Iftars and Religion

Hello All,

Once again, sorry for the delay in posting. I think that a weekly posting on Thursday night my time is going to be my goal for now on. There is so much going on in Jordan! Each day I get up at 7:30am to work on my homework and head to school for my 10am class. I have class from 10-3pm, with an hour break in between. After class, I come home and take a nap, take care of my apartment, run errands, etc. until about 6pm, when I typically head over to Mayas' for dinner, or Iftar. We eat when the sun sets, which is around 7:50pm. After dinner, I hang around with them until about 1-2am. After this I come back to my apartment, do some reading and go to bed around 3am. As you can imagine, this is quite fun, but also exhausting. It is difficult having to work during the day and stay up late at night. I feel like all my friends (i.e Mayada and Mayas) are now nocturnal and I have to function during both the day and night! Everyone at Qasid is having the same issue. Homework sometimes does not get done, assignments sometimes do not get graded. It's all good though, because everyone is doing their best.

On Wednesday night, I went on a trip with my former study abroad program to Mufraq, which is about 5-10 minutes away from Syria (in a car). This is the same village I visited with Mayada as she grew up there. Doctor Raed, the former program director, was so nice to invite me when he came over for Iftar at Mayada's house. We went to his brother's house and prepared an Iftar meal for Syrian refugees who lived in the area.

The trip to Mufraq was so much fun! I was in a car with all the female professors, all my former professors. We laughed and listened to great Arabic music. On the way to Doctor Raed's brother's house, we stopped on the road to take a look at Zataari, the largest Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. We were positioned from high up and looked at the camp from a distance. It was so sad to see how big it was! In the middle of the desert, with nothing else around, there is a large area of little white buildings that serve as shelter. Not only do the refugees live in such terrible conditions, but they had to flee from tremendous violence. What is wrong with humanity that there are still conflicts and wars that hurt so many innocent people?!

Upon arriving at Doctor Raed's brother's home, I saw a lovely outdoor sitting area, with a men's and women's section. I had forgotten that men and women do not socialize together in Bedouin culture.  The views from this house were amazing as well! We could literally see a border city in Syria and all the colors in the desert were wonderful! When we returned from our walk around the house I met the eldest daughter of the house. She had just finished high school. We enjoyed chatting in Arabic and had a pleasant conversation.

Soon, the Iftar guests began to arrive. We greeted each woman with three kisses on the cheek, as is Jordanian custom. The women sat down and Deem, one of the females professors, asked the woman questions about how she came to Jordan, and translated for us. Many of the women fled Syria two years ago, lived in Zataari briefly, and now live in Mufraq. Money is tight as the men are either absent or have a difficult time finding work. Deem let me translate two questions and answers for the group and that was a fun and new experience. Its hard to remember exactly what someone said sometimes well enough to translate it!

As Iftar continued, I saw a woman taking photos of me from afar. I decided to walk over and start up a conversation, as I assumed she would be interested in talking to me as well. Well, I was right! I spent all night with her and two other ladies who were her relatives. We laughed, and joked and had a great time...all in Arabic. I learned that this family had lived near the Israeli border named Quneitra. This was shocking as I had seen this city while standing on the Golan Heights in Israel a year ago. I described the area as I remembered it and the ladies were so happy. Honestly, it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! It was so green and lush. The women agreed that it was like heaven and we discussed the city in much detail. However, when I was in the Golan Heights, I also witnessed some of the violence that occurred in Syria. I saw a building in Quneitra blow up before my eyes, I heard rapid fire, and saw plumes of smoke from the observation point where I was standing with my group from Gettysburg College. It made me sad that I was able to understand a tiny amount of the violence they had experienced. One of the children of the women kept covering her ears and acting up. Turns out that loud noises terrify her and being in a crowded room makes her have PTSD. This girl is in 5th grade. I said a very excited hello to her and she became upset. Her mother explained the situation and said it was okay. I apologized profusely and felt horrible.

