Jordanian Hospitality

My favorite thing about the Arab culture has been the greatness of their hospitality. Even when other things give me the urge to complain, this has been an almost flawless component of experiencing Jordanian culture. From the moment you step into someone’s home, you enter your own personal royal kingdom as a visitor.

Okay, perhaps “personal royal kingdom” is a bit of an exaggeration but it gets the point across. You are instantly sat down with tea, followed by coffee, followed by fruit, followed by dessert. Short drop-by visits are unheard of and help, don’t you dare offer to help with anything because you will be laughed at and sat back down.  While other cultures I have come across are very welcoming and hospitable, the Arab culture is beyond generous to the people they invite into their home.

It's About Endurance

I am nearing my last week in Amman and while I am quite ecstatic about going home where granola bars are accessible, I am beginning to realize there are a few things I will really miss once I’m gone. I have pondered over these things and have narrowed them down to the top three. First on the list are people I’ve met and gotten close to. Even though Jordanians are not the friendliest, I have met the exceptions to the rule and it will be very hard to say goodbye. It will be particularly hard to depart with the great families that have opened up their homes to me during my stay here. This also includes the people I have been working out with, a fun and very encouraging group of people. Second on the list is having easy access to practice my Arabic. While my Arabic is not as good as my German (could be because it’s 2345728945725 times harder), my spoken Arabic has improved a lot since my arrival. Being forced to practice on the streets has helped the learning process and I fear I will forget everything I’ve learned once I’m back. Last but not least is getting a view of the entire city from every hill. One thing about Amman is that it is built on hills and while this is very inconvenient for walking or biking, it is great for getting a glimpse of the city as you drive from one place to the other. A beautiful view in the evening as the sun begins to set.

            Answering this question took slightly longer than I thought it would because things I “wouldn’t” miss kept coming to mind. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed my time here and there are many things I have learned to love, but unfortunately sometimes it’s easier to see the negatives rather than the positives. This experience kind of reminds me of hiking up to see the “Al Dier” Monastery (the largest monument in Petra) the first week I was here. We hiked up forever with the sun shining right on our heads and to top it all off, my right knee started bothering me. There were sooo many annoyances with the hike that I began to wonder if it was even worth what we would get to see at the top. And yes, it was very much worth the hike but it took positivity and endurance to get there.

            I have often missed home to the point of wishing I could teleport back but I have endured and seen past the things that made me homesick. Seeing past the fog of differences that often came off as negatives allowed me to enjoy and appreciate the good things about this place. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out form my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11. Wherever we are, God’s purpose for us will shine and flourish as we push through the rough patches in life. It is okay to take notice of the negatives, but we can’t allow them to plant thoughts in our minds that state we are not strong enough or fast enough for our experiences, because life is not a race to the finish line but rather a test of endurance. So when the going gets tough and those negatives pile up, pair them up and turn them into positives. 

An Audience of One

Recently, I have been asked quite a bit about what I struggled with the most in adapting to Jordanian culture. Competing on the list are things like the cat calling, the dress code in the summer and the lack of walking, but on the slot for number one is social pressure. I agree, there’s social pressure everywhere but it’s just a tad bit more apparent here because it is different from the kind of social pressure I am used to. As an example I would show you a picture of the restroom at the University here but you wouldn’t be able to see it anyways. It is always crowded with girls waiting in line to re-apply make-up and hairspray. Alright, so we aaaall do it… but not for a University language course and from what I remember, we don’t normally wear heels to campus –a usual here.

            Back home most social pressure comes from wanting to people please (at least where I’m from). If your friends smoke in middle smoke, you smoke so you can keep them. If you clean your room in High School, it’s so your parents will extend your curfew on the weekend. And if you change your hairstyle when you go to college, it’s so the mirror won’t get bored with you. In Jordan, social pressure has less to do with people pleasing and more to do with strong social norms. Here, you would not want people to think you are from a lower social class so dressing up is more of a priority; whether you are going to grab coffee with a friend or taking a bus to buy gum at a convenience store. I don’t necessarily run errands in pajamas back home but if the gym is my last stop, wearing my gym clothes all day is not a big deal; something you wouldn’t consider doing here. In relation to public transportation, I caught on rather quickly on the fact that if a girl has no choice but to sit next to a man on the bus or vice-versa, he/she should move as soon as another spot opens up. I learned this after getting a few frowns for not moving a couple of times…. Ooopss.

            The pressure here comes from frowns and stares people give you when you do something out of the norm, along with associations they might make about your living conditions. As I roam the streets of a foreign country, I realize the importance of fighting against the social pressures that may seem so normal but are nevertheless so dissolute. I don’t mean for you to be culturally insensitive in a foreign country or an outcast in your own but rather realizing that we are to serve an audience of ONE. Back home people can focus so much on pleasing others that they lose their confidence when their audience walks out on them. While here, people focus so much on following the rules that they forget the importance of turning that frown upside down. Whether it’s in associating achievement with acceptance or feeling uptight every time you step out the door, as Isaiah 55:2 says, it is time we quit spending our money and energy on what does not satisfy. Or centering our lives around what other people want or expect. So call on the Lord while he is near and lean on the faithful love he is offering you before you check yourself in the rearview mirror for acceptance, for the third time. Crack through the social air that is suffocating the truth and fight to accomplish the purpose for which God has sent you wherever in the world you may be.

