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. :)
Friday, May 28, 2010
"She said that! Get it? I inverted the adverb!"
[this is a car parked in a tomb cave. awesome.)
My homesickness remedy was cheetos, coca cola and gummy worms..
It worked pretty well. (Until all my cheetos got eaten... Sigh.)
Hmmmmmm.
Nate wrote me an email, and my favorite Tessa sent me a charming text message.. haha
Oh, Tessa, that text was lovely.
News on the dig front- everyone is sick.
There was one field today where there were only 2 people on site- like, 7 people stayed home because they were sick.
So much sinus illness and Pharaoh's Revenge going around- no bueno.
I'm hoping my turn to be sick is over.
So. Time to decide what to do this weekend.
Tonight, I could go out on the town-- or sleep.
Tomorrow I could go to the 7DA church service and potluck or go to Madaba or to the citadel in Amman.... Or do my laundry and sleep.
Sunday is the day we exhaust ourselves doing Dead Sea/Bethany/Jerash... Why can't we do it in two days? I want to spend more than 2 hours in Jerash! Dang it...
And to think, we had 2 days in Petra when I barely needed 5 hours.
The cave folk continue to be my favorites because we're all so dang chill and well... hilarious. We're the funniest people alive.
I still think we should make shirts with Abu Noor's face on them....
I might go take a shower now.. I was waiting because I don't want to wake Rachel up... but I want a hot shower. It was seriously cold on the Tell today.
So I'll be glad for a hot shower. (and clean fingernails...)
More later I'm sure... but for now... I'm going to shower. Because I need to. Badly.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
"you have the patience of Job"
Dude: "How do you handle her? She just sat next to you and shouted the whole time!"
Me: "I have the patience of a saint."
Dude: "no. no. more like, you have the patience of JOB."
that happened.
i've never been told i have the patience of anything. except maybe a puppy or squirrel.
So anyway.
Here's the truth.
I am incredibly homesick.
I have definitely NOT fallen in love with Jordan- I am trying. But....
I am really tired of tip-toeing between my culture and theirs. Going to Petra was extremely eye-opening, and really... sort of heartbreaking. I thought we'd hike and eat and drink water and maybe stop at some shops-- not be harassed by people selling donkey, camel and horse rides... not be followed by children wearing no shoes, with faces covered in dirt, asking us to buy postcards. I was heartbroken to know that I got completely ripped off buying lovely jewelry. I hated being raped buying water. Petra was beautiful- but exhausting in all ways.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted from the heat- I wanted to cry because my face was burning off, even after SPF70, and wearing a head scarf to keep the sun off me. I wanted to throw up because I was so hot.
It was incredible, but was the trouble worth the end result?
I think that's the biggest question with serious "tourism". Does the end justify the means.
Our weekend was also severely disorganized. As my friend Taylor would say "Charlie Foxtrot." It seemed that one group would get one set of orders, and the other group would get another- and then no one would actually know what was happening.
Being in a foreign country where people barely speak our language, and where I can only say "no, thank you" in Arabic.... it's overwhelming to hear "where do we meet? when do we meet? do you know when we're checking out? because i heard this time...."
I don't like to feel afraid I'm going to miss the bus and be left 4 hours away from our Home hotel...
Regardless of the fact that my fear is completely unfounded, and that the directors do not leave students behind... it's entirely plausible. Crap like that happens all the time.
My lovely friend Ellen says I'm experiencing culture shock... which is probably true. This first week has just been a lot to handle.
The culture here is very different. Some people are extremely welcoming. Some people are only welcoming because you're in their shop and they want you to buy things. Some people are genuinely amazing people though... we have workmen on our site who invite us to their homes to have tea and meet their families... they're really beautiful people.
I'm just learning about the culture and the people- and it's so different.
Even their personal space is different- in America, personal space is like, 3 feet. Here, there's like, no personal space. That's something I'll have to get used to.
I don't want my posts to deter anyone- Petra was seriously incredible. It was just very different from what I expected... or rather... Maybe I had delusions of grandeur, and therefore, expected something much different.
We didn't get much information on what to expect, I suppose.
Hmm... what else.
I got more texts from Nate.
I love getting texts.
They're free- so it's really nice to get surprise texts from people.
My face is pretty burny-- I think I'll wear my cafe tomorrow to the site.
And maybe a hard hat so I won't hit my head again. lol
Okay... people are in the lobby and I want to be social instead of homesick. I already got teary eyed with my buddy Scott. haha He told me to come sit next to him so he could hug me- but crying makes me feel silly so I said no. haha :)
Our team really is full of spectacular people. We're all so different but we're all so nerdy in the same history geek way.
Next weekend we go to Jerash and Bethany and the Dead Sea.
Hopefully it won't be quite the Charlie Foxtrot that this weekend was.
(Jerash is a roman town- said to be the best preserved roman town, even better than Rome itself. My buddy Dave and I are super stoked about seeing it- we're both super Roman history nerds.)
Hmmm... okay. Must go. <3
Me: "I have the patience of a saint."
Dude: "no. no. more like, you have the patience of JOB."
that happened.
i've never been told i have the patience of anything. except maybe a puppy or squirrel.
So anyway.
Here's the truth.
I am incredibly homesick.
I have definitely NOT fallen in love with Jordan- I am trying. But....
I am really tired of tip-toeing between my culture and theirs. Going to Petra was extremely eye-opening, and really... sort of heartbreaking. I thought we'd hike and eat and drink water and maybe stop at some shops-- not be harassed by people selling donkey, camel and horse rides... not be followed by children wearing no shoes, with faces covered in dirt, asking us to buy postcards. I was heartbroken to know that I got completely ripped off buying lovely jewelry. I hated being raped buying water. Petra was beautiful- but exhausting in all ways.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted from the heat- I wanted to cry because my face was burning off, even after SPF70, and wearing a head scarf to keep the sun off me. I wanted to throw up because I was so hot.
It was incredible, but was the trouble worth the end result?
