top, because when looters dig for rich stuff, they cavalierly throw dirt (and whatever is in the dirt) wherever they want...
Therefore- fieldsup's hypothesis.
Which makes total sense.
That's what I like about this work- it makes sense. I like the problem solving.
And in the Near East, people are constantly reusing things for logical reasons- each generation, each decade reuses what we now find to be timeless and historical and precious for logical and understandable reasons-- Like, the car parked in a burial tomb. Sure, it may be a burial tomb, and it was probably looted... And now there's a car parked in it- but seriously- where else would they park? Pretty logical.
Anyway.
New hole.
Today was our first day joining Audrey in the new hole.
And on our first day- we had a cave in.
Really, it was my fault. The rock I was using as my seat (for about an hour, mind you!) was suddenly not as stable as I thought and it totally just collapsed the wall.
Lessons learned- we cleaned up the hole, tossed out the dirt, and kept going.
In the collapse, I totally uncovered the wall of the store room though.. which is awesome.
I mean, it was totally a mistake- but an awesome mistake.
Now we have proof that it IS a room, instead of hypothesizing.
This weekend, we TRAVELED.
I am SO tired.
Friday, on the way back from the dig site, we got to tour a Green Home- a home made from plastic bags, dirt, a bit of cement and some water. Crazy awesome.
It was made for $2,000jd.
Which is even more awesome!
Such sustainable living!
Then we all went back to the hotel, ate, showered, napped, etc.
That night, some friends I went to the Blue Fig, a coffee cafe and bar, enjoyed ourselves for a bit, then 3/4 of us headed to Books@Cafe, another cafe/bar/hookah joint.
The evening was mucho fun.
I mean.. really really really fun.
Then saturday, we SLEPT IN.
It was GLORIOUS.
I slept till NINE. incredible.
In the afternoon, we headed to the Amman Citadel and saw things like the ampitheatre and Temple of Hercules and other such wonderful things- I took lots of photos. I can't wait till I can upload them.
Sunday, we headed to Jerash, a very well preserved Roman city- some say it's even better than Rome itself.
It was pretty dang awesome. I also took lots of photos of it..
Next, we headed to Ajlun Castle.
It kind of looked like every other castle... but it was neat, still! And I took lots of photos.
After Ajlun, we went to Bethany.
I was actually very very excited about this site.
A lot of people in our group weren't, which was a bit of a buzzkill, but that's okay! I still had a wonderful time, took some photos, and got to dip my feet in the Jordan river like all the devout old women.
They were SO sweet, dipping their feet, their hands, their wooden crucifixes into the water. I could cry- they were so precious.
Directly across this now-tiny river was the West Bank.
Crazy, right?
So I took a few photos- it was pretty anti-climactic, but still awesome to know that I was on the East bank, and could see the west bank.
The baptism site of Christ was also pretty anti-climactic, but still pretty neat, and awe-inspiring to know I stood in a place where Christ walked.
The tour guide said they knew it was the site because of the marble stairs. (That's pretty much the only part I caught- his accent was THICK)
(I'm not supposed to say this, Because Rachel's mom reads this and she worries-- but Apparently Bethany is a seriously dangerous place- or WAS. It apparently use to be a border, and there are still land mines; it's a pretty heavily guarded area by the military. We took a bus tour, and then were led through a gated path by a tour guide. SO, don't worry, Fay! No danger to us! I promise neither Rachel, nor I, stepped on a land mine!:D)
After Bethany was the Dead Sea-- which was much appreciated after the long walk through Bethany to see the Baptism site of Christ.
The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect. It was wonderful.
But let me tell you- It was SO strange to float in water.
FLOAT.
I thought it would take some effort, like, "oh, I'll float, but here, I'll give the buoyancy a little help..."
Nope. You float. It's difficult to swim, hard to switch from tummy to back or anything else- if you stay in one position, you're golden! lol
We all floated and enjoyed our time, then we dug up mud and rubbed it all over our skin and such.
Crazy how soft it made us...
(that sounds creepy. BUT we all agreed it made our skin SO soft!)
After that, we all headed home (back to the hotel).
And slept. lol
Then today, we dug.
SO tired and in serious need of showers (We were stinky, for real.).. but we had great days.
I felt SO much better today- I've been feeling pretty ill just about every day we've been here with stomach issues-- my tummy just doesn't agree with Jordan.
So, three weeks in, genius that I am.. I realized that even in the states when I drink too much juice, my stomach hates me.
SO. I just didn't drink juice today. (I also took my cipro today, too...)
I feel great! Yay!
It's way easier to enjoy the trip when you don't have to spend half of it in the bathroom...
(that's probably too much information... but 'round here... we talk about it. haha. Because we ALL have issues sometimes. It happens to EVERYONE. Dr Walker wasn't lyin'!)
Hmmm... what else...
I'm trying to finish my Jodi Picoult book in a timely fashion so Rachel has something to read. ;D
She's read 7 books since we've been here-- the girl reads FAST.
She read 5 of her own, one of mine, and she's working on her 7th now.
....I just want to finish one! haha :) Maybe more if I get around to it!
Maybe I'll read slow... just so I KNOW she'll have something for the survey. lol
Man... I can't believe this is week 3. That is CRAZY.
Know what else is crazy? I forgot what month it was... what the date was... And therefore, I totally forgot it was memorial day.
It's so different "celebrating" memorial day here... Because now I have such a completely different view of a lot of things..
Basic things like... being able to drink my tap water without getting sick- that's a big one here. We pay for bottled water so we don't get sick.
Being able to walk down a sidewalk by myself in America. I mean... I don't think I would feel at all threatened walking here alone.. but I don't think I would feel comfortable. Much like.. I wouldn't go to the Souk (open air market) without a group of girls, and at least one fella... Or, just a guy friend. Always with a guy.
I am grateful to be American. I am grateful for the ability to have clean water. I appreciate that I could play in the sprinklers every now and again when I was a kid. I appreciate that while we might not have lived in the fanciest or nicest house on the street- I had a house. I had clothes. I had a roof over my head that didn't leak or let animals in. I had food to eat and family that loved me. I grew up with a faith that has never failed, even with my logical academic mindset caused the idea of "religion" to fall away.
I hope everyone gets the chance to see a "third world country" and understand the gratefulness I feel today.
I'm not homesick- But I do wish I could be home for the holiday.
Today was wonderful. :)
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