Identifying your Identity: From Syria to Jordan

            I will be dedicating this post to my dearest friends Meg, Lauren and Aubrey who patiently waited through my research for this. And for those of you who enjoy in depth reading, I have taken all statistical numbers from the “CARE Jordan: Rapid Participatory Community Assessment” written by Kate Washington and Jared Rowell in April of this year, along with a regional analysis done in Syria during the month of May. This is information attained through research and information made available to me through my internship.

            Furthermore, for those of you who are not aware, there is currently a war in Syria: http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/world/meast/syria-more-dangerous. Please take a moment to look up its geographical location if you are not already familiar with it. Spoiler Alert: Syria borders the Mediterranean Sea and shares a border with Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel. I also encourage you to look into the war and be aware of what is going on since this is real, current and has affected far too many people.

            When I first heard the number of refugees leaving Syria I was in complete and utter shock. “How could a few protests have escalated to this?” I asked as I sat there speechless. Well, not only did the protests escalate, they came down with such force that approximately 2,417 out of the 5,598 schools have been destroyed or are being occupied for shelter; leaving over 50% of school-age children without an education. Not only that, but 60% of public hospitals have been damaged countrywide in Syria with over 30% of other building either damages or destroyed. This has left around 10.3 million people living in districts with insufficient health services. So forget bandages for cuts, this number accounts for over 2 million people who are dying as a cause of the health situation. As to the children and the elderly, since the beginning of the war over 10,000 children have been killed; and even though an estimated 6% of the Syrian population accounts for those over 60 years of age, only 2.8% of them have been able to escape the situation in Syria. With little to no choice, many have had to make the tough decision of leaving all of their belongings in order to seek refuge in Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.

            Jordan has received approximately 500,000 Syrians seeking refuge in the cities of Irbid, Mufraq, Madaba, Zarqa and Amman. Though their escape sounds like a solution, the suffering does not end there for new problems arise. For example, in Mufraq, a guilty father stated, “My sons are 13 and 15 and I feel so guilty that I am stealing their future—but we have to have money for rent and food!” Due to the increasing amount of refugees arriving in the country, jobs are becoming harder and harder to come by. Syrians are required to pay 275 Jordanian Dinar ($387.72) for a work permit and campaigns by local labor inspectors are being held against Syrians working without a permit. As a result, many household males have become worried about the security of their families due to a lack of income. The cost of living for these families is becoming unsustainable in Jordan and there is limited to no water and heating available to them. Minors are being exposed to exploitation working 12-16 hours for 2 JDs; there is insufficient assistance from NGOs and the irregular food assistance from CBOs is causing a problem for infants in need of milk.

            As an easy way “out” daughters are being given up for marriage to men for very low dowries. Sometimes families are bailed out of camps and promised help after the marriage, never to receive any support from their new son-in-law. Syrians see this new trend as offensive and inappropriate, but in their desperate need actions are made.

            There are other issues that could keep me typing page upon page. Many financial needs need to be met and many hearts healed. But unfortunately, as much provision as they may receive, the memory of the violence in Syria cannot be erased from a child’s mind. And fear of discrimination stands by a refugee’s side every time they step out of their shelters. As a woman in Zarqa describes: “I don’t like to mingle with other people and have them look at me differently when they know I am alone with my children—so staying away from people is better for me.” This was a women left alone to support her children after losing her husband in the war.

            Imagine yourself as a father or mother of five children ranging from 7 to 17 years of age. Both you and your spouse have full time jobs and often complain about a lack of time. Suddenly, you stand in a foreign country with little to no possessions and absolutely nothing to do. Except for the daily 30-45 minute walk to receive your family’s meal portions provided by a local NGO. I don’t know about you, but the lack of activity and constant reminder of desolation would be enough to drive me crazy. Most of the assistance given to the refugees is financial but assistance also goes towards psychosocial activities and positive coping mechanisms to help this issue. Food and shelter is not the only concern for these refugees. Along with their valuables, many have lost their identity and they find themselves in despair with little to no hope. Let me point out that this last sentence was not what I observed, but rather what I heard.  

            Hold on… yup, not a typo. I just said they feel they have lost their IDENTITY. If you have no personal documents, passport, job status or social status then I suppose that makes sense.  Except no, no it doesn’t. What’s ironic is that I have spent the last six months doing a study on the book of Ephesians, which states otherwise; and there I was, standing within thousands of people unfamiliar with the liberating truth revealed in Christ. So picture yourself once again as that mother or father living as a refugee and ask yourself, would you still have your identity in a world where all possessions and status’s are lost? God might not always give us the answers to our questions, the solutions to our problems or the materialistic things we wish for but he always gives us his presence. Accordingly, our identity is to be received by God, not achieved by us because we are not to work FOR our identity, we are to work FROM our identity. We should not allow our failures to drive us to despair because neither our failures nor achievements define who we truly are. Translation: do not let your failures lie to you and diminish your worth.