I think that's the biggest question with serious "tourism". Does the end justify the means.
Our weekend was also severely disorganized. As my friend Taylor would say "Charlie Foxtrot." It seemed that one group would get one set of orders, and the other group would get another- and then no one would actually know what was happening.
Being in a foreign country where people barely speak our language, and where I can only say "no, thank you" in Arabic.... it's overwhelming to hear "where do we meet? when do we meet? do you know when we're checking out? because i heard this time...."
I don't like to feel afraid I'm going to miss the bus and be left 4 hours away from our Home hotel...
Regardless of the fact that my fear is completely unfounded, and that the directors do not leave students behind... it's entirely plausible. Crap like that happens all the time.
My lovely friend Ellen says I'm experiencing culture shock... which is probably true. This first week has just been a lot to handle.
The culture here is very different. Some people are extremely welcoming. Some people are only welcoming because you're in their shop and they want you to buy things. Some people are genuinely amazing people though... we have workmen on our site who invite us to their homes to have tea and meet their families... they're really beautiful people.
I'm just learning about the culture and the people- and it's so different.
Even their personal space is different- in America, personal space is like, 3 feet. Here, there's like, no personal space. That's something I'll have to get used to.
I don't want my posts to deter anyone- Petra was seriously incredible. It was just very different from what I expected... or rather... Maybe I had delusions of grandeur, and therefore, expected something much different.
We didn't get much information on what to expect, I suppose.
Hmm... what else.
I got more texts from Nate.
I love getting texts.
They're free- so it's really nice to get surprise texts from people.
My face is pretty burny-- I think I'll wear my cafe tomorrow to the site.
And maybe a hard hat so I won't hit my head again. lol
Okay... people are in the lobby and I want to be social instead of homesick. I already got teary eyed with my buddy Scott. haha He told me to come sit next to him so he could hug me- but crying makes me feel silly so I said no. haha :)
Our team really is full of spectacular people. We're all so different but we're all so nerdy in the same history geek way.
Next weekend we go to Jerash and Bethany and the Dead Sea.
Hopefully it won't be quite the Charlie Foxtrot that this weekend was.
(Jerash is a roman town- said to be the best preserved roman town, even better than Rome itself. My buddy Dave and I are super stoked about seeing it- we're both super Roman history nerds.)
Hmmm... okay. Must go. <3
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The bad thing about trips like these... You never get "me time".
You are constantly surrounded by people- you can never go anywhere without people, especially if you're a woman- you can never run to your room and just hang out with yourself because you have a roommate (Rachel's pretty awesome, though.) There's never a quiet or dull moment. People are always going and doing and you never want to miss out... but for real. Me time would be kind of nice.
I missed breakfast this morning, so I'm extra cranky. I ate a banana, but it really didn't cut it. I just miss memos sometimes about food and loading/leaving times... And then I miss breakfast.
The trade-off was, I missed breakfast to sleep in and take a shower.
My head hurts, still. Which might be a concern, but oh well, I guess. I'm sure my head is fine. I'll just pop some 'profen.
Sorry this post is so Johnny Raincloud- worn out + hungry + sunburn + different country + can't go anywhere alone + no peaceful shopping = grumpy.
I'm ready to go back to Amman where people know us and pretty much leave us alone.
Hmm... what's something positive?
I bought my Mommy's gift last night. I'm pretty sure she'll love it. I'm working on Nate's and Dad's gift- but it's proving a little more difficult. The gifts I want to buy are tagged at a more expensive price, and haggling is not my specialty.
I had haggled a guy down in Petra- but by the time he lowered to the price I wanted him at, I was on a camel passing his shop. I wanted to yell back "You're only saying 30jd because I'm on a camel and I can't get off!"
silly salesmen.
I hope Rachel is done showering because I'm hungry. And I need to find a dang ATM because I only have 5jd in my pocket. 5jd is pretty worthless round here... so I need some more cash monies.
I got a text from my mommy this morning, so that's good!
And yesterday I got emails from Nate and my mom, so that's doubly good.
Hm. Okay.. I better go and see what's up with checking our luggage and getting some food and taking some blister bandaids to Rachel.
adios.
You are constantly surrounded by people- you can never go anywhere without people, especially if you're a woman- you can never run to your room and just hang out with yourself because you have a roommate (Rachel's pretty awesome, though.) There's never a quiet or dull moment. People are always going and doing and you never want to miss out... but for real. Me time would be kind of nice.
I missed breakfast this morning, so I'm extra cranky. I ate a banana, but it really didn't cut it. I just miss memos sometimes about food and loading/leaving times... And then I miss breakfast.
The trade-off was, I missed breakfast to sleep in and take a shower.
My head hurts, still. Which might be a concern, but oh well, I guess. I'm sure my head is fine. I'll just pop some 'profen.
Sorry this post is so Johnny Raincloud- worn out + hungry + sunburn + different country + can't go anywhere alone + no peaceful shopping = grumpy.
I'm ready to go back to Amman where people know us and pretty much leave us alone.
Hmm... what's something positive?
I bought my Mommy's gift last night. I'm pretty sure she'll love it. I'm working on Nate's and Dad's gift- but it's proving a little more difficult. The gifts I want to buy are tagged at a more expensive price, and haggling is not my specialty.
I had haggled a guy down in Petra- but by the time he lowered to the price I wanted him at, I was on a camel passing his shop. I wanted to yell back "You're only saying 30jd because I'm on a camel and I can't get off!"
silly salesmen.
I hope Rachel is done showering because I'm hungry. And I need to find a dang ATM because I only have 5jd in my pocket. 5jd is pretty worthless round here... so I need some more cash monies.
I got a text from my mommy this morning, so that's good!
And yesterday I got emails from Nate and my mom, so that's doubly good.
Hm. Okay.. I better go and see what's up with checking our luggage and getting some food and taking some blister bandaids to Rachel.
adios.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Exchanging money feels like I'm being raped...