At the end of the meal when we were about to leave, a group of students asked me "how you get information from people about Syria". I was taken back by this question. This was a dinner for our guests and it was not an opportunity for us to intensively interview them. Conversation was appropriate and things would naturally come up, by why did some students feel the need or feel like they were owed a story? Think about it, if you had not eaten all day...would you want a foreigner coming up to you with broken language skills asking you about the worst moment of your life? I think not. I felt sad that the other students all had their iPods in and were not looking out the windows. They missed quite an experience! In general, I felt as if the students missed the point of the entire experience. They were complaining about "first world problems", such as not having internet on their iPhone while driving off towards to desert to create a nice evening for some refugees. Also, the evening was not about making us happy, but rather how we could make someone else happy. That is not to say that this was not a blast, though! I just was upset by the students and their behavior during our trip.

Driving home from this Iftar, I loved gazing out the window into the desert. I have been to the Vatican and Jerusalem. I have visited churches, mosques, and synagogues...but I feel that the strongest divine presence is in the desert. I remembered meditating with Ahmed in Wadi Rum two years ago and the intense calm and peace that I felt. I feel that sometimes people complicate "religion" and try to force it. For me, all I need is the wide open nature. It is here that I can learn more about myself and connect to a higher spiritual power. God truly dwells in the desert.

A selfie with the lady who was snapping photos of me from afar

A photo with another new friend

A photo of the women's room

Picture of the seating

A beautiful view of Mufraq from Doctor Raed's brother's home.

Desert!

More desert!

Another wonderful view from the house. In the distance, near the mountains is Syria. 

Simply breathtaking

At Qasid on Wednesday, I followed my typical routine. However in my Islamic Sciences class, Sheikh Hamza mentioned that Mohammad was the only prophet to come from the line of Ismael whereas Jesus and all the other prophets in Islam came from the line of Issac as it connected to our course reading. I asked what the significance in this change of lineage was. Sheikh looks a tad uncomfortable, started to explain, and stopped saying we needed to return to the text we were working on. He told me to come see him after class if I wanted to know more about this. So I walked up to him after class, and he seemed surprised that I hung around. Four other students decided to stay for the explanation as well so we moved to an office. Sheikh Hamza began the discussion by saying that the answer to my question is not part of the coursework and our attendance in his office has no bearing on our grade in the class. Apparently Qasid makes a large point telling teachers to not discuss religion with us, just the language within the religious text. Sheikh Hamza was afraid of breaking the rule, but I told him that he was merely answering my question and he relaxed.

What I learned from the meeting was that according to Islam, Mohammad marked a new covenant from the covenant that was made to the 12 Tribes of Israel, which were descendants of Issac. The tribes were not behaving in accordance with what God wanted, so God made Mohammad a prophet and established a new covenant. Essentially, the Old Testament is the Old Covenant and the Quran is the New Covenant. This is similar to how Christians have the New Testament, or New Covenant from Jesus. Sheikh Hamza gave us a wonderful comparisons between all three Abrahamic faiths. He is truly a very well read and intelligent man, but definitely quirky. It was interesting to talk to someone who had read so many different religious texts from so many different religions. It was certainly impressive. I hope I can think of another fun question to ask before the course is over!

Tonight, I hosted an Iftar dinner for my Mayada, Mayas, Liz, Paige and some friends of Liz and Mayas. It was crazy but a lot of fun! I had been grocery shopping everyday this week getting a small amount each time. Its hard to grocery shop for a party of nine people when you have to rely on Taxis! Hosting the Iftar was stressful as well! Think about it, your guests have not eaten or drank anything all day. They are hungry! The food must be good and must be on the table ready to eat as soon as the sun sets and the Call to Prayer rings over the speakers. It was tremendously stressful! Also, I had to call Mayada an hour and a half before Iftar as I could not get my oven to work. I have no experience with a gas oven that needs to be lit. Luckily, she told me to lite a piece of paper and put it in the stove to start the gas fire. This worked and I was so relieved!