            As you read this, think about what defines you. Is it your name, school, relationship status, talents, hometown, bank account, friends, hobbies, grades, achievements,  job, etc... Allow your identity to be unshakeable in Christ despite life’s circumstances and let any other attribute EXPLAIN you, not DEFINE you. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so hat no one many boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10.

Still in Amman

            Some of you might be wandering what I’m still doing in Jordan. Well, to answer your question… This summer I have decided to stay in Amman for an Internship with Action Aid’s Global Platform; a Human Rights NGO.  What Action Aid does is target the poor and young to empower them as activists to stand up for their Human Rights. It provides people with the training they need to voice their needs and believes youth should have the power to mobilize social movements. In doing this, the purpose is to empower the people in holding the government accountable as duty-bearers.

            A couple of areas at Action Aid include the Emergency Response Team and the Global Platform. The Emergency Response team is working with refugees in Jordan, specifically Zaatri camp and Zarqa camp near Amman. They are working on a few projects to help tensions between local Jordanians and Syrian refugees along with other projects pertaining to education for the children in the camps. Action Aid’s Global Platform works as the training hub for empowerment in Action Aid. Jordan’s Global Platform trains those working in other areas of Action Aid as well as youth across the Middle East and North Africa for Human Rights activism.

            I have been hired on as a Communication Assistant and am working on documenting their 4-week “Campaign for Change” training among writing weekly personal stories, a monthly communiqué and articles pertaining to the organization. Since joining, I have been assigned quite an amount of work but I am very excited for this experience. In a couple of weeks I have already learned so much about the situation in Syria and other Middle Eastern social movements.

            To learn more about ActionAid and what they do, visit www.globalplatforms.org. You can also find us on facebook by searching “Global Platform Jordan”.

            

Turkey Round Two

After ten days in Germany I traveled back to Turkey not only to pick up my phone but to stay for another week because I was meeting up with my friends Katie Culhane and DJ Cunningham; some friends from my study abroad program in Amman. The first couple of days they went out and visited all the touristy places I had already previously seen. When their museum days were over, my birthday arrived and we celebrated by going to the Istanbul Aquarium. We then ended the day by meeting up with some locals along the Bosphorus for a picnic. The view was great as was the weather and we hung out there until dark. The next few days we took a trip to Prince’s Island for my round two of Island biking and re-visited the wonderful spice bazaar. 

            Week two in Istanbul turned out to be more relaxing than week one so I was able to get a better glimpse of the culture. For starters, getting around without knowing Turkish was a bit tricky because most Turkish people do not speak English or Arabic. We also discovered that they are passionate about soccer as are most Europeans. I experienced two big soccer games in Istanbul and all I have to say is that you are better off indoors on game days. On these days the streets become so flooded with fans to the point that it is impossible for cars to drive down the streets, with out being forced out of their cars to sing the national song.  We also discovered they appreciate trees. As it turns out, big riots broke out in Taksim Square (the area we were staying in) with thousands of people gathering to protest the cutting down of trees in a park near by. The riots got so intense that policemen fired tear gas into crowds of demonstrators. How we managed to live through this without knowing about it until we were back in Amman is beyond me.

            Turkey was an interesting place to visit with its unique European yet conservative feel. Something you won’t find in the Middle East or anywhere else in Europe. Even though the majority of the population is Muslim you will not find a single quiet night down in Taksim, the hub for dancing and celebrating. So if you plan on visiting Istanbul, pack some energy, conservative clothes, and an umbrella for rainy days. Lastly, don’t forget to visit the aquarium. 

Germany

So as some of you know, I studied abroad in Quedlinburg, Germany two years ago and spent a total of 6 months in a small town called Quedlinburg. Quedlinburg is about two hours South-West of Berlin and holds a population of around 20,000 people.  I loved my time in Germany and since leaving, I had a desire and return and visit the people with whom I had built relationships. When I left I was not sure of when I would have the opportunity to return so Skype and letters would have to suffice. So when I found some extremely cheap  tickets from Turkey to Germany and my dad offered to pay for my flight as a birthday gift, I jumped on the opportunity.

            I arrived in Berlin and made my way to Antonia’s place for the night before heading to Quedlinburg; Antonia was my host sister when I lived in Quedlinburg. And before I continue, I have to say that I was beyond joyful when I found out that my friend Josefine who studied at Tech last year would be arriving in Berlin, her hometown, the same day as me. So I would get to see her before continuing on to my final destination.