1. I just checked my bank account-- I got $100 in cash from a Jordanian ATM... but really, it's $141.24 in American dollars. ouch. Serious serious ouch. I just sure wish I would've brought more money with me, that's all... I found some amazing gifts I wanted to bring home for my mom and for Nate (only those two so far.) But one was 250jd and the other was 140jd... roughly $300 and $170 American dollars (ish.... you can tell my math is super precise ;D). Which... I can't spend. But I'll be damned if they weren't amazing gifts. SO. I'll head to the market soon and see if I can find equally amazing gifts.
2. Speaking of my mom and Nate... I never realized how much I communicate with my loved ones everyday... This lack of technological advances/ability to call, text, email at will is really cramping my style. Even when Nate skypes me, I cry. haha. I guess it's easy to miss people and things and places when you're 8 hours and thousands of miles away with limited internet and extremely expensive phone service...
3. Today we had a 'short day' on the site. Wes and I have found a happy agreement- he's digging and I'm sifting. I love sifting. I like to find bones and then talk about them with Dave Byers, our fieldsup. In the spring, Dave is offering zoology- which I will take, and be stoked about. I just really like bones. I like when archaeologists can learn about the history of a site from bones.
3a. We also have a "senior staff" team member named Christy who gave a presentation about ethnography- which totally interested me. I think I might have to sit down with her and have some tea. (Or soda... since it's her work to go talk with villagers and drink tea.) In her presentation, she mentioned Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea- and I nearly peed my pants with joy... After all, I did just give a 15 minute presentation on Greg and his life's work a week ago. (A presentation that I got a 98% on, might i add.... My teacher even said it was an incredible presentation.... But hey, I'm not tooting my own horn or anything ;D)
3b. SO I guess that's something I need to look into- ethnography.
4. I hit my head on the cave ceiling at least 4 times today. The last time I "cried like a man" according to myself, and Heidi, one of my fellow cave dwellers. We were carrying guffas of dirt for sifting- and I cracked my skull on the entrance of the cave, she immediately was like "Melanie- are you okay? Give me that, sit down." She's a sweet girl. But I didn't sit down- my eyes watered, I breathed deep for a few seconds, and then life went on. See? I cried like a man. haha :) But dang if my head doesn't hurt now....
5. Petra is interesting. The viba is totally different from Amman- you can totally tell this is a tourist city, and that's how they make their money-- dumb tourists who can't haggle and waste their money on things they can buy for 20jd or less somewhere else... Pretty much, it just seems these shop owners capitalize on whatever they can- pretty girls looking at jewelry "This is 15, but I give to you for 12." (said to me on a ring I almost bought! But since he offered me 12, I didn't want to push my luck and haggle lower and get thrown out. haha) Or, they make haggling deals with you, but "forget" to give you back your change... One of our team actually had a shop owner try to buy his boots off his feet. Crazy. Petra is crazy. I didn't buy anything. I don't have the money for it. It's far too expensive here.
6. Wes and I haven't been finding too many crazy awesome things- besides bones. After the cow bones, we've found some awesome tiny shells, and some tiny ribs and vertebrae and such. Today, Wes uncovered like, a donkey scapula? I don't know if that's even the right word- but it's part of the jaw/face. Pretty awesome. One of our cave squares found like.. half a donkey jaw bone with teeth and everything. (Wes and I found some tiny rodent jaws... which I thought was pretty awesome.. lol) But other wise, nothing ground breaking today.
6a. I'm still wondering when this cistern became a dump. And how such large cow and donkey bones ended up at the bottom of said cistern... Did the cistern become a dump because the water dried up? Or did people dump stuff in it when it was a cistern? And furthermore, why would they do that? If the cistern was a vital source of water- why would they dump bones and jewelry and pottery in it? It just doesn't make much sense. I'm still hypothesizing on this one.....
7. I should go to bed.... although we're sleeping in for 2 extra hours, it's still early! Instead of 4am, we're getting up at like... 6am. Which if I go to bed late, 6am will be suuuuper early.
8. So, today, I bid you adieu, and I think I will start writing little notes in my field notebook so I don't forget them by the time my blog writing comes around.... I know I have more to write, but I've forgotten by now. No worries... must be the concussion ;D hahaha... just kidding. Maybe. ;P
goodnight, neverland!
2. Speaking of my mom and Nate... I never realized how much I communicate with my loved ones everyday... This lack of technological advances/ability to call, text, email at will is really cramping my style. Even when Nate skypes me, I cry. haha. I guess it's easy to miss people and things and places when you're 8 hours and thousands of miles away with limited internet and extremely expensive phone service...
3. Today we had a 'short day' on the site. Wes and I have found a happy agreement- he's digging and I'm sifting. I love sifting. I like to find bones and then talk about them with Dave Byers, our fieldsup. In the spring, Dave is offering zoology- which I will take, and be stoked about. I just really like bones. I like when archaeologists can learn about the history of a site from bones.
3a. We also have a "senior staff" team member named Christy who gave a presentation about ethnography- which totally interested me. I think I might have to sit down with her and have some tea. (Or soda... since it's her work to go talk with villagers and drink tea.) In her presentation, she mentioned Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea- and I nearly peed my pants with joy... After all, I did just give a 15 minute presentation on Greg and his life's work a week ago. (A presentation that I got a 98% on, might i add.... My teacher even said it was an incredible presentation.... But hey, I'm not tooting my own horn or anything ;D)
3b. SO I guess that's something I need to look into- ethnography.
4. I hit my head on the cave ceiling at least 4 times today. The last time I "cried like a man" according to myself, and Heidi, one of my fellow cave dwellers. We were carrying guffas of dirt for sifting- and I cracked my skull on the entrance of the cave, she immediately was like "Melanie- are you okay? Give me that, sit down." She's a sweet girl. But I didn't sit down- my eyes watered, I breathed deep for a few seconds, and then life went on. See? I cried like a man. haha :) But dang if my head doesn't hurt now....