I served dates and soup to begin the meal as this is traditional. I believe Mohammad used to break his fasts with a date, so this is were the tradition stems from. I also bought some flower arrangements to serve as decorations. Also, I actually made all the food from scratch. I made the following:

1) Baked sweet potato fries- Sweet potatoes are rare to find in Jordan and are really expensive. I know that Mayada and Mayas loved eating them during their visit to the US, so I decided to make them. They had never had them baked before and were excited to try a new way to cook these potatoes.

2) Salad- Iceberg lettuce, Romaine lettuce, green peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, red onion, and crutons. I served it with French and Ranch dressings.

3) Chicken Wings with Old Bay- I marinated chicken wings with butter and sprinkled Old Bay on them. I wanted to give my friends a taste of Maryland, so I brought Old Bay with me from home. Half the crowd really enjoyed them. I chose to do Old Bay on the wings as I know it is a unique taste.

4) Chicken Breast- Olive oil, garlic salt, pepper, salt- SOOO juicy! I got breasts with the skin on them so I buttered the skin and pan fried each piece before putting it in the oven.

5) Grilled Cheese- This was requested by Mayas. However, I stepped it up and used American and Gouda cheese. This was well received.

6) Bread

7)Fruit Salad with Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce- Bananas, strawberries, grapes, clementines, red apples. This and the dressing were well received.

For dessert, I bought Ferraro Roche candies and assorted mini cakes. I also served tea and coffee using the traditional Jordanian serving tray. This made Mayada so happy as this is a symbol of hospitality in Jordan. While I served traditional tea and coffee, I made a separate pot of Peach Tea. This was immensely appreciated. I did not want to remove the traditional tea, as tea is a huge part of the culture. I am glad they liked my suggested tea type.

The party was so much fun. The adults sat inside while Mayas and her friends sat on my balcony and played with my pool-table. My apartment is a great place to entertain!At one point two of Mayas' friends asked me if there was a place where they could do their after Iftar prayer. I said absolutely and showed them into my bedroom, which is clean and quiet. I felt bad that I did not have prayer rugs to offer them, but luckily they brought their own. Typically a host has a few prayer rugs they keep to offer guests during religious holidays. I should have asked Mayada to borrow a few, but it was not an issue.

 I am glad that the Iftar went well. I think Mayada was initially a tad bit worried letting a 23 year old American from a Christian background take over Iftar for a night and do it in an "American Way", frankly as she should be. People are tired and hungry and they just want to know that there will be food and that it will be good. When Mayada walked in the door and saw the flowers in my living room next to the traditional tea set and coffee set, she seemed a tad bit shocked. I took this party seriously and she really appreciated it. She told me that I really know how to take care of a house and prepare a meal. This meant a lot from such a great homemaker and cook. She also told me that she will find me a husband. I said no thank you hahaha. It's a running joke that I'm not really interested in marriage...at least not before I'm 50. Also, she was surprised that I was able to prepare so much food in only three hours and that I had it out and ready to eat on time after being at school all day and was surprised I could juggle both school and preparing a large meal.

Florist working on my flowers

Final Arrangement- The long green flower with sticks on the top is a flower that is native to Jordan!

Tea and Coffee set up and ready to go!

Waiting for the Call to Prayer so we can eat!

Still waiting...

Waiting some more

Tea and Cofee. The pots and comes were in my apartment from the owner. 

After dinner, Paige and I went downtown to walk around. This was my first time visiting in two years! It is funny how a piece of Habiba's Kanafa came be so tasty and bring back so many fond memories. Paige made friends with a man from the shop I bought my thobe in (a traditional Jordanian dress) two years ago. We wound up sitting there for awhile and drank some coffee with him. He taught Paige a lot about Embroidery, one of her hobbies. Typically I love sitting and chatting, but I was ansy. I really wanted to go to the souk and see a bunch of Ramadan lanterns. For some reason, i really like the lanterns. We never did find the souk. Maybe Mayada can help give me clearer directions.

Me holding a oud, or an Arab lute in a store downtown. It is a dream of mine to learn to play this instrument one day. 

