Further Adventures

I have been living in Amman for almost a month now and I am having the time of my life. I can't believe that I am basically a fourth of the way through my semester. Even on days when I do just basic things, everything is still brand new and interesting.

     Last weekend I went on an overnight trip with CIEE to Wadi Rum and Petra. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. I got to speed through the valley in a caravan of 4x4s, climb around and explore the sand dunes and mountains, and finish our trek to our Bedouin camp by camel. Then we watched the mesmerizing sunset from atop a nearby mountain, and enjoyed a delicious dinner and hookah. After a chilly night we drove to Petra. Once you get to Petra, it's a three mile walk in to the Treasury. We fueled up on a delicious lunch at the hotel in the basin of the lost city and then started our climb. It was 900 steps up to the Monastery and then some up to the top of the mountain. Although it was amazing to see what man had been able to achieve, it was ever more stunning to see what God had created. I made sure to document all the beauty and the pictures can be seen on my Facebook. I was absolutely exhausted when we finally got back from our vigorous weekend; the lack of sleep made it a little hard to get up for school the next morning.
     Although the beginning of the week was a struggle, I managed to pull it together and do well on my first Modern Standard test. On Jordanian hump day (Wednesday), I went out with some friends. It was really nice to be able to relax and let loose with my friends. I have been very lucky to meet so many cool people in the program. The next night, we went to Rainbow Street again for another good night. Rainbow St. is a really cool place with lots of restaurants, cafes, and bars. It's probably the most western place in the city and a nice place to forget about all that studying.
       I've spent this weekend avoiding the cold and rain/sleet; it even snowed just north of Amman today! I was supposed to go to a small village today and help fix up a girl's school, but the snow cancelled our travel plans. As much as I love volunteering, I was happy to stay in my warm bed this morning. I really needed this weekend to catch up on sleep, relax, and get some work done, unlike last week. I'm missing my parents a bit and am jealous of their vacation to Florida. Also, I recently found out my uncle is sick, and although he should be fine, I can't help but worry. For my next post, I'd like to write about something more specific e.g. studying outside of a women's college, Arabic food, or Jordanian culture. If y'all have any specific questions or ideas, please let me know! Until next time :)

xoxo -O

Everyday is an adventure

Apparently, living daily life in Amman is exhausting. The past week or so I've just been getting used to my new routine and life, but I'm sorry I've haven't posted more.

This week is my first full week of class and I'm already pretty tired. I have Modern Standard Arabic everyday, Colloquial Arabic three times a week, and my area studies courses twice a week. Classes are all going swimmingly and I am very fortunate to have excellent teachers. My MSA teacher is funny and makes coming to class at 8:30 worthwhile. My International Relations professor is currently also an advisor to the Prime Minister of Jordan, in addition to being an excellent teacher.

The campus is beautiful, but huge. Walking in between classes can take up to twenty minutes! On Wednesday, it absolutely poured and I forgot to wear my rain boots. With the lack of a drainage system in the city, my toms were completely sopping--no fun. It's weird not being able to go back to my room during breaks in between classes. I end up spending a lot of time in the coffee shop near the CIEE center, along with several other students. On Sundays I go to a form dedicated to the Ten Forms in Arabic Grammar, which sounds boring, but is extremely helpful and the teacher is outstanding. I plan to meet with my peer tutor (a UJ student who is a native Arabic speaker) in between classes on Tuesday and Thursday. She is 19 and is studying English and Italian. I hope to get to know her more over the semester, and definitely improve my colloquial skills. I joined a women's gym, along with other CIEE students, not only for managing stress and the extra pounds I'm sure to pack on with all this delicious new food, but for the sauna, steam room, and unlimited hot showers!

Last weekend was fantastic, but way too short. On Thursday, I stopped by a Wings & Rings place with some other students, but opted for a coffee and hookah cafe with a few select people, sans all the other Americans. Then, we went to a bar called La Calle for an excellent night of dancing with friends and meeting new people. The next morning I ventured downtown with my CIEE neighbors to explore the Friday Markets (souks). It was the first beautiful day we had, after a week of rain rain and more rain, so I took plenty of pictures. Supposedly there are weekly demonstrations near the markets on Fridays, but everything seemed pretty low key. Since the beginning of the Arab Spring, there have been over 4,000 protests in Jordan. After exploring the souks, I attempted to get some reading done. That night, I followed the advice that another student got from a guidebook and went to a restaurant off the beaten path. We had drinks, smoked hookah, and had some delicious cheese fondue. It was a very swanky place and a very cool discovery. On Saturday I met my peer tutor and went around Amman on an ice breaker scavenger hunt. The weekend went by so fast and I was not happy that Sunday (the first work day in the week) came so soon.

This weekend I'm going with the CIEE group to Wadi Rum for an overnight trip and then to Petra the next day. The trip will be complete with a camel ride through the valley and a night spent in a Bedouin style tent. I promise to take plenty of pictures and keep you all updated!

xoxo -O

P.S. Some of my proud accomplishments include figuring out the bus system to school, learning to blow smoke rings, and going to the gym three times a week :)