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!

A few thoughts....

A few things I wrote which I never typed up:
Everyone looks straight out of a catalogue. Of course there are exceptions and people kept back for sports, but I am 2-6 years older than these people. I feel better checking out the professors. On the first day I sat in on the wrong class- oops.
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Still reeling from the Arava reunion. Bowling with foreigners is fun. Sitting in a coffee shop in Harvard Square is WAY different than Williamstown. Not all middle-aged people here are professors or somehow college-affiliated. There are graduate students and regular people – so refreshing.