Today has been a day of mixed emotions, as it is my last day in Jordan. My original plans had me staying here until December 14th, but some last minute problems shortened my stay and I will be flying out of Amman later tonight. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on the past three and a half months here-the experiences I've had, the things I've learned, and the people I've met. I lived with an incredible family. For all of us, this was an experience that consisted of a lot of trial and I error. I was the first American student they had ever hosted, and this was my first time living with another family in a culture and country that are different from my own. We didn't always understand each other, and while this may have been frustrating at the time, they make for some funny stories in retrospect. I cannot begin to express how appreciative I am for their hospitality. For 14 weeks I was treated as a member of their family, with them often worrying about my needs above anything else. I will miss them and the things they taught me very much. This was a fascinating experience, adding so much to my time here that I could not have gotten in a dorm. Whenever I am in the Middle East, I will be sure to stop in Amman and visit my second family.
Every conversation I had taught me something. From conversations with my host family, to talks with cab drivers, Jordanian friends, and conversations with my academic advisers and teachers; I learned so much about Arab culture and politics, and I will be returning home with the knowledge of a perspective we don't hear much in the United States. I tried to absorb everything we did, and everything I saw - every challenge I faced as part of the experience. Even though my experience was cut short, I will leave satisfied knowing that I have had the experience of a lifetime, and I am so thankful that I was fortunate enough to have had this opportunity. Three of four years ago, I never would have thought that I would have celebrated Ramadan with a Muslim family in the Middle East or that I would sit in on an eye-opening lecture at the Arab League in Cairo. I have done so much here that I don't have time to write about, so I will sum up the past three months in a short list of all my adventures in the Middle East.
Since August, I have celebrated Ramadan with a Muslim family, snorkeled in the Red Sea, floated in the Dead Sea, camped in the desert, climbed desert mountains, rode a camel, saw the pyramids, looked at royal mummies, visited the Arab League, visited a crusader-era castle, ate on the Nile, rode a boat down the Nile, crossed the insane streets of Cairo, stepped on a sea urchin (painful), lived with Bedouins, climbed the ancient ruins of Petra, learned A LOT of Arabic, befriended Jordanians, rode Jordanian taxis (always an experience), ate countless delicious homemade Arabic meals, visited a Muslim holy site unintentionally, went on a desert night hike, attended a Muslim engagement party, spoke with important members of Jordanian society, experienced a water shortage, and had countless other experiences that helped me develop a love and appreciation for this country and region of the world.
The remainder of my day will be spent around the house with my host brother and father-my host mother is in Kuwait. I will finish any packing that still remains to be done and call the some friends I will not get a chance to see before I go. I am looking forward to being home again, but I am going to miss Jordan and the Jordanian friends I made here, as well as all of those in my program, who I said goodbye to last night. Luckily, through the internet and cell phones, it will be easier for all of us to stay in touch. Just as I had begun to get used to this place, it is now time to go, but I will return "An Sha Allah" (God willing).
Now I am concluding and unforgettable experience, one that has changed me in ways that I have not yet begun to realize. It has been one wild ride here in the Middle East, and I would like to thank you for joining me on this journey through my blog.
For one last time,
Salaam Aleykum
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Home Stretch-the Last Week of the Semester
As of today, I have officially satisfied all the requirements for my study abroad program, thus ending my fifth semester of college. This also means my time here in Jordan will soon come to an end. For all of us, this past week has been incredibly busy as we rushed to complete our independent study projects and then prepared presentations on our research. When all was said and done, my report on Jordanian Foreign Policy with Regard to the War on Terror totaled 50 pages, with 40 being my actual report and an 10 additional pages consisting of references, an appendix, title page, and the other various requirements needed to make my research paper truly "academic." This afternoon, I made a 20 minute presentation on my topic to the class and got some positive feedback from my classmates and advisers, who found my topic to be very interesting.
Aside from working on my project all week, I had lunch with Mohammed and his family on Friday. Naturally, the food was delicious and I enjoyed the time I spent with Mohammed and his family. On Thursday, my host mother left for Kuwait for two weeks. Unfortunately this means I will not enjoy her cooking before I leave. This has been difficult, but my host father is a pretty good cook himself. I've been satisfied so far. On Saturday, I joined my host brother and his friend on a trip to their university between Amman and the city of Salt. I got a tour of the school and learned a little bit more about the Jordanian college experience.
Yesterday afternoon, I went to a Palestnian refugee camp just outside of downtown, the second largest camp in Jordan. What shocked me most about this camp, was the fact that it was no longer much of a camp in the traditional sense. It was very developed with many permanent structures. It was also very crowded, and reminded me somewhat of a smaller version of Khan al-Khalili market in Cairo, with many vendors and cheap products. I wandered around the camp for about an hour with a friend before leaving.
The rest of this week includes more presentations to tomorrow, a re-entry orientation on Thursday, and Friday and Saturday as free days-to say goodbye to people we've met here and enjoy the last few days in Amman. I, however, will be staying an extra week with my (biological) parents when they fly out here on Sunday. In addition to introducing them to the many people I have met here, I will take them around Amman and show them what has been my life for the past three months. Hopefully, we will also travel to the Dead Sea and some sites in northern Jordan. Unfortunately one week is not enough time to show them everything I have done.
I will return to the United States on December 14th, where I will enjoy getting back into my routine and having back some of the little things that I have missed since being here, such as Cheerios and the American breakfast. One thing I've learned here is that Americans know how to do breakfast-we've got some quality morning foods.
For now, I will relax and enjoy my final days in Amman with my host family and friends.
Allah Mak
Aside from working on my project all week, I had lunch with Mohammed and his family on Friday. Naturally, the food was delicious and I enjoyed the time I spent with Mohammed and his family. On Thursday, my host mother left for Kuwait for two weeks. Unfortunately this means I will not enjoy her cooking before I leave. This has been difficult, but my host father is a pretty good cook himself. I've been satisfied so far. On Saturday, I joined my host brother and his friend on a trip to their university between Amman and the city of Salt. I got a tour of the school and learned a little bit more about the Jordanian college experience.
Yesterday afternoon, I went to a Palestnian refugee camp just outside of downtown, the second largest camp in Jordan. What shocked me most about this camp, was the fact that it was no longer much of a camp in the traditional sense. It was very developed with many permanent structures. It was also very crowded, and reminded me somewhat of a smaller version of Khan al-Khalili market in Cairo, with many vendors and cheap products. I wandered around the camp for about an hour with a friend before leaving.
The rest of this week includes more presentations to tomorrow, a re-entry orientation on Thursday, and Friday and Saturday as free days-to say goodbye to people we've met here and enjoy the last few days in Amman. I, however, will be staying an extra week with my (biological) parents when they fly out here on Sunday. In addition to introducing them to the many people I have met here, I will take them around Amman and show them what has been my life for the past three months. Hopefully, we will also travel to the Dead Sea and some sites in northern Jordan. Unfortunately one week is not enough time to show them everything I have done.