            Waiting for me at the bus station near Quedlinburg were my friend Anne-Marie Rzymek and her family waiting to pick me up. I would be staying with them during my stay in Quedlinburg and I am forever grateful for their wonderful hospitality. I experienced a family barbeque with them, they fed me lots of ice cream and they took me to see some old windmills in a town near by. When I was not out on excursions with the Rzymek family I took advantage of the time to visit other friends. These included Anne a friend who I used to take walks with on Sundays and has since married and now has a beautiful little girl named Amelie. An Oma Elfi who basically became my adoptive grandma. She had taught me to cook German recipes and invited me over for a great lunch during my return. Memo, a great friend from Mexico who has been living in Quedlinburg since before I studied abroad there. And I cannot forget to mention my visit to Michaela who was my host mom when I lived there. Going back to the place I called home for six months was a bit strange. The first thing I noticed upon entering was the smell of the house. Had I walked in with eyes closed, I would have thought time had gone back two years. After two years the wooden smell of the house remained the same and that fact alone made me feel like I was coming home from class . Everything else around the house was pretty much as when I left with the exception of a moved piano, a new painting on the wall and a completed chimney. Among my many visiting experiences, I had the opportunity to visit an elementary school two days in a row to give a presentation on America during their English hour, and to teach a dance class during their gym class. This came about through Anne-Marie's father who is a teacher at this school. 

            At the end of my stay in Quedlinburg my friend Katharina came from Erlangen to see me for a couple of days. I was beyond grateful that she was willing to make the journey to Quedlinburg and made sure to show her the best spots in town. It was a great last minute decision on her part. Thanks Katharina!

            My short week in Germany was bitter sweet. I had not realized how much I had missed the little things about Quedlinburg until I returned. Walking on the narrow cobblestone streets, hanging out at the park when the weather was nice, meeting at the much frequented cafes with friends and taking a walk up to the castle for a view of the entire town.  All these were once part of my life and now there I was not as a regular, but as a visitor. The hard thing about traveling for extended periods of time is that too many place begin to feel like home and you’re torn between not being able to be at all of them at once. Nonetheless, it’s a great experience to know I can travel so far from home to home. 

Turkey Round One

After a rough week of finals my roommate Ashley and I boarded the plane for Istanbul, Turkey.  The flight was short and the most exciting part was that Melanie (my roommate from the States) would be meeting us at the airport. We arrived at the airport a couple of hours before Melanie and when she finally arrived, I was ecstatic. I have really missed home a lot this semester and seeing her was like having a little bit of home to hold me over to the end of my stay abroad. Our next step was to get to the Simurgh Hostel in Taksim where we would be staying. We arrived pretty late on the night of May 15^th so we settled in, ate dinner and sat down to plan our itinerary for the week before heading to bed.

            Our stay there was spent doing and seeing all the touristy things around Istanbul. We purchased a three-day pass to all the museums, which included the Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Chora Monastery and the archeological museum. The pass was a great deal and saves you a lot of money if you want to see all the museums. After three days spent from museum to museum, we took a day trip to the Prince’s Island; a two-hour ferry ride away. Upon boarding the ferry we made a friend by the name of Baderiya. She lives in Miami and was vacationing in Istanbul by herself so we welcomed her to join our trio. After arriving at the Island we had lunch and headed to rent some bikes. The rest of the day was spent riding bikes around the Island, taking pictures and enjoying the nice ocean view with an ice cream cone in hand. It was a very relaxing day and a great break from the busy city of Istanbul. Our last full day in Turkey was spent exploring the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Both were overwhelming but it was fun to go through the Spice Bazaar with all its different colors and smells. I would personally recommend the Spice Bazaar over the Grand Bazaar for that experience.  

            The last night before departure, Melanie and I decided to pull an all-nighter because we had to leave for the airport at 2:00 a.m. in order to fly out at 5:00 a.m. Unfortunately, my time waiting for my flight was spent calling the Hostel and trying to get a hold of the taxi that took us to the airport because I had forgotten my phone in the Taxi. The good news was that I was headed to Germany for 10 days and would be back in Istanbul for another week after that, before returning to Jordan. Going 10 days without my phone would be dreadful because that meant NO MUSIC! But at least all hope was not lost for the recovery of my phone. Aaaannnd that experience concluded the first week of my stay in Turkey. My first impression of Istanbul was one of awe. I had always wanted to visit Turkey and the food, view or the people did not disappoint me. It is a beautiful place to visit and even though most natives do not speak English, they are very helpful and friendly.

TIPS: Don’t forget your phone in a Taxi. There is not always a recovery guarantee.

            

Egypt

They gave us an Easter break during the first week of May and our destination was chosen by the cheapest place we could go to. Egypt. With Egypt’s history I would have felt very unaccomplished being so close and not making an effort to see it’s great pyramids and museums full of ancient artifacts and mummies. On our first day we saw the pyramids as we explored the desert on camels, we learned about the making of papyrus and saw the sphinx. As a side note, let me just say that the sphinx was a lot smaller than what we had pictured in our heads.

The next few days in Cairo were spent going through the museum, checking out the oldest Mosque in Cairo, exploring the suq and enjoying a two-hour ride on a felucca boat down the Nile.

Right before leaving Cairo we took a two-day camping trip to an oasis. On our way to the camping site we hiked up a mountain in the black desert, experienced a jeep ride thru the Sahara and enjoyed a delicious Bedouin meal. Upon arriving at the oasis we sat down to watch the sunset before setting up our camp at the location where we would have dinner and would later sleep. Katie Culhane (whom I’ve already mentioned in previous posts) and I got to sleep on the roof of one of the jeeps. It seemed like a great thing to mark off our bucket lists, but it cost us our warmth that night.