5. Petra is interesting. The viba is totally different from Amman- you can totally tell this is a tourist city, and that's how they make their money-- dumb tourists who can't haggle and waste their money on things they can buy for 20jd or less somewhere else... Pretty much, it just seems these shop owners capitalize on whatever they can- pretty girls looking at jewelry "This is 15, but I give to you for 12." (said to me on a ring I almost bought! But since he offered me 12, I didn't want to push my luck and haggle lower and get thrown out. haha) Or, they make haggling deals with you, but "forget" to give you back your change... One of our team actually had a shop owner try to buy his boots off his feet. Crazy. Petra is crazy. I didn't buy anything. I don't have the money for it. It's far too expensive here.
6. Wes and I haven't been finding too many crazy awesome things- besides bones. After the cow bones, we've found some awesome tiny shells, and some tiny ribs and vertebrae and such. Today, Wes uncovered like, a donkey scapula? I don't know if that's even the right word- but it's part of the jaw/face. Pretty awesome. One of our cave squares found like.. half a donkey jaw bone with teeth and everything. (Wes and I found some tiny rodent jaws... which I thought was pretty awesome.. lol) But other wise, nothing ground breaking today.
6a. I'm still wondering when this cistern became a dump. And how such large cow and donkey bones ended up at the bottom of said cistern... Did the cistern become a dump because the water dried up? Or did people dump stuff in it when it was a cistern? And furthermore, why would they do that? If the cistern was a vital source of water- why would they dump bones and jewelry and pottery in it? It just doesn't make much sense. I'm still hypothesizing on this one.....
7. I should go to bed.... although we're sleeping in for 2 extra hours, it's still early! Instead of 4am, we're getting up at like... 6am. Which if I go to bed late, 6am will be suuuuper early.
8. So, today, I bid you adieu, and I think I will start writing little notes in my field notebook so I don't forget them by the time my blog writing comes around.... I know I have more to write, but I've forgotten by now. No worries... must be the concussion ;D hahaha... just kidding. Maybe. ;P
goodnight, neverland!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Aunt Carol? Uncle Carol? About that......
Perhaps a short blog today... I'm very sleepy and I have a strong desire to watch a movie...
1. Today I spent the hours sifting, and Wes did the digging. (Wes wasn't feeling well... so he got the air conditioned sit-down job inside the cave...)(That's one thing I thought we might all escape- the stomach issues. I'm really surprised how it hits us at different times, or at all, in general. I thought I'd be able to escape it, seeing as in the states all I eat is tuna and pita and hummus and fresh/steamed veggies anyway.... And here all I'm eating is fish, pita, hummus, fresh veggies and juice. Who knows. It's just different! Maybe it's the delicious goat cheese....)
1a. Because I spent all my time "upstairs", I consequently got a sunburn on my forearms. I'm going to have killer farmer's tans- tans so good I could rival any good ol' boy. haha I also will have a glove tan. But only on my right hand.
2. I took a nap today. It was a good decision. Rachel and I have been avoiding naps because we both thought it would make us crabbier and anyone who knows Rachel and I- we should stay as positive and cheerful as possible! even if that means dozing off... haha :) But we both gave in on accident... and took naps, which ended up gloriously.
2a. I really do think 'mood' is a decision, even though I hate to admit it because of extraneous circumstances or people or what have you... I chose to wake up from my nap in a great mood- and I did.
3. We were visited by a pair of crazies the other day. Unfortunately Wes and I were sifting, so we missed the incredible "this is the tomb of Moses" stories. Anyway, his name is Abu Noor (which means father of Noor... Dr Walker couldn't remember his real name.) Abu Noor apparently owned the house where we store things now. He used to be sane, but now he's crazy and thinks he's like... Solomon or someone, and he was with an American writer who is apparently writing Abu Noor's view of the world verbatim. Shrug. Crazies. but fun, eccentric, nice crazies.
4. Last night we went to the market area. It was very very interesting to see all the Jordanian culture in one place. (It was also fun to watch my friends try to haggle. haha) I'm anxious to go back again and try my hand at haggling- I saw a few things I'd like to purchase for myself, and a few things I'd like to purchase as gifts for my favorite people. I just hope my bud Dave will be my stand in habibi/bodyguard/husband again. haha Less people tried to talk to me or get me to come in their store when I walked with Dave as opposed to another girl.
5. I fell asleep AND the internet went out before I finished this... so... onto a new day!
1. Today I spent the hours sifting, and Wes did the digging. (Wes wasn't feeling well... so he got the air conditioned sit-down job inside the cave...)(That's one thing I thought we might all escape- the stomach issues. I'm really surprised how it hits us at different times, or at all, in general. I thought I'd be able to escape it, seeing as in the states all I eat is tuna and pita and hummus and fresh/steamed veggies anyway.... And here all I'm eating is fish, pita, hummus, fresh veggies and juice. Who knows. It's just different! Maybe it's the delicious goat cheese....)
1a. Because I spent all my time "upstairs", I consequently got a sunburn on my forearms. I'm going to have killer farmer's tans- tans so good I could rival any good ol' boy. haha I also will have a glove tan. But only on my right hand.
2. I took a nap today. It was a good decision. Rachel and I have been avoiding naps because we both thought it would make us crabbier and anyone who knows Rachel and I- we should stay as positive and cheerful as possible! even if that means dozing off... haha :) But we both gave in on accident... and took naps, which ended up gloriously.
2a. I really do think 'mood' is a decision, even though I hate to admit it because of extraneous circumstances or people or what have you... I chose to wake up from my nap in a great mood- and I did.
3. We were visited by a pair of crazies the other day. Unfortunately Wes and I were sifting, so we missed the incredible "this is the tomb of Moses" stories. Anyway, his name is Abu Noor (which means father of Noor... Dr Walker couldn't remember his real name.) Abu Noor apparently owned the house where we store things now. He used to be sane, but now he's crazy and thinks he's like... Solomon or someone, and he was with an American writer who is apparently writing Abu Noor's view of the world verbatim. Shrug. Crazies. but fun, eccentric, nice crazies.