I will return to the United States on December 14th, where I will enjoy getting back into my routine and having back some of the little things that I have missed since being here, such as Cheerios and the American breakfast. One thing I've learned here is that Americans know how to do breakfast-we've got some quality morning foods.
For now, I will relax and enjoy my final days in Amman with my host family and friends.
Allah Mak
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
ISP Week Two and the Beginning of Week Three
Since my last update I have completed all my interviews and have begun writing my report. I have to admit, I did interview an impressive group of individuals: the former foreign minister, a former Jordanian ambassador to the United States, a well-known newspaper journalist, a former member of parliament who was also the minister of several ministries, and a professor at Jordan University. In addition to these interviews, my project adviser was the former deputy prime minister and head of the Royal Court.
The interviews and research I have conducted have been interesting and eye-opening. I have learned a lot about Jordan's role in the War on Terror and how the American foreign policy in the Middle East has been affecting that role. With only five days left to put this report together, I have been feeling rushed and under a lot of pressure. I don't know how, but on November 30th at 5pm when the assignment is due, I will have completed it.
I am also now less than two weeks from the end of the program, and less than three weeks from my return home. Recently, I have noticed myself developing a level of comfort and appreciation for this place that I never had before. I believe this is because I have not been in class everyday for almost seven hours a day, and have been able to create my own schedule, allowing me to spend some more time with my host family and go out to meet people for interviews. On Saturday, my host family and I joined the rest of my classmates and their host families for a group dinner sponsored by our program at a local restaurant. My family and I had a great time eating-the food was delicious, by the way, meeting other families, and introducing my friends and family members to each other. I was glad my entire family could join me, as well as my host sister and her husband, who do not live with us.
The week ahead will involve a lot of writing. On Friday, I will be having lunch with Mohammed and his family. We had to cancel our lunch last week due to scheduling conflicts. Saturday morning I may go with my host brother to his university in the city of Salt, so he can show me around and allow me to see university life on his campus.
After we submit our projects in Sunday, we will present them in 30 minute presentations to the rest of our class. Also, next Monday after presentations I will be joining some other students and a teacher on a trip to a Palestinian refugee camp near downtown Amman. This is an experience I've been looking forward to since my arrival in Jordan.
That's about it for this past week. The end of the semester is coming up fast and there is still a lot to do. For now, I'll get back to writing my report.
Salaam Aleykum
The interviews and research I have conducted have been interesting and eye-opening. I have learned a lot about Jordan's role in the War on Terror and how the American foreign policy in the Middle East has been affecting that role. With only five days left to put this report together, I have been feeling rushed and under a lot of pressure. I don't know how, but on November 30th at 5pm when the assignment is due, I will have completed it.
I am also now less than two weeks from the end of the program, and less than three weeks from my return home. Recently, I have noticed myself developing a level of comfort and appreciation for this place that I never had before. I believe this is because I have not been in class everyday for almost seven hours a day, and have been able to create my own schedule, allowing me to spend some more time with my host family and go out to meet people for interviews. On Saturday, my host family and I joined the rest of my classmates and their host families for a group dinner sponsored by our program at a local restaurant. My family and I had a great time eating-the food was delicious, by the way, meeting other families, and introducing my friends and family members to each other. I was glad my entire family could join me, as well as my host sister and her husband, who do not live with us.
The week ahead will involve a lot of writing. On Friday, I will be having lunch with Mohammed and his family. We had to cancel our lunch last week due to scheduling conflicts. Saturday morning I may go with my host brother to his university in the city of Salt, so he can show me around and allow me to see university life on his campus.
After we submit our projects in Sunday, we will present them in 30 minute presentations to the rest of our class. Also, next Monday after presentations I will be joining some other students and a teacher on a trip to a Palestinian refugee camp near downtown Amman. This is an experience I've been looking forward to since my arrival in Jordan.
That's about it for this past week. The end of the semester is coming up fast and there is still a lot to do. For now, I'll get back to writing my report.
Salaam Aleykum
Monday, November 17, 2008
Update: Week of 11/9-11/17
There's not too much to discuss this week. I spent most of my time conducting research for my independent study project, as well as two interviews, which provided me with plenty of information and interesting point of views on my topic-Jordanian Foreign Policy with Regard to the War on Terror. I find myself enjoying this month off from classes. I prefer to create my own schedule, rather than follow the rigid program that we were prior to the ISP period. During the week we would be in classes from 9-4pm. Many of us would stay after to do homework before going home, not allowing us much time to do anything else. Since classes have ended I've begun my days a little later. I usually head to the gym everyday and then begin researching or interviewing, going wherever I need to go, enjoying my new found freedom.
I spent the weekend going out with my host brother and one of my American friends to play pool at some local billiard joints. While I was never very good at the game, and lost most of the rounds, I do think my pool skills have improved somewhat.
Going back to my project-I have been shocked at the accessibility of former government officials here. One interview that I will be conducting in the future is with one of Jordan's former foreign ministers. I was given his phone number, and I scheduled an interview by simply calling him myself. These officials are much more accessible than government officials in the states. It would be nearly impossible for me to get an interview with figures such as Colin Powell or James Baker back home.
That sums up the past week, and this week will most likely not be very different. With just two weeks left to complete my project, I will be conducting a lot of research and some interviews. This coming Friday I will be having lunch with Muhammed, who I met back in September when I was invited to have Iftar at his home(see This Past Week: 9/7-9/14 and Weekend in Aqaba). Last Friday marked the beginning of my last month in Jordan. It's hard to believe I will be returning back to the United States in just four weeks. I have been loving my time here, but it will be nice to be home for the holidays.
Salaam
I spent the weekend going out with my host brother and one of my American friends to play pool at some local billiard joints. While I was never very good at the game, and lost most of the rounds, I do think my pool skills have improved somewhat.
Going back to my project-I have been shocked at the accessibility of former government officials here. One interview that I will be conducting in the future is with one of Jordan's former foreign ministers. I was given his phone number, and I scheduled an interview by simply calling him myself. These officials are much more accessible than government officials in the states. It would be nearly impossible for me to get an interview with figures such as Colin Powell or James Baker back home.
That sums up the past week, and this week will most likely not be very different. With just two weeks left to complete my project, I will be conducting a lot of research and some interviews. This coming Friday I will be having lunch with Muhammed, who I met back in September when I was invited to have Iftar at his home(see This Past Week: 9/7-9/14 and Weekend in Aqaba). Last Friday marked the beginning of my last month in Jordan. It's hard to believe I will be returning back to the United States in just four weeks. I have been loving my time here, but it will be nice to be home for the holidays.
