Hello all! It's officially summertime, as I'm reminded every day by the HEAT! I was prepared for it coming in, but the biggest adjustment is just getting used to constant sweating! But so long as the only person I have to impress, Justin, is 4000 miles from me, I guess I'll be okay.
Speaking of Justin, he was here visiting me for the better part of July, so I suppose I have a lot of storytelling to catch up on. I was expecting Justin to come in to Amman Queen Alia at 5:00 pm, so, of course, I got there obnoxiously early so as not to miss him. As his arrival was approaching I kept getting more and more nervous, and stopped paying attention to my surroundings. At about 5:30pm, wondering why no one was coming out of the gate and I was the only person waiting in the terminal, I asked the information desk when I should expect his arrival…20 minutes before in the airport's only other terminal, I was told. Somehow I got lost in a two-terminal airport. I ran to Terminal 1 just in time to see Justin coming through the gate! Perfect timing as it turned out! It was pretty unreal to see him…my two worlds were colliding, and at first I just didn't know what to do or say, but we fell back into things pretty quickly. We took a taxi into the city, and, apart from loosing me cell phone and becoming convinced there were cockroaches in my dinner that night (they turned out to be olives, silly me), things went splendidly! We spent about four nights in Amman (same hotel, different rooms), and during that time celebrated America's independence at the embassy where Justin got to meet all my PC friends, and did an obscene amount of sitting by the pool for someone who hadn't been in a bathing suit in 8 months!
After Amman, we flew to Cairo, and spent a few days seeing the pyramids and experiencing Egypt. We had an amazing private tour company leading us around for three days, and except for one bad buffet at a tourist-trap restaurant, we had the time of our lives: riding camels, almost buying $100 paintings on papyrus, watching Spain make it to the finals in the World Cup, and taking a dinner cruise down the Nile (complete with a belly dance show starring, briefly, a breakthrough performer…me!).
After Egypt we flew to Turkey where we stayed at a quaint little bed and breakfast with an amazing view overlooking the Bosphorus. We spent a day touring Istanbul, seeing Blue Mosque, Saint Sophia, the Hippodrome, Topaki Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. The weather was amazing, cold and rainy, but coming from Jordan and its plus-hundred degree heat, it was a welcome surprise! For dinner we strolled into a small restaurant in Sultanahmet, sat down, and looked up to see a picture of former president Jimmy Carter dining in our exact seats from a few years back! The shish-kebab was to die for, and I loved every second of our day and night.
After Istanbul we flew to Cappadocia, home to the "fairy chimneys": giant rock formations that look like pillars from another world dropped onto the beautiful Turkish landscape. We spent two days touring with another couple, seeing an amazingly extensive underground city, and an old monastery consisting of tunnels and caves carved into mountains for protection. I got to try my hand at throwing pottery at a traditional Turkish studio, learned about the art of Turkish carpets, and experienced the most unbelievable hot-air balloon ride with Justin over the breathtaking scenery below. Everything was perfect beyond question, including the hotel, where my room was upgraded to the "Sultan's Palace" suite. I'm a lucky girl…what can I say?!!
After Turkey we flew back to Jordan to give Justin the tour of my new home. Despite a nearly missed connection and lost luggage, I made it to my SPA grant meeting (regarding the speech therapy clinic I've mentioned before), and all went well. Aqaba was next on the agenda, where we spent several days at the Movenpick resort (so NOT the Peace Corps life), sitting by the pool and snorkeling in the Red Sea. I'd say more, but I think I left half my brain there to soak up the rays!
Petra was next. When we arrived, we signed ourselves up for a walk of Petra by night. I'd never been to Petra before, and so for me at least, walking the two miles to the treasury by candlelight was pure magic. It was all I could do to ignore the buffoons yelling, running, or waving their glowsticks around; but all in all, no one could stop me from appreciating the wonder that is Petra. Seeing the treasury lit up by candles, I couldn't help but cry – it's what I do when I experience intense emotions – and there, with the man I love by my side and feeling such wonder for the capacity of human achievement, I let the tears come!
We returned the next day to see Petra in all its glory, at it still took my breath away. It was bigger than I could have ever imagined and well worth the two-kilo trek in. We spent that whole day and the next exploring all of Petra: hiking up to the monastery and enjoying the panoramic of Wadi Rum, climbing up to the high place of worship, and ducking into caves that transport you back in time with their unchangingness. I had to keep reminding myself that I could come back rather easily to Petra, because its not a place you can go to once and forget.
After Petra we came up to Mafraq, where Justin got to see what my day to day life is truly all about. We stayed up way past my bedtime visiting with my landlords every night out in the garden, drinking tea and laughing about all the funny things I do and say on a near-daily basis. He got to eat mansef and malfoof, drink lots of tea (which he loves), and picnic with one of my co-workers in the countryside. We stayed pretty low-key, but I think he really enjoyed seeing the everyday nuances of my life in "the Fraq."
With just a weekend left, Justin and I went to the Dead Sea. We enjoyed the last few days by the pool in each others' company, smeared ourselves with Dead Sea mud, and floated until our eyes stung (about half an hour, but it was still fun!). It was hard to come to terms with the fact that he'd be leaving again and we'd continue on with a Skype relationship for the next year and a half, but at least we now know that we can survive the time and distance apart. We made so many new memories that I'm grateful for, and those will be with me to get me through until we're together again.
Since Justin left, I've been trying to keep myself busy. Firstly, I helped out with a special education teacher training put on by GUVS in Amman, sharing stories about how to overcome student behavioral issues in a productive way. I also just got back from a conference called "Arab Women Speak Out," where I and a few counterparts were trained in how to put on a workshop for local women regarding issues about health and wellness, such as prenatal and maternal health, nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and domestic violence. I also adopted a cat, Roxy, from a fellow volunteer who will be leaving for America shortly after completing his service.
Next on the project agenda is pushing along our SPA proposal and putting on a summer camp for my students. It's been good for me to jump back into things that matter to me to keep myself motivated and moving forward. I was so happy to see Justin and enjoy our vacation together, but keeping busy helps me remember why I came here in the first place and what I have to offer. I can't wait to see my kids and teachers again during the upcoming semester, but first comes Ramadan, an Islamic month where followers fast from sunrise to sunset to consecrate their devotion and piety. I'm sure I'll have lots to talk about during the upcoming month, and I promise to keep everyone updated. Until then, PEACE out .