The last day out in the desert was one of the greatest because we were taken to a watermelon farm. If you know about my love for watermelon, then you know I was a very happy person at that point and time. The rest of the ride back to Cairo was filled with random stops for the sake of dancing and picking up flower rocks.

Egypt was cram packed with people, the streets were very dirty, harassment was intense, but most of all, Egypt was cheap. No, it was dirt cheap, cheaper than cheap. I kid you not when I say we ate for cents and to give you an idea, the boat ride along the Nile was private and $3 per person. I did not have the horrible harassment stories most girls from the program have come back with, but from the sounds of it I only lucked out.

Going to Egypt was a trip where I learned to appreciate Jordan a little more. When I went back to Jordan the streets looked cleaner and the men seemed less aggressive. So yes, Egypt was dirty, crowded, loud, chaotic, and the list goes on, but I enjoyed it for its overwhelming Middle Eastern feel.

If you have any plans to visit Egypt, be ready to sweat and if you are a girl, dress as conservative as you can.  

Israel

It is end of April and I am overwhelmed with studying for finals and writing papers. Probably the worst time for a weekend trip, yet me and three other friends decide to cross the border over to Israel. We are technically only about 45 minutes from Jerusalem but it took us a total of 4 hours to get there due to the 6 passport controls we had to go thru. The passport control was very time consuming but once we were in, getting to the Hostel did not take long. We stayed at Citadel Youth Hostel where you have the option of sleeping on the roof, which we definitely did. Then immediately changed our minds after figuring out it gets extremely cold at night. And never mind the fact the one of the nights I spent awake and working on one of my papers.

Upon entering the walls of the new city in Jerusalem, I was completely overwhelmed (the fun and exciting kind of overwhelmed) walking down the Suq alleys. Our time there was short so we had no time to spare. We immediately went to an information center in search of a map and mapped out our routes for the weekend. During our short time there we saw the Garden of Gethsemane, climbed the Mt. of Olives, Mount Zion, saw the place where Mary lived after the crucifixion of Jesus, saw the church when Jesus went to be crucified, where he was laid down after the crucifixion, where he was buried, saw Shindler’s grave, King David’s quarters, the west wall, and the much disputed Dome of the Rock.

Strange was, seeing orthodox Jews walking around. Strange was, seeing the difference in the Jew, Christian and Muslim quarters. Strange was, walking among people who believe so strongly in what they do, that they’re willing to live in war. Many ask me if I could feel the “Holiness” of Jesus walking around Jerusalem. My answer: No. What I felt was sadness over the conflict. During our excursions we kept running into T-shirt shops that read logos such as “I got stoned in Gaza…” and “Did you mean Palestine” when typing Jerusalem into Google’s web search. The damage done to people’s lives there is beyond repair because their minds are so engraved with entitlement. Until Jesus comes back and fulfills his promises to restore his people, Jerusalem will not know peace.

Being in Israel and getting to see Jerusalem was a great experience. I really enjoyed walking the Holy Land and taking pictures of the places Jesus once dwelled in. If I learned anything during this trip it was that procrastination is not worth an all-nighter and that the only Holy place we will find on earth is within us.

Spring Break

I do believe it is time to catch up. Last time I blogged was right before I left for Spring break in mid March. I know it has been way too long but in my defense, school became very time consuming with the arrival of midterms and right after, finals. Either way, during my ten-day break in March I flew to Larnaca, Cyprus for the first part and to Beirut, Lebanon for the second part. I travelled to Cyprus with approximately 15 other students from the program and our time there was spent relaxing on the beach during the day and checking out the nightlife during the night. An almost none-existent night life must I add, since we were there during their “off” season. We were very unproductive in terms of being tourists but very productive in terms of being on vacation. My favorite part of this trip was taking a day trip to the sea caves about 20 minutes from town. Katy Culhane and Matt Bell being two brave souls among the eight of us were my partners in hiking down into the caves and going out for a swim in the beautiful blue water. Despite all of our relaxing, we did however make time for a trip to the Turkish side of Cyprus. We could not believe the distinct difference between the two sides. The Turkish Republic of Cyprus is the only divided capitol in the world and its history is one of colonialism on the Turkish side and one of resistance on the Greek side. Overall, I could not have asked for a more relaxing yet culturally educational experience in Cyprus.

             Now for Beirut, probably my favorite visited city in the Middle East. When the six of us arrived in this city, relaxing time was over because we walked into a full schedule. We miraculously met a guy named Atif that told us what time we would be waking up each day that week. He drove us around the must-see places in Beirut while explaining bits and pieces of history here and there. With him we saw the sea-side, the mountainside, some breath-taking caverns, went to a wine tasting way too close to the Syrian border, saw a catholic shrine of Santa Maria, had a coffee break outside of a Druze controlled grotto and toured a castle along the coast. That was way more than we could have asked to see in five days. A highlight of the week was touring the American University of Beirut (AUB). To say the least, if Lebanon wasn’t so politically unstable, I would probably have transferred right after the tour. The university campus is beautiful and even though they speak more French than Arabic in Beirut, I was instantly hooked on all the beauty this city had to offer. From mountains covered full of snow, to an enticing beach and a breathtaking night view of the city, Beirut left us wanting to return. 