Salaam
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Election Night, the Last Week of Classes, and the Beginning of the ISP Period
The first week of November marked our last week of normal classes, and more importantly, Election Day. With many of us being Political Science or liberal arts majors, it was very important for us to watch and view the results of this year's presidential election. Most of the group reserved hotel rooms for the night in different parts of Amman to watch the results as they came in. I joined a group of eight other students and rented a suite for the night, equipped TV's in every room and internet to ensure that we were always updated with the most recent results. Due to the seven hour time difference, many of the results did not start coming in until 1 or 2 am. The final results were announced around 6:00 am Amman time. Needless to say, none of us got much sleep that night.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the results. I was upset to hear that some of the local candidates I had supported lost the election. It was these losses that were the most upsetting for me. However, I'm remaining optimistic. It will be interesting to see how the next two years unfold.
Thursday the 6th also marked our last day of regular classes. That Monday, we took the Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) final exam, and on Thursday we made Arabic presentations for our local dialect (Amia) class.
The conclusion of class now means the beginning of the Independent Study Project, or ISP Period for the remainder of the month. For the next three weeks, we will be operating on our own schedules to conduct research and interviews necessary to complete our projects. The topic I have chosen to research is Jordanian Foreign Policy with Regard to the War on Terror. I have spent the past three days reading through online journals and other academic articles on this subject. I am also fortunate to have a project adviser who was once active in Jordanian politics. We met for the first time today and he has already provided me with significant help, setting up two interviews for me this week and next week, and providing me with additional information on my topic. I look forward to working with him over the course of the ISP Period, and conducting my own research on Jordan and the War on Terror.
The week ahead for me includes and interview, and hopefully a short break from my research with a day trip to various sites in northern Jordan on Friday. Check back at the end of the week for more updates.
Ma Salaama
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the results. I was upset to hear that some of the local candidates I had supported lost the election. It was these losses that were the most upsetting for me. However, I'm remaining optimistic. It will be interesting to see how the next two years unfold.
Thursday the 6th also marked our last day of regular classes. That Monday, we took the Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) final exam, and on Thursday we made Arabic presentations for our local dialect (Amia) class.
The conclusion of class now means the beginning of the Independent Study Project, or ISP Period for the remainder of the month. For the next three weeks, we will be operating on our own schedules to conduct research and interviews necessary to complete our projects. The topic I have chosen to research is Jordanian Foreign Policy with Regard to the War on Terror. I have spent the past three days reading through online journals and other academic articles on this subject. I am also fortunate to have a project adviser who was once active in Jordanian politics. We met for the first time today and he has already provided me with significant help, setting up two interviews for me this week and next week, and providing me with additional information on my topic. I look forward to working with him over the course of the ISP Period, and conducting my own research on Jordan and the War on Terror.
The week ahead for me includes and interview, and hopefully a short break from my research with a day trip to various sites in northern Jordan on Friday. Check back at the end of the week for more updates.
Ma Salaama
Excursion through Southern Jordan
October was a very busy month. The week following our return from Egypt was spent, in addition to my Arabic studies, working on a case study to prepare us for our independent study projects. I conducted my case study research on the preservation of Palestinian identity in Jordan through food. While this is a subject I had never put much though into before, what I learned was interesting. There is a very emotional connection to food that ties Palestinians living in Jordan to their original homeland. They not only use food to distinguish their own identity from Jordanian identity, but also to distinguish local identities amongst themselves. In Palestinian culture, Arab names often indicate where someone is from. By knowing an individual's last name, Palestinians can determine where someone is from, and therefore, determine what kinds of food they like to eat since certain Palestinian foods originate from certain cities and villages in Palestine, such as Nablus, Hebron, and Jenin.
During our week back, I also attended an engagement party for a friend here in Amman. With over one hundred other men, we gathered into cars and cargo vans and drove to the hall where the party was being held. The event was completely segregated by gender. The men were in one room, and the woman were in another, with neither side interacting with each other throughout the duration of the party. The party began with members of the family (male only, of course) greeting all the guests as they arrived. After sitting down, a Muslim ritual was conducted in which a verse from the Quran was read, and then it appeared (although I don't know for sure, so don't quote me on it) that the group prayed after the reading of the Quran. After this, some cake was served and the rest of the evening was spent socializing and congratulating the future groom as he greeted every table. The party was surprisingly short, and I was expecting some music, dabke, and a large feast, but that did not happen. The purpose of the engagement party was to be just a social gathering of both sides of the family in order to honor the future bride and groom. The music, dancing, and big feast will happen at the wedding. Unfortunately, the wedding is in April, so I will be unable to attend it.
The week of October 19th was spent traveling through southern Jordan. We visited some well-known locations in Jordan such as the castle in the city of Karak, the Nebatean ruins at Petra, the desert of Wadi Rum, and Jordan's only port city of Aqaba on the Red Sea, which I had previously visited in mid-September.
Our trip began with a stop in the city of Karak. Karak is known for being a politically active city, as many of Jordan's top political leaders come from Karak. Karak is also well-known for its politics because the it is the center for the Baath Party-the political party of Saddam Hussein, in Jordan. Any revolutions that have been attempted throughout Jordan's history tend to have originated in Karak. Luckily, they have been unsuccessful, and revolutionary sentiment, when it does occur, tends to remain in the south, and rarely spreads to the northern cities such as Amman and Irbid. In Karak, we visited Karak Castle, famous for its former status as a Crusader stronghold.
Following our visit to Karak, we traveled further south to the town of Wadi Musa, where the famous ruins of Petra, the ancient, 2,000 year old capital of the Nabateans is located. Arriving at the entrance around 7 am, we walked through the Siq, a narrow gorge that leads to the the ruins. As we reached the end of the Siq, the famous treasury building, carved into the side of a mountain appeared. One of the seven wonders of the world, all of Petra's buildings are carved into the sides of mountains and cliff faces, with only one free standing building in the entire city. My tour of Petra began with a long morning hike with a friend up a set of stairs, roughly one thousand or so, that led to a sacrificial altar on the top of a mountain. As we climbed, Bedouins perched on different portions of the mountain attempting to sell souvenirs helped us find our way to the exact location of the altar. At the top of the mountain we were met with an incredible view that allowed us to see the entire ancient city. After hiking back down the mountain, we explored the rest of Petra, looking at ancient churches, marketplaces, and temples. After spending the morning in Petra, we traveled to the desert of Wadi Rum.
Our visit to Wadi Rum was my favorite part of our trip through southern Jordan. After spending the afternoon settling into our desert camp and experiencing the many sand dunes the desert has to offer, we spent the night in the camp, enjoying the company of the staff and each other. They cooked us a delicious dinner that evening, complete with chicken, lamb, salads, rice, and bread. We then sat around the campfire while the staff played us some Arabic music and hosted a mock wedding celebration with two students from our group. In addition to the music and mock wedding celebration, we received Debke lessons from one of our academic directors just before eating. It was the first time I had danced the Debke in about a year, so naturally my dance moves were a little rusty. After wondering through the desert that night with some friends, we went to bed and woke up early the next morning to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, I enjoyed a camel ride through the desert, an experience I could not leave the Middle East without.