4. Last night we went to the market area. It was very very interesting to see all the Jordanian culture in one place. (It was also fun to watch my friends try to haggle. haha) I'm anxious to go back again and try my hand at haggling- I saw a few things I'd like to purchase for myself, and a few things I'd like to purchase as gifts for my favorite people. I just hope my bud Dave will be my stand in habibi/bodyguard/husband again. haha Less people tried to talk to me or get me to come in their store when I walked with Dave as opposed to another girl.
5. I fell asleep AND the internet went out before I finished this... so... onto a new day!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
And there I was, licking rocks.
Today Wes, my partner and squaresup actually got down and dirty in the cistern-- we finally got to start working in our square!
We got down 1 and a half levels and sifted 16(ish) guffas (arabic for basket) of dirt and bones and pottery and such.
I found a tibia of a cow- later on, he found the other half! We make such a good team.
I also found an ostracon- a piece of pottery with writing/inscription on it.
Dr Walker sang he words when I showed it to her- it's part of a lamp from the early Islamic period.
She was excited.
It's pretty dang cold today, believe it or not- it's fairly windy here, and the temperature is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. So.. the wind makes the place seem colder.
Luckily Wes and I hang out underground and don't have to worry about the wind... just spiders and ants and whatever other critters we happen to encounter.
Wes and I hypothesized about the cistern today- When did the cistern stop being a cistern, and become a dump? Why does the cistern have two holes in the ceiling- one leading to the open world, and the other leading no where? (The second hole is closed off. We can't find the opening on the surface.)
(And since i fell asleep writing this, and it's now 24 hours later..... moving on!)
We got down 1 and a half levels and sifted 16(ish) guffas (arabic for basket) of dirt and bones and pottery and such.
I found a tibia of a cow- later on, he found the other half! We make such a good team.
I also found an ostracon- a piece of pottery with writing/inscription on it.
Dr Walker sang he words when I showed it to her- it's part of a lamp from the early Islamic period.
She was excited.
It's pretty dang cold today, believe it or not- it's fairly windy here, and the temperature is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. So.. the wind makes the place seem colder.
Luckily Wes and I hang out underground and don't have to worry about the wind... just spiders and ants and whatever other critters we happen to encounter.
Wes and I hypothesized about the cistern today- When did the cistern stop being a cistern, and become a dump? Why does the cistern have two holes in the ceiling- one leading to the open world, and the other leading no where? (The second hole is closed off. We can't find the opening on the surface.)
(And since i fell asleep writing this, and it's now 24 hours later..... moving on!)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Today was our first full day.
We woke up at 4:00 am (then got called to prayer, again), freshened up, dressed ever-so-sexily for the occassion, ate breakfast (cereal, pita, apricot jam, tomatoes and cucumbers, goat cheese, mango juice) and left.
The bus ride was significantly shorter driving out there- 10 or 15 minutes as opposed to the 45minutes or hour it takes with traffic.
(Have I mentioned traffic is crazy here? Because it is.)
During the ride to Madaba, I rocked out to some Queen, then Rachel and I skanked to Reel Big Fish and eventually ended the journey with some Kesha "blah blah blah".... which we got stuck in everyone's heads. :)
Soooo.
Today, we set up our sifters.
Poles with a wooden sifting pan in between tied with twine, basically that we sift out our findings.
Then we got a short cave tour--- see also: Dr Walker gets really jazzed about talking to us about this stuff- so we hypothesized a lot, and she showed us where we/she thinks the caves actually end.
Which was pretty neat.
(And then the boys chased lizards.... true story. I went searching for hidden caves... and the boys chased lizards.)
Our group is very chill, which is awesome.
But I think it may cause some problems eventually... Because we all like to jack around.
Our fieldsoup (field supervisor...) has another field he's looking after, so he's away about half the time.
He's kind of showing us the ropes and hoping we pick it up quickly.
Which I think we will...
After we set up the sifters, we had second breakfast. (Yes. Like hobbits. I love this place.)
We had warm sweet tea and "egg pie" (bread baked halfway, taken out, cut in half, three eggs are broken in the middle, the bread is closed, and cheese is put on top), and we had another type of bread with olive oil and seasoning on it-- all made by the neighbors. (people who live next to the site) Delicious.
The best part was the fresh watermelon.
We leaned over the balcony and spit seeds and enjoyed the sunshine and the Jordanian breeze.
After second breakfast, we all headed back to our fields and tried to make sense of our afternoons.
[In other news- I got a 3.01... four Bs and an A. I think this major is a keeper... right after I finish my horrible music degree.)
Quite honestly, the cave dwellers didn't get much done.
We set up one square (thankfully... it was MY square)... and learned some stuff. Picked up trash. But that was about it.
I'm sure the hard work will start soon.
OH.
Remember how I complained about not getting any sun?
No worries.
The picture at the top indicates exactly where my square is located: right under a hole. haha It has a grid on top of it, but the sun shines right through.
I mean... sure, chances are I still won't get much sun, but at least I'm not in the part where I need a hard hat at hat-light.
Right where the person in the white shirt is standing is where my square is. (Mine and Wes's square. Wes is the one with the trash bag in the photo....)
AND we found out a bit more about our "cat".
Apparently it's not a cat at all- but a martin (?) or even a jackyl.
I maintain that it's a cat of sorts, still, however....
Yeah... disregard that statement... Our fieldsoup thinks it's a martin/jackyl. And I think he is silly- because what we found is CLEARLY feline.
I'm taking my camera tomorrow to take pictures of it.
(Today, we all argued over what to name it. I voted Optimus Prime. No one else agreed.)
Welp.
Time for showering and then pottery washing, and then my roommate and a friend of ours and I will be heading to the market. (we need bottled water and I need full size shower things- not travel size.)