A girl and AMMAN

I have previously hinted at a couple of new adaptations I have had to undergo due to being a female in the Middle East. However, I decided that this topic deserves it’s own post.

There are things that are tough as a female in the States as well as anywhere else. For example, body image; despite the obesity in America, many obsess with being fit in order to “fit in” or look better than the person next to them as opposed to working out to be healthy. Here, not much is shown so if you go to the gym it’s obviously not to show-off to people on the streets. Another example would be creepers. I do not think there’s a single corner in the world that is creeper-free. However, in the States you just have to be up front and say “No” because ignoring them will only encourage them. Here, well, ignoring them is the smarter choice.

With these points acknowledged I will move on to my experience in Amman. Before coming to Amman, I knew I would have to cover-up (not a big deal since I’ve always dressed pretty conservative), I knew there would be cat calling on the streets and I knew I would be entering a male dominated world. Concerning my first point, I was not too upset with this rule until now, since it has been getting pretty hot during the day. When you are burning up it is hard to fight the urge to just shed the cardigan over a still conservative, but shoulder showing shirt.  And let’s not even bring up any type of shorts that show your kneecaps because that is definitely haram (unacceptable). Moving on to the catcalls. These are to be ignored at all costs in order as to not encourage them (not that by ignoring them they go away). I have become quite good at ignoring men on the streets but I still find myself rolling my eyes every time and fighting an urge to yell something back.

It has been very interesting to see how a society can change the way you see or feel about something. I have noticed how slowly but surely I have begun to feel differently about certain situations. I no longer keep my cardigan on in the heat because it is haram, but because I feel strange showing my shoulders in public. I feel self-conscious about cab riding from the gym to my home-stay with wet hair. Not because it “signals” (socially) that I just finished having sex, but because it makes me feel underdressed and careless in a society where everyone dresses to impress. I don’t like going out by myself after dark. Not because I feel unsafe, but because I feel like it does not say good things about me when I am out on the streets by myself as a female.

If after only a couple of months of being here my opinions on such circumstances have already been altered, I wonder what will be like to try and re-adapt to being back in the states after an entire semester. A place where no one cares if you go grocery shopping in sweat pants and wet hair, where summers are enjoyed tanning beside a pool, where guys are passive-aggressive with their thoughts (for the most part) and on a slightly different note, where granola bars are easily found and fast food does not always equal schwarma.  

Desert Castles Cycling

Last Saturday I went on a pretty intense bike ride in the desert. Was it long? Yes. Was it bumpy? Very. Was it fun? Absolutely. We drove about an hour and a half outside of Jordan and cycled for out two hours. From a previous description of this trip I was under the impression that we would be cycling to different castles around Jordan. In reality, we started of by seeing what used to be a hideout for kings. A place they used to go to in order to hunt, bathe and simply just get away. From there we grabbed a bike and cycled through the bumpy desert. There was not much to see out there but it was very nice to go outside the city limits into fresh air. After our bike ride we had a great lunch, which included chicken, rice, Greek salad and of course tea. And before heading back to Jordan we visited a wetland museum and the one castle on the itinerary.

Despite my misinterpretation of the castles we were visiting the weather and cycling with friends made it a very enjoyable day. 

TIPS: When going on a Desert Castles Cycling trip, do not expect to see many castles. Take a juice box for the road and wear your helmet. 

Word of the Day: har --> hot 

Biblical Jordan

This post is a couple of weeks overdue but it has been a couple of weeks full of reading and tests at school. Either way this is a post detailing a tour I did of Biblical Jordan. On this tour we went to Jesus’ baptismal site, the Jordan River separating Jordan and Israel, the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, looked over at the Promised Land and later died and lastly, we went to the site where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded.

To be honest, I almost did not get up that morning to go. I was extremely tired so when my alarm went off at 6 a.m. I momentarily just wanted to skip-out. However, I knew I would later regret skipping if I did. Now, I am very glad I pushed through and went.  In case you are wondering, I did not have some spiritual revelation or anything of the sort at these places, but it was a very neat experience to see these places I’ve so often heard of in real life. It also gave me a more realistic view of the people that were there once upon a time. They are not made up. They were once alive and wandering around the places I got to see.

Jesus’ baptismal site was small but it still has the stairs that go down to where the water is. The Jordan River was very dirty but narrow enough to make a leap from Jordan to Israel without a problem. The mountain where Moses stood looks like any other mountain except for the museum they have located there. You can definitely see the Promised Land from there but unfortunately it was cloudy that day so we did not have a clear view of it. Getting to where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded was quite the hike. The castle is no longer there but some pillars remain and you can see down into the pit where they imprisoned him.

The day involved a lot of hiking and getting off and on the bus a lot. It included a great lunch and beautiful views of Jordan. It is still strange to be in a place where there is so much history and I have been very appreciative of the opportunity to get to see and learn about it. If you would like any visuals of these places just let me know and I will get them to you!

TIPS: When going on a Biblical Jordan Tour, take your camera! You will be upset if you don’t and don’t forget good hiking shoes.