Our next stop was the city of Aqaba, Jordan's only port city located on the Red Sea near Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. This was my second time in Aqaba, as I had already spent a weekend there in mid-September. I again had the opportunity to go snorkeling in the Red Sea, and this time around I made it out of the water with no sea urchin spikes in my foot. We had another enjoyable night in Aqaba as we returned to some of the same locations we went to during our first visit in September. After being treated to a great fish lunch the following day, we left Aqaba that afternoon and headed north to spend the remainder of the day and night at the Feynan Eco-Lodge.
The Feynan Eco-Lodge is part of the larger Dana Biosphere Reserve. Dana is Jordan's largest nature reserve, covering vast areas of desert, mountains, and valleys full of different types of rare animal and plant species. The Eco-Lodge, designed to be completely environmentally friendly is isolated from any type of real civilization, making it literally in the middle of nowhere. Electricity is non-existent, and any lights in the lodge are solar powered. All meals are vegetarian (and they were delicious), and the lodge is lit only by candlelight at night. We spent the day exploring the lodge, and during some spare time, I climbed a nearby mountain with some friends. After dinner, we ventured off into the desert for a two hour night hike with one of our directors.
The following morning, after the group went on a morning hike (I stayed back at the lodge, due to stomach problems...again), we made our way back to Amman, but not before spending an afternoon at the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, which is composed of such a high salt density that there is no real life (hence the name), is divided between Jordan and Israel, with a very small portion in Palestinian territory. With Israel clearly visible on the other side, we floated effortlessly in the water as the high concentration of salt kept us from sinking beneath the surface. It is almost impossible to touch the bottom, making it hard to gauge how deep the water really is. After washing a nice, thick layer of salt off our bodies in the fresh water showers on the beach, we headed back to Amman; arriving early that night.
Our journey through southern Jordan allowed me to see and do many things I cannot do back home, and I had a lot of fun in the process. In many ways, I found our excursion through southern Jordan to be more enjoyable than our visit to Egypt.
During our week back, I also attended an engagement party for a friend here in Amman. With over one hundred other men, we gathered into cars and cargo vans and drove to the hall where the party was being held. The event was completely segregated by gender. The men were in one room, and the woman were in another, with neither side interacting with each other throughout the duration of the party. The party began with members of the family (male only, of course) greeting all the guests as they arrived. After sitting down, a Muslim ritual was conducted in which a verse from the Quran was read, and then it appeared (although I don't know for sure, so don't quote me on it) that the group prayed after the reading of the Quran. After this, some cake was served and the rest of the evening was spent socializing and congratulating the future groom as he greeted every table. The party was surprisingly short, and I was expecting some music, dabke, and a large feast, but that did not happen. The purpose of the engagement party was to be just a social gathering of both sides of the family in order to honor the future bride and groom. The music, dancing, and big feast will happen at the wedding. Unfortunately, the wedding is in April, so I will be unable to attend it.
The week of October 19th was spent traveling through southern Jordan. We visited some well-known locations in Jordan such as the castle in the city of Karak, the Nebatean ruins at Petra, the desert of Wadi Rum, and Jordan's only port city of Aqaba on the Red Sea, which I had previously visited in mid-September.
Our trip began with a stop in the city of Karak. Karak is known for being a politically active city, as many of Jordan's top political leaders come from Karak. Karak is also well-known for its politics because the it is the center for the Baath Party-the political party of Saddam Hussein, in Jordan. Any revolutions that have been attempted throughout Jordan's history tend to have originated in Karak. Luckily, they have been unsuccessful, and revolutionary sentiment, when it does occur, tends to remain in the south, and rarely spreads to the northern cities such as Amman and Irbid. In Karak, we visited Karak Castle, famous for its former status as a Crusader stronghold.
Following our visit to Karak, we traveled further south to the town of Wadi Musa, where the famous ruins of Petra, the ancient, 2,000 year old capital of the Nabateans is located. Arriving at the entrance around 7 am, we walked through the Siq, a narrow gorge that leads to the the ruins. As we reached the end of the Siq, the famous treasury building, carved into the side of a mountain appeared. One of the seven wonders of the world, all of Petra's buildings are carved into the sides of mountains and cliff faces, with only one free standing building in the entire city. My tour of Petra began with a long morning hike with a friend up a set of stairs, roughly one thousand or so, that led to a sacrificial altar on the top of a mountain. As we climbed, Bedouins perched on different portions of the mountain attempting to sell souvenirs helped us find our way to the exact location of the altar. At the top of the mountain we were met with an incredible view that allowed us to see the entire ancient city. After hiking back down the mountain, we explored the rest of Petra, looking at ancient churches, marketplaces, and temples. After spending the morning in Petra, we traveled to the desert of Wadi Rum.
Our visit to Wadi Rum was my favorite part of our trip through southern Jordan. After spending the afternoon settling into our desert camp and experiencing the many sand dunes the desert has to offer, we spent the night in the camp, enjoying the company of the staff and each other. They cooked us a delicious dinner that evening, complete with chicken, lamb, salads, rice, and bread. We then sat around the campfire while the staff played us some Arabic music and hosted a mock wedding celebration with two students from our group. In addition to the music and mock wedding celebration, we received Debke lessons from one of our academic directors just before eating. It was the first time I had danced the Debke in about a year, so naturally my dance moves were a little rusty. After wondering through the desert that night with some friends, we went to bed and woke up early the next morning to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, I enjoyed a camel ride through the desert, an experience I could not leave the Middle East without.
Our next stop was the city of Aqaba, Jordan's only port city located on the Red Sea near Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. This was my second time in Aqaba, as I had already spent a weekend there in mid-September. I again had the opportunity to go snorkeling in the Red Sea, and this time around I made it out of the water with no sea urchin spikes in my foot. We had another enjoyable night in Aqaba as we returned to some of the same locations we went to during our first visit in September. After being treated to a great fish lunch the following day, we left Aqaba that afternoon and headed north to spend the remainder of the day and night at the Feynan Eco-Lodge.
The Feynan Eco-Lodge is part of the larger Dana Biosphere Reserve. Dana is Jordan's largest nature reserve, covering vast areas of desert, mountains, and valleys full of different types of rare animal and plant species. The Eco-Lodge, designed to be completely environmentally friendly is isolated from any type of real civilization, making it literally in the middle of nowhere. Electricity is non-existent, and any lights in the lodge are solar powered. All meals are vegetarian (and they were delicious), and the lodge is lit only by candlelight at night. We spent the day exploring the lodge, and during some spare time, I climbed a nearby mountain with some friends. After dinner, we ventured off into the desert for a two hour night hike with one of our directors.
The following morning, after the group went on a morning hike (I stayed back at the lodge, due to stomach problems...again), we made our way back to Amman, but not before spending an afternoon at the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, which is composed of such a high salt density that there is no real life (hence the name), is divided between Jordan and Israel, with a very small portion in Palestinian territory. With Israel clearly visible on the other side, we floated effortlessly in the water as the high concentration of salt kept us from sinking beneath the surface. It is almost impossible to touch the bottom, making it hard to gauge how deep the water really is. After washing a nice, thick layer of salt off our bodies in the fresh water showers on the beach, we headed back to Amman; arriving early that night.
