Off Again...

It's been a crazy couple of days. Wish I had the time and energy to
write a proper update. Suffice it to stay stuff is going well. I am
happy again.

Ramadan is ALMOST over. Tomorrow is Eid. That means 2 things:
1. Vacation
2. Food in public!
This is a winning combination, at the end of a long month. I can't
decide which I am more excited about. You may be wondering what I will
be doing with 4.5 days off from school. Going west-of course. I was
supposed to go camping in Aqaba, but it took too long to get stuff
organized. Last night a friend and I decided we should go west, so
west we shall go. We are not leaving until after school, so we
probably won't get to the border until 2. I have never been there so
late. it could get interesting...

No news is good news.

Hooray! It's the weekend. I am sitting in an internet café on a Friday night. But it's ok because I went out last night and tomorrow I need to get up early to got o Irbid to see a friend. And I have lots of studying to do.
Classes are continuing. My understanding is definitely improving. I am trying to speak more on the street, but people tend to reply in English or invite me over for dinner. I got my 3 month visa extension the other day, so now I need to begin the process of getting a 1 year residency (lots of paperwork, waiting in lines, and a blood test). I don't know that I will stay for a year, but it means I won't need to get a new visa every time I leave the country, and I will get a cool ID card.
Last night I had dinner with a couple people from my class and their respective roommates. I don't have a roommate, so I showed up on my own. I am still ok with living on my own. I have 2 bedrooms and lots of space, so you should come and visit!
I ran into a friend at a coffee shop later, and ended up going to a free concert. Oh, how I miss seeing live music. I can't even remember the last show I saw in the states. But I must've seen one this summer before leaving. I missed the first act which I was told was "traditional music", but made it in time to see a Syrian Jazz band which did covers of Pat Methany and Chick Corea, and the final group-Lebanese rappers. It was so strange to see a bunch of Arab guys all thugged out wearing baggy pants, baseball jerseys, big watches and necklaces, backward hats… One guy had corn rows, another a sweat band. They rapped to pre-recorded tracks. I couldn't understand most of what they were saying, but I probably wouldn't have gotten it in Enlgish, either. Two words I caught were "homeland" and "to heal, recover". And they did a french song. It was quite entertaining.
I got a couple of long sleeve shirts and a sweater at a flea market today. I really need to get more stuff soon. It SERIOUSLY rained the other day. And it is getting really chilly...
The bird flu is a comin'. A new friend just left for Baghdad. Ramadhan is more than halfway over. Stuff id bound to get exciting soon.

Back in the HK of J

So, I’m back from my short trip to J-ru. I am feeling refreshed and ready to dive in full force now. It was nice to be in Israel and spend time with friends, but I am liking it here, too. There is very little signage at the Allenby/King Hussien border, which led to some confusion and my standing in the wrong line for 20 mins, talking to a big group of Christian Canadian tourists who asked me questions, like ‘is it ok to drink the water’ and ‘are cars in Amman like the US?’ who were in for a BIG surprise. I know you are supposed to pay a (hefty) exit fee when you leave Israel. I have read it in books and experienced it at many land crossings. THEN WHY DON”T THEY PUT UP A SIGN? How was I supposed to know I needed to go to the “change point” to give them money? I thought that was where you CHANGE money. Needless to say, I had to pay the 134 NIS fee (about $35!), and yelled at the woman in the booth about the confusion. While on the 5 minute, $3 bus ride across the bridge, the driver collected all of our passports. When I got to the “other side” we all went to the window to pick up our inspected passports. But mine never came. The man behind the window did not believe I gave my prized American passport to the driver, and made me go through my things. Then I watched as he and a few colleagues ran around the terminal for a while, in order to locate said passport. 10 minutes later it was back in my hand, with no explanation as to its temporary whereabouts….
So now I am back in Amman. Yes, I have an apartment. Right now it is just me, but I will try to find a roommate. This whole on my own thing isn’t so bad, so far. The super speaks good English (although during the negotiation process he seemed to not) and I have a nice view of the city with it’s HUGE Jordanian flag. If only the hot water worked…
Soon, insha alla, soon.

I have an apartment! I have friends! I'm...in Jerusalem!

So instead of spending Yom Kippur the same way I spent Rosh Hashana (doing nothing) I decided to cross the river to the other side. It was a pretty complicated process, seeing as how when I showed up at Alenby at 8am on Wednesday, I was told the border was closed. But I used all my privilege as a White, Jewish American woman, and somehow managed to make it through. And I didn't even have to check in my bags or go through the air puff booth! I spent last night at the Kotel, this morning at Kedem and tonight at the wall. And quality time with an old friend I haven't spent time with in a LONG time. It was an interesting experience. Tomorrow maybe I will do shabbos, maybe not. And then Saturday morning I will sign papers for my apartment and start getting settled...This is really happening, I guess.

Recent Thoughts...

(This computer won't let me use spell check. Watch out...)

Why is travel an excuse to wear bright, neon colors? If you would not wear the outfit in your own country, why subject others to it? Is it really permissible for a middle aged man to wear lime green shorts and a bright yellow shirt? Must your camera always be hanging around your nectm at the ready? Is it any wonder that people who wear khaki pants and white shirts get accosted for money? Whend did that become the official "Ajanib" uniform?

I experienced a melt-down on Wednesday. Hopefully that got it out of my system for a while. My sleeping schedule was still screwed up. I hadn't eaten a regular meal since arriving on Monday , I had been walking for over an hour without being able to drink because of Ramadan and there are no free taxis between the hours of 1 and 4 because the whole fucking city gets out of work at the same time. So when I finally sat down to lunch with a friend, an old professor with his girlfriend and a collague of his at a western-style restaurant in an international hotel chain, I couldn't hold myself together. I ran out, bursting into tears on my way to the bathroom.
Somehow I made it through lunch and came back to the hotel and slept for well over 12 hours, which helped a lot. Then I went for a mansaaf feast at a friends house, with 50 of her relatives. The evening was spent hanging out with a bunch of 20-something christians, speaking a mix of english and arabic, but when people became indecisive, us Boston girls went for a drink at a chill bar before calling it a night. Needless to say, I am doing MUCH better now.

If only I could find an apartment....

Day 2 of Rosh Hashannah, Ramadan, and Amman

So, I made it. All by myself! I have so much to write, but so don't
have the time or patience. It is nice to be back. I am glad I know how
things work here and recognize many things. I arrived Monday night,
had orientation yesterday morning and today was the first day of
class. I celebrated Rosh Hashanna by eating an apple brought from
America dipped in Orange juice. Creative, eh? I couldn't remember the
word for honey and couldn't find my dictionary. I celebrated Ramadan
by having lunch in an American pub with an Arava friend, then eating
some special Iiftar cake (I don't remember the name) with the hotel
manager and smoking Nargila with a different Arava friend. Jordanian
friends with cars are fun! Totally different perspectives on the city
and life here.
Need to catch a ride back to the hotel before the ENTIRE city gets out
of work. There was SO much traffic and angry drivers yesterday. These
people need their nicotine.
Just wanted to let all you faithful readers I am safe and sound. And
will be having interesting adventures. Some thoughts from the last 2
days:
-In airport, meeting Jordanian soldier training in states for 8 months
-sitting next to American working in Iraq as defense contractor
-Royal Jordanian - not so royal
-hotel mix up, no one at airport, finding own way to Amman
Those actually don't sound so interesting, but it will happen. no worries.

Off Again

Tomorrow evening I fly back to Amman. If only I didn't have this cold and caugh. Crazy. I will start posting more. Get excited!