The flames of August
So there's a little Jordanian culturism that I like: they call the eighth month of the year "The Flames of August." It's super hot!! Hariga, in Arabic, means fire. If you ask anyhow how the weather is, they'll respond: "Hariga kathiir!!" (literally: big fire)
Things are going well, I suppose. My language training is coming along. Today I had a mid-training Language Proficiency Interview, a 10-minute oral exam that made me very stressed and frustrated, but I think I passed.
On Thursday, the Youth and Community Development crew got to take a day trip to Amman. The YCD crew consists of 8 trainees: me and my 4 village-mates, Jennifer, Andi, Kim and Jessica; and 3 boys from another village, Andrew, Evan, and Dan. We went with our language teachers to a wealthy youth summer camp for the day to observe how camps run in Jordan. It was a lot of fun, and I think I might have learned a thing or two. On our way home, our LCFs (language teachers) left for their holiday, leaving the 8 of us on our private bus alone. Needless to say, the first time we're alone, something happened. Our bus overheated...smoke, steam, the works. We pulled over on the side of a very busy and scary highway, and our driver poured a bunch of water over the engine. After that seemed to do nothing, we drove about 3 mph to the nearest 'rest stop,' or little store on shoulder of the highway, where we got a hose and watered down the engine. I'll try to get some pictures from the guys...it was too funny. Smoke, steam, weird smells everywhere...
So a nice 1 hour trip turned into a 2.5 hour trip back to Irbid. We then had to take a public bus back to our village, which was almost completely uneventful, until a man sitting two rows in front of me spit out the window. His spit came back into the bus and onto my cheek. Absolutely disgusting.
That was entirely too much culture for me in one day, so I went home, ate some felafel, and slept for 11 hours.
Fridays are holidays. I went over to Andi's house to study for the LPI, then my host mom and dad picked me up and we went visiting (yay!). Spent some time at the cousins' house, then went to go congratulate a former student of my father's who did well on the Tawjihi, which is like the SAT, only when a student 'passes' or does well, everyone has a huge party with fireworks and dancing and Arabic coffee and Kanafa. Good times. After that, we went to the family farm to pick some thyme. The farm is amazing...lots and lots of olive trees (olive season is november), and a bunch of fig trees. I didn't think I liked figs, but off the tree, whoa! super tasty. We then went home, and I prepared dinner for the fam (only my second time doing so, and I really enjoy it).
I fried some okra, felafel, and potatoes, and served some hummus, tomatoes, and "zait wa zaatar." Zait is olive oil, zaatar is a sesame seed/thyme mix that is very good...you did a piece of bread in the oil, then in the zaatar...yummm.
Well, it's time to head home. I get my site assignment on Thursday, which is so very exciting. Then only 4 more weeks of training, and I'm on my own, doing my thang, enjoying freedom and finally helping some kids do their thang.
Things are going well, I suppose. My language training is coming along. Today I had a mid-training Language Proficiency Interview, a 10-minute oral exam that made me very stressed and frustrated, but I think I passed.
On Thursday, the Youth and Community Development crew got to take a day trip to Amman. The YCD crew consists of 8 trainees: me and my 4 village-mates, Jennifer, Andi, Kim and Jessica; and 3 boys from another village, Andrew, Evan, and Dan. We went with our language teachers to a wealthy youth summer camp for the day to observe how camps run in Jordan. It was a lot of fun, and I think I might have learned a thing or two. On our way home, our LCFs (language teachers) left for their holiday, leaving the 8 of us on our private bus alone. Needless to say, the first time we're alone, something happened. Our bus overheated...smoke, steam, the works. We pulled over on the side of a very busy and scary highway, and our driver poured a bunch of water over the engine. After that seemed to do nothing, we drove about 3 mph to the nearest 'rest stop,' or little store on shoulder of the highway, where we got a hose and watered down the engine. I'll try to get some pictures from the guys...it was too funny. Smoke, steam, weird smells everywhere...
So a nice 1 hour trip turned into a 2.5 hour trip back to Irbid. We then had to take a public bus back to our village, which was almost completely uneventful, until a man sitting two rows in front of me spit out the window. His spit came back into the bus and onto my cheek. Absolutely disgusting.
That was entirely too much culture for me in one day, so I went home, ate some felafel, and slept for 11 hours.
Fridays are holidays. I went over to Andi's house to study for the LPI, then my host mom and dad picked me up and we went visiting (yay!). Spent some time at the cousins' house, then went to go congratulate a former student of my father's who did well on the Tawjihi, which is like the SAT, only when a student 'passes' or does well, everyone has a huge party with fireworks and dancing and Arabic coffee and Kanafa. Good times. After that, we went to the family farm to pick some thyme. The farm is amazing...lots and lots of olive trees (olive season is november), and a bunch of fig trees. I didn't think I liked figs, but off the tree, whoa! super tasty. We then went home, and I prepared dinner for the fam (only my second time doing so, and I really enjoy it).
I fried some okra, felafel, and potatoes, and served some hummus, tomatoes, and "zait wa zaatar." Zait is olive oil, zaatar is a sesame seed/thyme mix that is very good...you did a piece of bread in the oil, then in the zaatar...yummm.
Well, it's time to head home. I get my site assignment on Thursday, which is so very exciting. Then only 4 more weeks of training, and I'm on my own, doing my thang, enjoying freedom and finally helping some kids do their thang.
posted by Hilary at 5:32 PM
2 Comments:
You got SPAT on!! BAHAhahahaha!!
Dirty Arab spit all up on ya cheek like whaooooo, pieces of half digested felafel cloggin up the pores like whaoooo, much love and PEACE
Hi Hil
Let us know when you get your assignment! We're hoping you get the place that you want.
Miss and love you very much.
Hugs and kisses,
mom
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