Word of the Day: Jabal --> Mountain.

Time to Recharge

Last weekend four friends from the program and I decided to take a trip to Aqaba. Aqaba is a town on the edge of the red sea approximately 4 hours from Amman. It has been pretty cold in Amman so going to Aqaba was a great way to escape the cold weather since it’s warmer there.  Our bus left at 7:00 a.m. Friday morning and we arrived around noon. We stayed in a Hostel called “Bedouin Garden Village” right outside Aqaba and across the street from the beach. I have nothing but great things to say about this place. It was clean, quite cheap, the workers were very welcoming, a great breakfast was included and it is a really adorable place.

Upon our arrival we decided to eat lunch and checkout the beach. Katie, a friend from the program and I, decided to scuba dive since the Bedouin had a really good deal while the other girls soaked in the sun at the beach. That night we decided to go to town for dinner and simply to walk around in the nice weather. We ate at a traditional Jordanian restaurant and headed out for our tour of the town. We made some great purchases and enjoyed some ice cream before heading back to the hostel. The next day we pretty much just bummed on the beach and attempted to get some reading done for class. We were not very successful with our reading but it was great to just relax and enjoy our time away from the craziness in Amman. That night we headed back at 6:00 p.m. and arrived back in Amman around 10:00.

It was a great and much need break for me. I have been here a month now and it has been a rather challenging one. Between getting used to the cultural differences, working on the language barrier and keeping up with class, I have been beyond exhausted. Even though I got a tad bit behind on homework, our trip to Aqaba helped recharge me.

TIP: If going to Aqaba, stay at the “Bedouin Garden Village” I highly recommend it!

Word of the Day: madeenah --> City.

P.S. I miss you all! 

Wadi Rum & Petra

On the 8th of this month we left for Wadi Rum. For  those of you who do not know, Wadi Rum is essentially the middle of the desert in Jordan. Aside from learning Arabic, my purpose in Jordan was basically served in my going to Wadi Rum. It will probably be tough to top this experience in Jordan. While there, we rode 4x4s in the desert, had tea with bedouins, rode on camels and slept at a bedouin village.
Riding in the back of 4x4s in the desert was quite thrilling. Throughout the ride we had a few stopping points where we got to climb some sand dunes and take pictures. At the end of the Jeep excursion we were escorted to a bedouin tent for tea before mounting our waiting camels. The camel ride was an absolutely great experience. It was not as smooth as a horseback ride nor nearly as comfortable, however, it was pleasant and enjoyable. After about an hour of riding camels we stopped at a mountain top for more tea and to watch the sunset. Once the sun had set, we walked a while to the bedouin village where we would be having dinner and spending the night. Staying in bedouins was probably the most fun I've had since arriving in Jordan. For those of you who know me well, you know that I love dancing and I am not picky about it either. After dinner we gathered around a couple of guys playing traditional Arabic music. We were then taught some Dubke (traditional dancing) steps. At this point we all lost track of time and we danced until we were too tired to stand. Staying in the Bedouin village in the middle of the desert was very surreal. Despite the fact that I dreaded getting behind on sleep and homework that weekend, I had a blast.
The next day we left for Petra, an ancient city, and my time there made up for my lack of exercise (I joined a gym called Aspire in Amman). We walked a total of seven miles that day and a big chunk meant hiking up to the monastery Right after snapping a picture of the place where Indiana Jones found the treasure. For those of you who are wondering, I found no treasure myself but I did get a marriage proposal. As tempting as it was to accept, I had to decline. At some point during the walking I hurt my left knee so now I'm having to take it easy and I have difficulty going up steps but "Insha-allah" it will heel up soon.
We came back to Amman that same day and it was back to homework, dealing with taxis and eating pita with hummus.
TIPS: If going to Wadi Rum, take a scarf or something to cover your head with since it gets pretty hot. It is after all, a desert. If staying at a bedouin village in Wadi Rum, take plenty of layers for it gets quite cold at night. If going to Petra, expect to walk a lot so take comfortable shoes or you will get horrible blisters.
Word of the Day: Insha-alla -> God willing

Classes

Classes in Jordan started on Monday and my schedule here consists of two Arabic classes,  standard and colloquial, and two English classes, Middle East: Alternative Perspectives and Islam in the modern context. Classes have just started and I'm already having to drink coffee in order to make it through my assignments. Should be a great semester. As previously mentioned, buildings here are made out of limestone so classrooms are nice and cold during lecture. Thankfully, there are coffee vendors along the way where I can stop and buy a cup for lecture. If I'm going to be honest, I have to say I'm beginning to feel a tad bit overwhelmed with the language learning process. I have undergone this experience before with German but the knowledge that it eventually gets better, does not diminish my frustration at the moment. One of the CIEE staff members sent us an Arabic quote that translates into "patience is the key to knowledge", something I shall remind myself of constantly in the next few weeks. 

My classes begin at either 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. depending on the day. My mode of transportation here is a Taxi which has provided me with an interesting experience. I have learned the different routes home from school and at times I've had to re-route taxis so they don't end up taking me around town, in order to charge me three times what they should. Besides the start of classes not a whole lot has happened. Arabic is still hard, the call to prayer still happens five times a day and the weather is still colder than it should be. 