Our journey through southern Jordan allowed me to see and do many things I cannot do back home, and I had a lot of fun in the process. In many ways, I found our excursion through southern Jordan to be more enjoyable than our visit to Egypt.
Friday, October 24, 2008
A Week in Cairo
These past three weeks have been very busy. A week long trip to Cairo from October 3rd-10th and five days traveling around Southern Jordan, interrupted by a week of classes and a case study haven't allowed me much time to sit down and update. Here's a summary of my week in Cairo. An entry on Southern Jordan will come soon.
The first week of October consisted of dinners and boat rides on the Nile, putting our life in our hands as we dodged traffic in congested streets, and bargaining with taxi drivers and shop keepers in the local market for lower prices as we explored the Arab world's largest city. Cairo dwarfs Amman in size-with a population of roughly 22,000,000 inhabitants compared to Amman's 1-1.5 million. Our first day was spent exploring downtown Cairo and getting to know the city. Naturally, we spent our second day at the pyramids at Giza-standard tourist activity. With our tour guide, we saw the Great Pyramid as well as several others surrounding it, and spent some time viewing the Sphinx. After hearing so much about the pyramids, and seeing so many pictures of them on both TV and the internet, it was a bit surreal to be there at first. What shocked me about the pyramids site was how close the city came to actual structures. From pictures it appears as if the pyramids are located far away from the city in a distant desert. In fact, development comes very close to the base of the pyramids. Regardless, seeing and climbing the pyramids in person for the first time was great experience. That night, we went to a concert at the "Culture Wheel." This is one example of the night life that Cairo has to offer that can sometimes be hard-if not impossible to find in Amman. Located under an overpass alongside the Nile, the Culture Wheel is a concert venue for many young Egyptians. The night we were there, a popular local band was playing that mixes traditional Arab music with modern rock and pop. The stage and surrounding area were packed with young Egyptians dancing and having a good time. I enjoyed being at this event and observing the social life of some Egyptians my age.
The following day we had a lecture at the Arab League in downtown Cairo. This lecture was very interesting, and so far my favorite lecture of the semester. Our class was lectured by Mr. Hisham Yusef, one of the leading members of the league, and a well-known political figure in the Middle East. He discussed many things, from modernization in the Middle East, to the Arab perspective on many political issues such as Iraq, Afghanistan, American foreign policy in the Middle East, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Hearing the Arab point of view-which we don't hear much, if any of back in the United States was very eye-opening. I believe going forward we can learn something from the Arab people regarding the several issues listed above, and use that to our (and their) benefit as we continue to be involved in the region. After our lecture at the Arab League, we were given "drop-off" assignments to go explore and learn about different areas of Cairo. My group was assigned to learn about Al-Ahram newspaper, the largest and most circulated newspaper in Egypt. We got in a taxi and went to their main headquarters, where we were given the opportunity to interview one of the chief editors for the paper. Hearing what he had to say about media in the Middle East was also very eye-opening. He also touched on politics briefly before we left, discussing some of the issues covered at the Arab League that morning.
One downside to being in Cairo is the food is not always the most sanitary. Unfortunately, I became a victim of bad hotel food on Monday, our fourth day in Egypt. I spent Monday in bed sleeping, and missed out on a visit to the Citadel, Sultan Hassan Mosque, and a group trip to Khan al-Kahili market, Cairo's largest market. Luckily, by Tuesday I had recovered enough to go out again. On Tuesday we visited Cultnat, a cultural center on the outskirts of Cairo that is designed to teach foreigners about Egyptian history and culture. It is a digital collection of pictures and information dating back to ancient Egypt, and follows Egyptian history up to the present day. That night we took a falooka (small sail boat) ride on the Nile and ate dinner out on the river. This was also a bit surreal-eating dinner on the Nile, but it was enjoyable and relaxing. Dinner was also good.
Wednesday was a free day, and I spent it with some friends at the Khan al-Kahili market. This is a huge market with many small shops that sell nearly anything you could possibly want. Bargaining is also a way of life here. We would spent a lot of time bargaining prices with shopkeepers, trying to get an item we wanted for the lowest price possible. I bought a few things at the market for reduced prices. The most exciting item I bought was an arghele ("sheesha" in Egyptian Arabic). I purchased it for just 150 Egyptian pounds, about 25 US dollars. Now I have an authentic arghele from the Middle East, and I'm looking forward to using that back home.
On Thursday we attended a lecture about Islam, in which a professor spoke to us about Islam and the true meaning behind many words in phrases, as well as the religion itself. It was an interesting lecture, and it sparked some debate between the group. Later that afternoon we visited Cairo University, where we had the opportunity to meet and speak with some university students about life at the university and their future plans. Many of these students were part of clubs and other organizations on campus with goals that focused on developing cultural understanding and the establishment of world peace through collective action. They were very enthusiastic to have us visiting the university, and thinking that we were attending Cairo University as study abroad students, they enthusiastically tried to persuade us to join their clubs.
Before leaving on Friday many of us stopped at the Egyptian Museum, where many artifacts from ancient Egypt, such as the treasure from King Tut's tomb and the royal mummies are held. Viewing the royal mummies was fascinating. Many of the bodies were well preserved, with teeth, hair, and fingernails still visible and looking fresh. It was amazing to see the bodies of former kings and queens of ancient Egypt, especially the better known ones such as Nefertiti and Amenhotep. Later that day we reflected on the past week, and flew back to Amman that night.
Cairo is a very different city from Amman. First, as I mentioned earlier, it dwarfs Amman in size. Some members of our group called Cairo a "real city," because of its high rises and many things to do. It is the center of the Arab world, where movies are made and conferences are held. It is a city with visible French and British influences, as well as traditional Arab culture. Cairo does have a night life that is hard to find in Amman. There are many bars and clubs that Westerners as well as young Egyptians frequent, as well as thousands of cafes throughout the city where you can find a mixture of ages smoking arghele, sipping on Turkish coffee or tea, and playing a game of Backgammon. Much like Amman, Cairo is a city of contrasts, where East meets West. Unfortunately, there are some less positive aspects to Cairo. The city is not very clean at all. Piles of garbage literally line the streets, and air quality is very poor. Many buildings that were once white are now a smoky brown or black from the pollution in the air. There is also a lot of overcrowding and congestion in Cairo. Streets were often packed with cars to the point where traffic would be at a stand still for hours. To get from one part of the city to another was often a long journey. Personally, I am happy that I am studying in Amman instead of Cairo. However, despite the negative aspects of the city there are many positive aspects to look at. Cairo is a city rich in history. It is the cultural and social center of the Arab world with a lot to do and see. I had many great experiences in Cairo-from dinners on the Nile, to visiting the pyramids, and having eye-opening lectures at the Arab League. I'm happy we visited this city, but it also helped me develop a new appreciation for Amman. Nevertheless, Cairo is a great city, and I would recommend to anyone visiting the Middle East that they spend some time there.