Monday, May 17, 2010
(this picture is the entrance of our cave.. there is a steep rocky slope you have to climb down to get to the door. we think that the earthquake that happened in the 14th century probably closed off the large entrance, leaving this small one.)
Today, we found a mummified cat.
Okay... not really a cat. A feline of sorts. They have an arabic word for it, but not an english one.
It was a bit bigger than a house cat. With huge teeth.
Interesting.
I'm working in the Hardy People cave.
See... when they told me I'd be working in a cave where people lived, i assumed it would open like fantastic caverns in the front... and I wouldn't have to squeeze in.
I kind of panicked at first.
But.. the more time we spent underground, the more I counted my blessings for the underground air conditioning.
(But we'll be the kids when we're on the 5 day hike who huff and puff and sweat to death... haha.....)
What else...
Traffic here is crazy.
There aren't really lanes painted on the road, and even when there are, people don't observe them. It's like, a mass of cars driving all over. But, it seems to work.
People crossing the street just walk into traffic, or stand in the lane while flagging taxis. (I still stood on the sidewalk....)
We all got called to prayer at 4am... and during dinner tonight.
We're very near a mosque, and at the times of prayer, the loudspeakers call everyone to prayer with a recording.... (it's much like those weather recordings... only in Arabic. And for a much different purpose. haha)
We've been meeting the Andrews kids... who seem to be very nice, interesting people.
My eyes hurt from looking at everything all the time.
This weekend we're going to Petra... we're going specifically in the evening so we can enjoy the site by night, and have tea, at Petra, lit up in the evening.
So... I guess I'm looking forward to that.
My lady friends and I have been discussing our travel plans, which are still not nailed down yet.
The control freak in me is freaking out a bit... but at the same time- I really don't have much of an opinion right now (which sucks)... so I'm just kind of going along for the ride.
I do want to snorkel in the Red Sea... and I do want to see the Holocaust Museum while we're in Israel...
there are some other places I'd like to see... but they're pretty typically touristy. So.. I think that can be arranged.
Man.. my throat hurts. Tomorrow I'm wearing a bandana over my face so I don't have to breathe in the moldy cave air. (Because let's face it- when your allergies are aggrevated by mold and dust... an old wet, dusty cave is the worst place- and nosebleeds are awful.)
I'm rambling.
SO. I'm going to go to bed-- a 4:30 wake up call is going to be unbearable if I don't get some sleep!
Today, we found a mummified cat.
Okay... not really a cat. A feline of sorts. They have an arabic word for it, but not an english one.
It was a bit bigger than a house cat. With huge teeth.
Interesting.
I'm working in the Hardy People cave.
See... when they told me I'd be working in a cave where people lived, i assumed it would open like fantastic caverns in the front... and I wouldn't have to squeeze in.
I kind of panicked at first.
But.. the more time we spent underground, the more I counted my blessings for the underground air conditioning.
(But we'll be the kids when we're on the 5 day hike who huff and puff and sweat to death... haha.....)
What else...
Traffic here is crazy.
There aren't really lanes painted on the road, and even when there are, people don't observe them. It's like, a mass of cars driving all over. But, it seems to work.
People crossing the street just walk into traffic, or stand in the lane while flagging taxis. (I still stood on the sidewalk....)
We all got called to prayer at 4am... and during dinner tonight.
We're very near a mosque, and at the times of prayer, the loudspeakers call everyone to prayer with a recording.... (it's much like those weather recordings... only in Arabic. And for a much different purpose. haha)
We've been meeting the Andrews kids... who seem to be very nice, interesting people.
My eyes hurt from looking at everything all the time.
This weekend we're going to Petra... we're going specifically in the evening so we can enjoy the site by night, and have tea, at Petra, lit up in the evening.
So... I guess I'm looking forward to that.
My lady friends and I have been discussing our travel plans, which are still not nailed down yet.
The control freak in me is freaking out a bit... but at the same time- I really don't have much of an opinion right now (which sucks)... so I'm just kind of going along for the ride.
I do want to snorkel in the Red Sea... and I do want to see the Holocaust Museum while we're in Israel...
there are some other places I'd like to see... but they're pretty typically touristy. So.. I think that can be arranged.
Man.. my throat hurts. Tomorrow I'm wearing a bandana over my face so I don't have to breathe in the moldy cave air. (Because let's face it- when your allergies are aggrevated by mold and dust... an old wet, dusty cave is the worst place- and nosebleeds are awful.)
I'm rambling.
SO. I'm going to go to bed-- a 4:30 wake up call is going to be unbearable if I don't get some sleep!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,.....Is that a person? ....it has a hat....."
...says Dr Walker counting us before we leave.
Today has been an adventure in and of itself.
I use the word "today" loosely.
I mean the going forward in time which equals out to be two days... today.
Saturday, we had an 8hour bus ride. Which was fine. (if you can sleep on buses. lol)
Then, instead of loading the plane at 7:45... we loaded at like... 9.
which is when the plane was supposed to leave.
I might be exaggerating a bit...
But these past 24 hours have been very exaggerated.
Then, our plane was even further delayed... why, we're not sure.
And we ended up leaving around 11pm, I think.
BUT. we're finally HERE.
Apparently, the squares aren't set up yet in the field... so, tomorrow, instead of going at 4:30am, we're going at 8-- only if we want to. Which is relaxed and nice.
And of course, I don't want to- I want to sleep in! haha :)
But, they'll be doing demos for newbies like me, and teaching and stuff... so I should go....
I should also go from here...
Because I am tired, and Rachel is tired...
More tomorrow, I'm sure.
I hope?
OH. and ps. my skype account name is melaniekaye13 if'n you wanna skype me.
We're 8hours ahead of you, just fyi,
AND I can receive texts at no charge, (35 cents to send) so if you ever feel like sending me a text... do it!
Today has been an adventure in and of itself.
I use the word "today" loosely.
I mean the going forward in time which equals out to be two days... today.