If there is anything specific you would like for me to blog about (Jordan related), feel free to ask! 

TIPS: If visiting Jordan in the spring, bundle up and bring waterproof shoes. It gets cold and it rains a lot. I know it's in the desert, but it gets very cold at night nonetheless. Also, don't be scared to re-route taxis. Some taxi drivers are very nice and get you to your destination via the fastest route but others just want your money.  

Word of the day: mhm -> Important

The Dead Sea

On the 24th we, the study abroad students, all took a trip to the Dead Sea. We traveled there via bus and it took us about an hour to get there. Upon arriving we were taken to a panorama view of the sea where we were given time to take pictures and enjoy the view before beginning our "goal setting" sessions. During these sessions we discussed our expectations for our time abroad, as well as ways we could make this a better experience. In my opinion there was an overall consensus that we need to focus not so much on our expectations, but rather on being who we are in a culture we hope to be a part of. We are here not in order to replace our culture with the one we are immersed in, but to add on to our culture, as to enrich it. After our sessions we continued onward to the "Dead Sea Spa" where we had lunch before going and enjoying the sea.
Okay, so we all know one floats in the Dead Sea because it is so salty but actually going through the experience is mind blowing. It is definitely ranked on the top 10 coolest experiences I've had and if you ever get the chance to visit it, you should! I have no idea how deep I swam into the sea but it was like having an internal floaty. Now, the saltiness. IT'S SALTY! I don't think I can really explain how salty it is but I will give it a try.... after dipping my hand in the water I barely (tip of the tongue barely) touched my tongue to my finger and it tasted as though I had taken a spoonful of pure salt. I was quite amazed at the level of saltiness.
After about two hours of fun in the sun, we were back on the bus and on our way home to Amman. It was very fun day but very exhausting. I returned salty, sleepy and ready for dinner.
TIPS: If visiting the dead sea, bring water/swimming shoes. There is not a beach and walking on the rocks leading to the water huuuuurrrts. Also girls, do not shave the day before going because your legs will burn horribly. Lastly, bring that sunblock. The saltiness increases the level of burning by 1000000.
Word of the day: Sea -> Bhr

Meeting the Host Parents

For those of you who didn't know, I chose to stay with a host family instead of an apartment during my stay in Jordan. My reasons for this decision were based off of me wanting to be as immersed in the culture as I could be. I got assigned to a lovely host family of four (an 11 year old daughter and a 17 year old son whom we rarely see). Also in the household is another girl from the program with whom I share a room with. I was so tired the day they picked us up that I fell asleep in the back seat on the way home. Which was a bad idea because the way you get around the city is by landmarks which my host mom pointed out to us on the drive home. This means you can't ask for directions or tell a taxi where you're going by giving them a street name and house number. There are 7 circles around the city and you basically tell them what circle you are near and the most common landmark near the circle/your destination. Thankfully, I was later re-explained the main landmarks for getting from the University to my home stay.
Upon our arrival we were directed to our room so we could unpack and get all settled in. I would say that the house is beginning to feel a bit homey with my belonging all out of the suitcase, but not "cozy" in the literal sense. Houses in Jordan are made out of limestone in order to keep the heat out in the summer and heaters, well... who needs those?
I can't deny that I had a few expectations of what my arrival would be like and as odd as this sounds, I expected to be sat down in the living room with my host parents going through a list of do's and don'ts during my stay in Jordan (I have yet to experience this expectation). Instead, issues have been left to be addressed as they come up. For example, I was never told I needed to order my room in a certain way, but several times my host mom has came in and asked me to reorder this or that. Another example would be my curfew. During orientaion, I received a paper with my host parents information that stated that curfew was at 10:30 p.m. However, after arriving at 10:30 p.m. from a tea bar with my roommate, my host mom said we could've stayed out until 11:30 because it was a Thursday (weekends here are Friday and Saturday, not Saturday and Sunday). Had we been previously told when we double checked our curfew, we would've had another cup of tea.
Getting used to having a curfew again and having to eat for dinner what is served rather then what I chose to cook, are things that have been strange getting in the rhythm of. Having my host family walk into my room without knocking and having my host mom rearrange things in my room to her liking (because this is her house) having invaded my definition of privacy a bit. Being asked to sit in the living room when I'm working on something on my computer while others watch TV so we can spend time together (because sitting in silence is not awkward but social) are new ideas. All of these things have pulled me out of my comfort zone and even though they can be a bit frustrating at times, I get excited every time I realize it's not them trying to make me feel strange, invaded, or awkward but rather part of their Jordanian family. So this is me beginning to experience a bit of the life of someone living in a Jordanian household!
TIPS: If staying in a Jordanian household, bring house slippers, plenty of layers to sleep in, take short showers (Jordan is the 4th poorest country in terms of water so they only get a certain amount of water to use per month, per household) and don't flush your toilet paper down the toilet for that goes in the trash can. Lastly, stay positive and embrace the differences in cultural norms.
Word of the day: Family -> Asrh