The first week of October consisted of dinners and boat rides on the Nile, putting our life in our hands as we dodged traffic in congested streets, and bargaining with taxi drivers and shop keepers in the local market for lower prices as we explored the Arab world's largest city. Cairo dwarfs Amman in size-with a population of roughly 22,000,000 inhabitants compared to Amman's 1-1.5 million. Our first day was spent exploring downtown Cairo and getting to know the city. Naturally, we spent our second day at the pyramids at Giza-standard tourist activity. With our tour guide, we saw the Great Pyramid as well as several others surrounding it, and spent some time viewing the Sphinx. After hearing so much about the pyramids, and seeing so many pictures of them on both TV and the internet, it was a bit surreal to be there at first. What shocked me about the pyramids site was how close the city came to actual structures. From pictures it appears as if the pyramids are located far away from the city in a distant desert. In fact, development comes very close to the base of the pyramids. Regardless, seeing and climbing the pyramids in person for the first time was great experience. That night, we went to a concert at the "Culture Wheel." This is one example of the night life that Cairo has to offer that can sometimes be hard-if not impossible to find in Amman. Located under an overpass alongside the Nile, the Culture Wheel is a concert venue for many young Egyptians. The night we were there, a popular local band was playing that mixes traditional Arab music with modern rock and pop. The stage and surrounding area were packed with young Egyptians dancing and having a good time. I enjoyed being at this event and observing the social life of some Egyptians my age.
The following day we had a lecture at the Arab League in downtown Cairo. This lecture was very interesting, and so far my favorite lecture of the semester. Our class was lectured by Mr. Hisham Yusef, one of the leading members of the league, and a well-known political figure in the Middle East. He discussed many things, from modernization in the Middle East, to the Arab perspective on many political issues such as Iraq, Afghanistan, American foreign policy in the Middle East, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Hearing the Arab point of view-which we don't hear much, if any of back in the United States was very eye-opening. I believe going forward we can learn something from the Arab people regarding the several issues listed above, and use that to our (and their) benefit as we continue to be involved in the region. After our lecture at the Arab League, we were given "drop-off" assignments to go explore and learn about different areas of Cairo. My group was assigned to learn about Al-Ahram newspaper, the largest and most circulated newspaper in Egypt. We got in a taxi and went to their main headquarters, where we were given the opportunity to interview one of the chief editors for the paper. Hearing what he had to say about media in the Middle East was also very eye-opening. He also touched on politics briefly before we left, discussing some of the issues covered at the Arab League that morning.
One downside to being in Cairo is the food is not always the most sanitary. Unfortunately, I became a victim of bad hotel food on Monday, our fourth day in Egypt. I spent Monday in bed sleeping, and missed out on a visit to the Citadel, Sultan Hassan Mosque, and a group trip to Khan al-Kahili market, Cairo's largest market. Luckily, by Tuesday I had recovered enough to go out again. On Tuesday we visited Cultnat, a cultural center on the outskirts of Cairo that is designed to teach foreigners about Egyptian history and culture. It is a digital collection of pictures and information dating back to ancient Egypt, and follows Egyptian history up to the present day. That night we took a falooka (small sail boat) ride on the Nile and ate dinner out on the river. This was also a bit surreal-eating dinner on the Nile, but it was enjoyable and relaxing. Dinner was also good.
Wednesday was a free day, and I spent it with some friends at the Khan al-Kahili market. This is a huge market with many small shops that sell nearly anything you could possibly want. Bargaining is also a way of life here. We would spent a lot of time bargaining prices with shopkeepers, trying to get an item we wanted for the lowest price possible. I bought a few things at the market for reduced prices. The most exciting item I bought was an arghele ("sheesha" in Egyptian Arabic). I purchased it for just 150 Egyptian pounds, about 25 US dollars. Now I have an authentic arghele from the Middle East, and I'm looking forward to using that back home.
On Thursday we attended a lecture about Islam, in which a professor spoke to us about Islam and the true meaning behind many words in phrases, as well as the religion itself. It was an interesting lecture, and it sparked some debate between the group. Later that afternoon we visited Cairo University, where we had the opportunity to meet and speak with some university students about life at the university and their future plans. Many of these students were part of clubs and other organizations on campus with goals that focused on developing cultural understanding and the establishment of world peace through collective action. They were very enthusiastic to have us visiting the university, and thinking that we were attending Cairo University as study abroad students, they enthusiastically tried to persuade us to join their clubs.
Before leaving on Friday many of us stopped at the Egyptian Museum, where many artifacts from ancient Egypt, such as the treasure from King Tut's tomb and the royal mummies are held. Viewing the royal mummies was fascinating. Many of the bodies were well preserved, with teeth, hair, and fingernails still visible and looking fresh. It was amazing to see the bodies of former kings and queens of ancient Egypt, especially the better known ones such as Nefertiti and Amenhotep. Later that day we reflected on the past week, and flew back to Amman that night.
Cairo is a very different city from Amman. First, as I mentioned earlier, it dwarfs Amman in size. Some members of our group called Cairo a "real city," because of its high rises and many things to do. It is the center of the Arab world, where movies are made and conferences are held. It is a city with visible French and British influences, as well as traditional Arab culture. Cairo does have a night life that is hard to find in Amman. There are many bars and clubs that Westerners as well as young Egyptians frequent, as well as thousands of cafes throughout the city where you can find a mixture of ages smoking arghele, sipping on Turkish coffee or tea, and playing a game of Backgammon. Much like Amman, Cairo is a city of contrasts, where East meets West. Unfortunately, there are some less positive aspects to Cairo. The city is not very clean at all. Piles of garbage literally line the streets, and air quality is very poor. Many buildings that were once white are now a smoky brown or black from the pollution in the air. There is also a lot of overcrowding and congestion in Cairo. Streets were often packed with cars to the point where traffic would be at a stand still for hours. To get from one part of the city to another was often a long journey. Personally, I am happy that I am studying in Amman instead of Cairo. However, despite the negative aspects of the city there are many positive aspects to look at. Cairo is a city rich in history. It is the cultural and social center of the Arab world with a lot to do and see. I had many great experiences in Cairo-from dinners on the Nile, to visiting the pyramids, and having eye-opening lectures at the Arab League. I'm happy we visited this city, but it also helped me develop a new appreciation for Amman. Nevertheless, Cairo is a great city, and I would recommend to anyone visiting the Middle East that they spend some time there.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Weekend with the Bedouins
The arrival of Eid and the end of Ramadan cut my weekend with the Bedouins short last night, as our group was piled into a late night bus that took us back to Amman, arriving at about 12:30 am. Despite this, I had another great experience here in Jordan. I spent my weekend with a Bedouin family in the village of Naifa on the Baghdad Road, which, not surprisingly, goes to Baghdad. The mountains of Syria were also visible in the distance, as I was located about five miles or so from the Syrian border. We were required to keep a journal documenting our experiences and observations this weekend. Here is my journal from the past three days.