Saturday, we had an 8hour bus ride. Which was fine. (if you can sleep on buses. lol)
Then, instead of loading the plane at 7:45... we loaded at like... 9.
which is when the plane was supposed to leave.
I might be exaggerating a bit...
But these past 24 hours have been very exaggerated.
Then, our plane was even further delayed... why, we're not sure.
And we ended up leaving around 11pm, I think.
BUT. we're finally HERE.
Apparently, the squares aren't set up yet in the field... so, tomorrow, instead of going at 4:30am, we're going at 8-- only if we want to. Which is relaxed and nice.
And of course, I don't want to- I want to sleep in! haha :)
But, they'll be doing demos for newbies like me, and teaching and stuff... so I should go....
I should also go from here...
Because I am tired, and Rachel is tired...
More tomorrow, I'm sure.
I hope?
OH. and ps. my skype account name is melaniekaye13 if'n you wanna skype me.
We're 8hours ahead of you, just fyi,
AND I can receive texts at no charge, (35 cents to send) so if you ever feel like sending me a text... do it!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
It's 3am.
I'm trying to stay awake.
The toblerone is definitely helping....
At 7am, I'm hopping a bus for O'Hare in Chicago, then a plane to Jordan.
This is insane.
I suddenly realized that in the middle of walmart, shopping for clothes pins... My boyfriend had to remind me that it's going to be fun, and it's going to be incredible...
:)
Which... of course, he's usually right.
ps... my spelling is subpar because of this netbook.
but... i think i like it.
it might be a keeper, even though it was a FIASCO buying it.
More about that later- right now, it's time to upload the bajillion movies I have to put on here and my zune.
yessss.......
I'm trying to stay awake.
The toblerone is definitely helping....
At 7am, I'm hopping a bus for O'Hare in Chicago, then a plane to Jordan.
This is insane.
I suddenly realized that in the middle of walmart, shopping for clothes pins... My boyfriend had to remind me that it's going to be fun, and it's going to be incredible...
:)
Which... of course, he's usually right.
ps... my spelling is subpar because of this netbook.
but... i think i like it.
it might be a keeper, even though it was a FIASCO buying it.
More about that later- right now, it's time to upload the bajillion movies I have to put on here and my zune.
yessss.......
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Waiting is the hardest part.
All my loan stuffs are set in motion, I just have to wait.
Waiting is the worst.
I like to know what's happening when, and how.
I've been set with all the loan info for a long time now... (staffords and what have you)... I just figured a private loan would be faster.
I guess I'll wait and see what happens.
Today is a mess.
A hot mess.
A good hot mess.
My mom was here.
I was a jerk the whole time, because I constantly feel the need to burst into tears or vomit when I'm stressed.
And that translates into "world's biggest jerkface."
I'm really glad she was here. She always gives me a sense of peace.
I doubt she knows that.
But it's true.
We packed a lot and accomplished a lot.
So that's good...
I'm worried about this rain, though...
(It's nice that it's raining, since I won't see it for weeks... but still.)
I was set to move all my stuff tonight. Boys with trucks are coming and I'd prefer not moving my things in the rain.
*nods*
Stress stress stress.
Okay. I'm going to pack more.
If you're actually reading this, go read Rachel's blog, too! We're roomies and blogging our adventures in Jordan.
Woo!
http://fromthedirtjordan.blogspot.com/
Waiting is the worst.
I like to know what's happening when, and how.
I've been set with all the loan info for a long time now... (staffords and what have you)... I just figured a private loan would be faster.
I guess I'll wait and see what happens.
Today is a mess.
A hot mess.
A good hot mess.
My mom was here.
I was a jerk the whole time, because I constantly feel the need to burst into tears or vomit when I'm stressed.
And that translates into "world's biggest jerkface."
I'm really glad she was here. She always gives me a sense of peace.
I doubt she knows that.
But it's true.
We packed a lot and accomplished a lot.
So that's good...
I'm worried about this rain, though...
(It's nice that it's raining, since I won't see it for weeks... but still.)
I was set to move all my stuff tonight. Boys with trucks are coming and I'd prefer not moving my things in the rain.
*nods*
Stress stress stress.
Okay. I'm going to pack more.
If you're actually reading this, go read Rachel's blog, too! We're roomies and blogging our adventures in Jordan.
Woo!
http://fromthedirtjordan.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
(whinewhinewhine)
I still can't get a loan.
None of my sponsor ideas came through.
I missed a final this morning. (It was at 11- even though the syllabus said 1:15.) So I'm waiting to hear if I can even take it at all.
I used to live in the Amityville House, and I'm still dealing with the repercussions.
I need walking shoes.
I wanted to invest in a netbook for a few hundred dollars, but might have to pay rent from January because of the Amityville house...
Today is a sucky day.
I think I'll be happier once I'm out of the country.
IF i get out of the country.
None of my sponsor ideas came through.
I missed a final this morning. (It was at 11- even though the syllabus said 1:15.) So I'm waiting to hear if I can even take it at all.
I used to live in the Amityville House, and I'm still dealing with the repercussions.
I need walking shoes.
I wanted to invest in a netbook for a few hundred dollars, but might have to pay rent from January because of the Amityville house...
Today is a sucky day.
I think I'll be happier once I'm out of the country.
IF i get out of the country.
Take this down to where the streets are cold and nameless
Just be sure to watch your back cuz they will
Find you and attack you without warning
There's trouble all around this place and danger in the strangest face
If you get lost along the way just close your eyes and softly say
The silent words you never heard when you were sleeping soundly in your bed
They won't go away
They don't leave
They won't go away
They don't sleep
We have only just begun to see the future
In the corner of our eyes a little circle will arise and start to take you
The ships are sailing in the bay and they won't leave till they've been paid
And everyone's been bought and sold but no one's worth their weight in gold
It's only just a feeling but the devil has been dealing all the cards
They won't go away
They don't leave
They won't go away
They don't sleep
--Josh Woodward ; The Mission
My mom is coming today so I can clean and pack and actually do things.
