Next adventure...

I put in my two weeks' notice at Old Glory, and am leaving for Nairobi, Kenya on November 7th. My sister is getting married this Saturday (so exciting!), my last day of work is the 2nd, and Gtown Homecoming is the 3rd, and I leave on the 7th. I'll be in London for a week, then off to Nairobi, where I will be attending graduate school and living with the rents. After a tough year in Jordan, and a difficult return (thank you ex boyfriend), these past few months in DC have been badly needed. And after doing nothing but work, sleep, and party, I'm definitely ready to go chill out under an acacia tree for awhile.

New blog

hilaryhartman.blogspot.com

Goodbye Jordan!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I officially resigned from the Peace Corps yesterday. It's just time to go. I'm very happy with my decision, I think I accomplished a lot, and honestly, it is TOO DAMN HOT in Safi. I almost got heatstroke in my house, just by sitting and watching tv! Not worth it. I mean, there are a million other reasons I'm leaving, but the heat definitely helped with the timing.

So.....I'm heading state-side soon.....I'm flying into DC first, so those of you who are in DC, CALL CHELSEA and find out when I'm getting in. Cause she'll know. Cause she's awesome like that. And I love her.


USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!USA!

haha.

who would of thought that I'd actually miss the states??? I can't wait to get home.

PEACE.

*end of blog*

Zarqawi dead?

BBC reports this morning that Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi has been killed, a nicely staged joint effort between Iraqi police, army, and the US. This is a good thing, don't get me wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it is far more likely the CIA 'grabbed' him and faked his death. That is, of course, if he can offer valuable intel to the government. Which he probably can. I dunno, the press conference this morning just seemed a little to staged. If he's dead, ok, if he's not, ok, cause he won't be killing anymore innocent people anymore. Jordanians are very pleased with the news; they've already revoked his citizenship and sentenced him to death in absentia, and his family has disowned him.

No time for blogging today...

Parents are coming next week! Yay mom and dad!

Leavin on a jet plane

So....Safi gets an allottment of water each week, as do most places in Jordan. If you use up all your water before Water Day, you're screwed. I've never run out of water. Until this week--Safi's water never came!!! The whole town is out of water. And it's averaging 40 degrees celcius too. That's 105 degrees F. I can't spell F.
Leaving early tomorrow morning to meet up with Kayte in Istanbul!!! The airport may have burned down, but we're still going. ;)

Jordan in a nutshell

Jordan in a nutshell
Originally uploaded by hilaryhartman.

Countdown to turkey....

Less than a week!
Mom and dad coming to visit in mid-june! yay. Just got back from a camp in Dana. It was on leadership and developing programs at youth centers. I brought my girls Sajeda and Lena, they seemed to have a good time. I have yet another stomach problem. Gosh this is fun. Everytime I eat something besides pita bread and kiri cheese, my stomach starts a riot. Meeting Ursula and Katyna for lunch in Karak today. They're an hour late. I can't say I'm surprised. ;) Majeda is taking a 42-day vacation starting a day after I get back from Turkey. Then she's getting married once her vacation is over, and moving to Abu Dhabi. Why her employers are letting her do this is beyond me. Ridiculous. Fatima has been to work twice in the past six weeks. Nabila takes off 3 days a week. And then there's me. I open the center every morning on time, answer the phone all day, and make excuses for everyone else's absence. Oh well. We have air conditioning in the center, and that makes being there totally bearable.

Ceiling fans can change your life

I was on my way to Karak this morning, so i could be back to Safi for work on time, but God had a different plan. Our bus broke down as we were climbing up a steep cliff-like area, out of the valley. I inhaled some nasty fumes for awhile, then got off the bus, sat on the guardrail, and waited with the other 25 passengers for a second bus, which decided to arrive an hour later. So now I'm really late for work. But I'm blogging! Ha.
I got my ceiling fan. And it's amazing. The quiet hum really relaxes me. I feel rejuvinated, if you will. My mom and sister both sent me awesome packages, and for that, they are awesome. Everyone else who has never sent me a package: you all suck.
Going to Turkey in a couple weeks. That's super exciting. I'll post pics when I get back.
TURKEY!!! I've been flipping through my LonelyPlanet guide, and some Turkish words are the same in Arabic, so maybe I'll get some respect from the locals.
Hello is the same in both languages: Marhaba. Stress the H.
Currently reading: "Lamb:The Gospel According to Biff." Really great. Finished "Against All Enemies," really riveting, and "An Obvious Enchantment." Next is "Saturday" by Ian McEwan, and I've been trying to read "The Brothers Karamozov" forever but other books keep getting in the way. I'll get there.
Oh, and "Lost" is the best tv show ever. Well, maybe not ever, but for me, in Jordan, with crap tv, it's awesome.
Still missing Alias, but Lost is a good substitute. Too bad they only show it every two weeks. Why? I dont know. The channel is from Israel and I can't understand their language, or their writing, so it's a lost cause trying to figure out schedules, unlike with Arabic channels, I can usually understand what they're saying or read when the show will be on.
Next post maybe from Turkey. Maybe not. Stay tuned.