Badia Journal
September 27-29, 2008
Day 1: September 27th
Today I arrived at my Bedouin home stay around noon. Upon arrival I was introduced to the different members of the family. I will be spending my weekend with Ahmed, his brother Mohammed, and Mohammed’s family. After introductions, Mohammed had me quiz one of his three sons, Abdelrahman in his English skills. I also quizzed his older son Sami, who they repeatedly told me was lazy, in his English as well. Then I met Mohammed’s third and youngest son, Basam.
Soon after a family friend, Abu Amir paid a visit to the family. After some introduction and going through the standard questions, such as “Are you married?”- They took me on a small journey through the village. We looked at a few nearby farms, and Ahmed explained to me that the road we were on was an oil pipline or “tap line” as they called it-I had trouble fully understanding what they were explaining to me. This line is used to deliver oil from Iraq to Jerusalem and other surrounding countries such as Lebanon and Syria. Beside this road was what appeared to be some type of oil pump that was constructed by the British many years ago. After our journey through the farms, we stopped by a traditional Bedouin tent. I enjoyed this because I had an old fashioned, authentic Bedouin experience. Ahmed and his family live in a small home with no livestock, and while it does not come close to having all the comforts of city life, they do have more than traditional Bedouins. The Bedouin family in this tent did not speak any English, so with some help from Ahmed, Mohammed, and Abu Amir I told them about myself in Arabic. Then, an older Bedouin man, Ibu Mohammed, decided to dance for us. Whether or not he was seriously dancing was hard to tell, since I could not make out most of what was being said, but I was under the impression he was joking around. In any case, I got his show on video, and it was very entertaining for us.
Later that night, I joined in an Iftar meal with the men of the family and Abu Amir. Our meal included a Jordanian dish, Maqlooba, which is chicken over rice, with salad, soup, and yogurt. In traditional Bedouin style, we ate to together on the floor, and with a spoon as our only utensil we all ate from the big dish of Maqlooba together. The rest of the night included several hours of watching TV and teaching the family some English vocabulary while they taught me Arabic. That night I slept outside with Ahmed. It’s the closest I’ve come to camping in several years.
I made several observations on my first day that differ from experiences I’ve had with my family in Amman. For one thing, Bedouins love pictures. They made sure I had my camera with me everywhere we went, and they would have me take pictures of anything and everything from the portrait of Saddam Hussein that hangs proudly on their wall, to pictures of themselves posing on rocks or in front of old Bedouin homes. Most of the time, they just requested that I take individual pictures of them and their family; so many pictures do not even include me. Another observation I made was the role of women in a Bedouin home, or at least my Bedouin home. I was never introduced to Mohammed’s wife or sister, who also lives there with her baby daughter. The women spent most of their time in the kitchen or in a separate part of the house, never coming out to where the men were socializing unless it was to serve or clean up food. When it came time for Iftar, the men ate together while the women and children ate separately in the other half of the home. Even though I live with a Muslim family in Amman, they are not traditional and my host father often helps my host mother, and he often does more chores around the house than she does. Experiencing this in a Bedouin lifestyle was a very different experience for me and interesting to observe.
Day 2-September 28th
Today did not see much activity and involved a lot of sitting around. After being awakened by the dogs, roosters, sheep, and hundreds of other various livestock that inhabit the village around us, I got dressed and went inside to study Arabic. Ahmed came in frequently and spent a lot of with me, quizzing me in Arabic and asking me about various English words and grammar. He desires to steadily improve his English because it is his dream to someday travel to the United States. Both in Amman and in the Badia, nearly every local resident has expressed their love for the USA or their strong desire to go their. Unfortunately, it is difficult for Arabs to obtain visas to the United States these days, so I am often asked, as I was this weekend, why it is so hard. This desire to travel to America has led some residents I’ve met to request that I speak to them in English so they can improve on their language skills. This is also the reason why Ahmed and Mohammed had me quiz their family in English so many times throughout the past couple days.
For an hour in the afternoon I went for a walk through the village with Ahmed. Ahmed showed me some more farms and pointed out some other Bedouin tents and villages in the distance before we headed back to the house.
Some observations I made at tonight’s Iftar contradicted those that I made yesterday. Tonight we were joined by Mahmoud, a brother of Ahmed and Mohammed who serves in the Jordanian military. Like Ahmed, Mahmoud dreams of one day traveling to America. Tonight we were also joined by one of Mohammed’s daughters, Jamela, and one of his sons. What I observed yesterday led me to believe that women and children ate separately from the men, but tonight challenged those observations. After Iftar, we were joined by joined Mohammed’s wife, their sister, and two other women from the village. I had developed the impression that men and women did not socialize in the same part of the house, but perhaps this is not always the case.
Later on the evening we headed over a friend’s house where another SIT student was staying. We spent a couple hours there talking, drinking tea, and smoking arghele.
Day 3-September 29th
This morning Abu Amir took me to the local girl’s school where I had the opportunity to observe an English class. Much of what this class was studying included grammar terms and phrases that I had never heard of or had completely forgotten about. Listening to the teacher discuss grammar rules such a present participle and modals made me relieved to not be teaching the class, although I would have done so in a heartbeat. What did surprise me, however, was how basic their level of English still is. After class, the teacher told me that these girls were in an upper level class and they had already been studying English for ten years. I don’t know much, if anything at all about the education system here, but I would imagine that after ten years of studying English these students would be proficient, or at least close to a level of proficiency in the language. Instead I found them to be still studying basic grammar and structure. I feel as though I have studied as much Arabic in 18 months as they have English in ten years.
After my school visit, Abu Amir took me the local hospital where he works as a security guard. I spoke to several doctors at the hospital, and had to answer many questions clarifying why I was there, who I’m with, and what I’m doing in the Badia-Bedouins tend to be wary of spies. Like most doctors in Jordan, they were proficient in English and well-trained to do their jobs. Several of the doctors did not live in the Bedouin villages but commuted from larger cities such as Amman or Mufraq. It is my understanding that they make such long commutes because doctors in Jordan are required to work for at least one year in the Badia. I was impressed with the doctors at this hospital, and if something were to happen to me here I would trust myself in their hands.
The next three days will be spent in Amman celebrating Eid-the feast that takes place at the end of Ramadan. Fasting has ended, and restaurants will be open during the day now. Eating, smoking, and drinking in public are no longer prohibited. After the Eid holiday everyone will resume a normal working schedule, and life will return to the way it was prior to the beginning of the month. I'm glad I had the chance to experience Ramadan in the Middle East. I witnessed and participated in traditions and practices, observed how an entire country changes their lifestyle for one month, and ate food that I would not have eaten otherwise. However, I'm looking forward to life returning to normal here. The lifting of all the social and legal traditions that come with Ramadan has been somewhat liberating.
On Friday I'll be traveling to Egypt for a week to experience life in another major Arab city. We will travel back to Amman for a week and then spend the following week traveling through Southern Jordan, seeing the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum, Petra, and Aqaba.