This adventure is going to be real very quickly.
I think that's my issue right now- I'm not freaking out, because it's not real. It's more like a dream.
It's more like a whim of an idea that popped into my head "maybe I'll go to Jordan and get my field school out of the way."
I think I might be insane to be doing this.
I am SO not a roughin' it kind of girl.
I like to get dirty and sweaty, but at the end of the day, I like to know where my shower is, where the fridge is, where my cranberry and vodka is.....
And I'm sure it will be just fine.
Maybe I AM freaking out....
Friday, May 7, 2010
We got our visas. :)
I'm a bit giddy about this fact.
I've been to London, but since there were 400 of us- the senior staff had their passports stamped, and no one else.
Which is a major bummer.
SOOOO this is my first visa. :D
Thus far in our planning, there has been talk of a camel adventure in the desert and then camping during said adventure.
Which is terrifying and exciting! :)
Rachel and I might be wavering on our plans to go to Israel after the survey.
Some of the boys are going to Istanbul.
AWESOME.
But...If we're flying to Istanbul.. I'd still much rather go to Greece, Rome or Italy.
Flying is flying and flying is expensive.
I'd venture to say we'll be a little cheap and still go to Israel.
Maybe :)
I've been trying to talk her into the Mediterranean areas for a while.
She's down. It's just expensive.
We have friends in the class who have friends in the area.... so we might travel according to where we'd have free lodging.
Which is good too...
I still don't have a loan.
Sigh.
But it'll work out.
right...?
OH.
and random tidbit.
At work today, I searched high and low to get this cute boy his flip flops.
When I came back from the back room, I only retrieved one of the three pairs he wanted...
He said he was bummed because he needed flip flops- he's leaving for Spain tomorrow.
I told him I completely understood, that I was leaving for Jordan in a week.
He was like "NO WAY! i'm going to LIVE in Jordan for two years, teaching in a school called blahblahblah school! Most people don't even know where Jordan is!"
small world. :)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Several of the companies I contacted only give sponsorships to organizations or professional athletes.
I am stressed and worried about the fact that I need $6500 by next weekend... Or at least a loan promising me monies to pay for parts or all of said trip... or a plan... or something.
I don't want to have to worry about money while I'm in Jordan.
...I wish I could've started the study abroad program with everyone else, so I would've had a year to prepare instead of a semester.
And a semester to apply, instead of 4 days.
And a year to get monies instead of a semester to not work, ever, because of trips home and orchestra and.... everything else.
I am stressed.
And my mother just told me not to worry.
But I don't think I know how to "not worry".
I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection. —Billy Joel
Today, I will...
Get my storage unit.
Buy my walking shoes.
Buy hiking socks.
Return my "short" jeans and get "regulars"... or maybe wait till Friday when I work next.
.....I'm glad I'm writing this to-do list. Because I just remembered I have two study sessions at 4 and 5 today.... maybe I'll just go to the one at 5.
They told us not to sleep on the plane to Jordan.... but I think by the time I get there, I'm going to be extremely worn out....
Harumph.
No good news today.
But more letters to send out.
I need a loan....
Oh yeah. And a friend sent me this via facebook... That's just super excited... not really any new news to anyone... but yay......
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/wealthofnations/archive/2010/05/06/are-lebanon-and-israel-headed-for-another-war.aspx
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Boulevard Brewing Co actually gives out sponsorships.
Not to me... but still.
Crazy!
Not to me... but still.
Crazy!
Good Morning Melanie –
Thanks so much for reaching out to Boulevard Brewing Company! We love to hear from fans.
Unfortunately, our sponsorship dollars are limited each year, and the funds have already been allocated. We wish you great luck in your travels to Jordan. Hope you have a very enjoyable, safe trip!
Cheers,
------------------------------
Emily Dack
Sales & Marketing Coordinator
Boulevard Brewing Company
2501 Southwest Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 474-7095, ext. 212
Direct (816) 701-7212
Many the Miles.
Okay. So. All the last posts were copied and pasted from my other blog. So, if they seem short or choppy or random.. it's because they probably are.
Today, I woke up at 7:30, determined to get some stuff done.
So far I have.. but dang, I'm tired.
I've sent out 7 emails to large corporations.
Thus far:
Merrell
Columbia
Camelbak
Dick's Sporting Goods
Cabela's
And yes, Boulevard Brewing Company and Bell's Brewing Company.
...well, why not? I mean, the more creative I get, the more I might be able to get money to go.
Because right now, I have about $1,500 that I would much rather use for food and spending money over in the sandbox....
Because after all, for the second portion of the trip, we'll be feeding ourselves- which I'll be okay with- we won't be far from a market, as I understand it.
I also sent an email to a church I attend here in Springfield for about 3 years. I also played in their orchestra.
Hopefully the poor music receptionist will be able to point me in the right direction- because for real, she's my only contact in that church. haha
Unfortunately, however, I literally just got a response:
Sorry, Melanie, but we are not able to help with your trip. Hope that you find the sponsorship that you need.
Blessings,
Ashleigh Kalwat
bollocks.
Well. Greg Mortenson tried to build a school. He sent out 580 personalized letters to celebrities. He got one response.
Maybe I'll get one.
Or more.
Who knows.
At this point, I'm hoping for responses.
If they take time to read my message, my email... it means they'll let me send my sponsorship letter... which is incredible, I might add.
And hopefully.. they'll take the time to read my letter. Which is short and sweet and to the point AND i added pictures. Glorious. I'm a genius. Lol
tired.
i have class in 45 minutes.
and so much more left to do.
today I will:
- take a packet of stuff to new landlord
- go to class
- shower
- go to work
- finish emailing/printing/mailing sponsorship letters.
- think of more creative ideas for sponsors.
- nail down this storage space business...
- buy a pair of khakis/brown pants from work while I'm there- i need one more pair of long pants. 4 pairs of pants is perfectly acceptable.
i need a nap already.
adios.
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