Salaam
Badia Journal
September 27-29, 2008
Day 1: September 27th
Today I arrived at my Bedouin home stay around noon. Upon arrival I was introduced to the different members of the family. I will be spending my weekend with Ahmed, his brother Mohammed, and Mohammed’s family. After introductions, Mohammed had me quiz one of his three sons, Abdelrahman in his English skills. I also quizzed his older son Sami, who they repeatedly told me was lazy, in his English as well. Then I met Mohammed’s third and youngest son, Basam.
Soon after a family friend, Abu Amir paid a visit to the family. After some introduction and going through the standard questions, such as “Are you married?”- They took me on a small journey through the village. We looked at a few nearby farms, and Ahmed explained to me that the road we were on was an oil pipline or “tap line” as they called it-I had trouble fully understanding what they were explaining to me. This line is used to deliver oil from Iraq to Jerusalem and other surrounding countries such as Lebanon and Syria. Beside this road was what appeared to be some type of oil pump that was constructed by the British many years ago. After our journey through the farms, we stopped by a traditional Bedouin tent. I enjoyed this because I had an old fashioned, authentic Bedouin experience. Ahmed and his family live in a small home with no livestock, and while it does not come close to having all the comforts of city life, they do have more than traditional Bedouins. The Bedouin family in this tent did not speak any English, so with some help from Ahmed, Mohammed, and Abu Amir I told them about myself in Arabic. Then, an older Bedouin man, Ibu Mohammed, decided to dance for us. Whether or not he was seriously dancing was hard to tell, since I could not make out most of what was being said, but I was under the impression he was joking around. In any case, I got his show on video, and it was very entertaining for us.
Later that night, I joined in an Iftar meal with the men of the family and Abu Amir. Our meal included a Jordanian dish, Maqlooba, which is chicken over rice, with salad, soup, and yogurt. In traditional Bedouin style, we ate to together on the floor, and with a spoon as our only utensil we all ate from the big dish of Maqlooba together. The rest of the night included several hours of watching TV and teaching the family some English vocabulary while they taught me Arabic. That night I slept outside with Ahmed. It’s the closest I’ve come to camping in several years.
I made several observations on my first day that differ from experiences I’ve had with my family in Amman. For one thing, Bedouins love pictures. They made sure I had my camera with me everywhere we went, and they would have me take pictures of anything and everything from the portrait of Saddam Hussein that hangs proudly on their wall, to pictures of themselves posing on rocks or in front of old Bedouin homes. Most of the time, they just requested that I take individual pictures of them and their family; so many pictures do not even include me. Another observation I made was the role of women in a Bedouin home, or at least my Bedouin home. I was never introduced to Mohammed’s wife or sister, who also lives there with her baby daughter. The women spent most of their time in the kitchen or in a separate part of the house, never coming out to where the men were socializing unless it was to serve or clean up food. When it came time for Iftar, the men ate together while the women and children ate separately in the other half of the home. Even though I live with a Muslim family in Amman, they are not traditional and my host father often helps my host mother, and he often does more chores around the house than she does. Experiencing this in a Bedouin lifestyle was a very different experience for me and interesting to observe.
Day 2-September 28th
Today did not see much activity and involved a lot of sitting around. After being awakened by the dogs, roosters, sheep, and hundreds of other various livestock that inhabit the village around us, I got dressed and went inside to study Arabic. Ahmed came in frequently and spent a lot of with me, quizzing me in Arabic and asking me about various English words and grammar. He desires to steadily improve his English because it is his dream to someday travel to the United States. Both in Amman and in the Badia, nearly every local resident has expressed their love for the USA or their strong desire to go their. Unfortunately, it is difficult for Arabs to obtain visas to the United States these days, so I am often asked, as I was this weekend, why it is so hard. This desire to travel to America has led some residents I’ve met to request that I speak to them in English so they can improve on their language skills. This is also the reason why Ahmed and Mohammed had me quiz their family in English so many times throughout the past couple days.
For an hour in the afternoon I went for a walk through the village with Ahmed. Ahmed showed me some more farms and pointed out some other Bedouin tents and villages in the distance before we headed back to the house.
Some observations I made at tonight’s Iftar contradicted those that I made yesterday. Tonight we were joined by Mahmoud, a brother of Ahmed and Mohammed who serves in the Jordanian military. Like Ahmed, Mahmoud dreams of one day traveling to America. Tonight we were also joined by one of Mohammed’s daughters, Jamela, and one of his sons. What I observed yesterday led me to believe that women and children ate separately from the men, but tonight challenged those observations. After Iftar, we were joined by joined Mohammed’s wife, their sister, and two other women from the village. I had developed the impression that men and women did not socialize in the same part of the house, but perhaps this is not always the case.
Later on the evening we headed over a friend’s house where another SIT student was staying. We spent a couple hours there talking, drinking tea, and smoking arghele.
Day 3-September 29th
This morning Abu Amir took me to the local girl’s school where I had the opportunity to observe an English class. Much of what this class was studying included grammar terms and phrases that I had never heard of or had completely forgotten about. Listening to the teacher discuss grammar rules such a present participle and modals made me relieved to not be teaching the class, although I would have done so in a heartbeat. What did surprise me, however, was how basic their level of English still is. After class, the teacher told me that these girls were in an upper level class and they had already been studying English for ten years. I don’t know much, if anything at all about the education system here, but I would imagine that after ten years of studying English these students would be proficient, or at least close to a level of proficiency in the language. Instead I found them to be still studying basic grammar and structure. I feel as though I have studied as much Arabic in 18 months as they have English in ten years.
After my school visit, Abu Amir took me the local hospital where he works as a security guard. I spoke to several doctors at the hospital, and had to answer many questions clarifying why I was there, who I’m with, and what I’m doing in the Badia-Bedouins tend to be wary of spies. Like most doctors in Jordan, they were proficient in English and well-trained to do their jobs. Several of the doctors did not live in the Bedouin villages but commuted from larger cities such as Amman or Mufraq. It is my understanding that they make such long commutes because doctors in Jordan are required to work for at least one year in the Badia. I was impressed with the doctors at this hospital, and if something were to happen to me here I would trust myself in their hands.
The next three days will be spent in Amman celebrating Eid-the feast that takes place at the end of Ramadan. Fasting has ended, and restaurants will be open during the day now. Eating, smoking, and drinking in public are no longer prohibited. After the Eid holiday everyone will resume a normal working schedule, and life will return to the way it was prior to the beginning of the month. I'm glad I had the chance to experience Ramadan in the Middle East. I witnessed and participated in traditions and practices, observed how an entire country changes their lifestyle for one month, and ate food that I would not have eaten otherwise. However, I'm looking forward to life returning to normal here. The lifting of all the social and legal traditions that come with Ramadan has been somewhat liberating.
On Friday I'll be traveling to Egypt for a week to experience life in another major Arab city. We will travel back to Amman for a week and then spend the following week traveling through Southern Jordan, seeing the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum, Petra, and Aqaba.
Salaam
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