Click here for a Link to Oud Music



Well that's all for now. I am looking forward to going to bed (It's 4am) and not having to get up at 7am tomorrow. Yay for the weekend!

Natalie

A Post after a long Absence

Hello All,

Sorry I have been absent for awhile now. I needed to get my courses straight in addition to my living situation. I hope that I will post on a more regular basis from this point on, but the truth is that I enjoy hanging out with Mayas, Mayada and Lizz so much, that all my free time goes towards hanging out with them.

With regards to my classes, I have switched from my Modern Standard Arabic class to a Classical Arabic class, which has been more challenging. We are currently reading Ghalazi, which is a very difficult religious text. We also read the Quran as well as different sources about Islam and religion. This has been interesting as I am currently reading about what to do about anger as well as the manifestations of anger and its sources.

On Thursday, I skipped my second class to buy groceries, shower, cook lunch, and prepare for a trip to Mufraq with Mayada and crew. The streets are so crowded that it takes me an hour to get home from school so it is difficult to run errands during the day. Mayada is from Mufraq, a town that is 10km away from the Syrian border. I had so much fun in Mufraq with Mayada's family and enjoyed talking with them and eating Iftar with them. After the Iftar dinner, Mayada took me to her brother's house where he has beautiful grape trees that cover the ceiling of one of the rooms. This sight was simply magical. I was given a few grapes to try, but they were not yet ripe and were a tad bit sour. I was told that if you dip sour grapes in salt, this rids grapes of some of the sour flavor. This actually works, but you have to make sure that your grape does not become too salty. I enjoyed talking with Ibrahim's family as they have three young boys with a lot of energy. We all laughed so hard and it was a pleasant evening.

On Friday, I went with Mayas to a funeral for the mother of a girl in Mayas' class. The girl is 16 and has lost both parents this year. This is certainly sad, and is unfortunately something I can relate too. The girl and her parents are from Iraq, so I was told that this was an Iraqi funeral. We went to essentially a hall that houses funerals and there was a room for the women to gather and a separate room for the men to gather. Everyone was talking, drinking coffee, and eating dates with Quranic verses were being recited. Mayada told me that at a Jordanian funeral, it is customary for a friend of the family to buy Mansef, a traditional Jordanian dish, for everyone and it is served for both main meals for three days. It is during these three days that people come to visit the family of the deceased without an appointment, but after these three days, it is expected that you will call to set up a time to visit and dropping by is not appropriate. The thing that shocked me most about the funeral was how the women were dressed. Everyone was wearing high end designer clothing, and had visited the MAC counter as well as the hair salon. I felt like a hick from the hills. This also very much upset me. This girl had lost so much this year, and yet everyone came dressed as if they were going to a party, but were wearing black. Mayada told me that Iraqi funerals must be different as this is not typical in Jordan. Also, the family was wealthy, which was evident that the location of the meeting was near the royal palaces. This was a good experience to go to.

Today, Mayada hosted a grand Iftar dinner at her house for staff at SIT, the program I studied with two years ago. I am glad that I went shopping after class for a nice shirt as the men showed up with blazers. It was nice to see and talk with my old professors again and it was like old time. I could describe the dinner, but I think I will just post pictures. I am very much behind in posting, but it is very late here (about 1:30am). Ibahim was at the dinner and we were joking around playing a game where he was throwing knives while I was against the wall. It was funny, but scary initially as I could not tell if he was exactly joking about whether or not he would actually throw the knives. He was also nice and brought me some grapes from his house. That was very sweet of him and I like how he remembers how much I enjoyed seeing the grape trees. One of my professors invited me to tag along to go to the Zatari refugee camp on Tuesday for Iftar. I am planning on going and helping out.

Fun facts:

Mayada and Ibrahim were telling me about how cheap everything was in Syria before the war as Syria did not import things and everything was made in Syria. The furniture below, which is made so artistically, is not incredibly expensive. I was shocked as it looks so artistic and intricate to me.

Ibrahim told a joke: Why was a Christian buried in the middle of a Muslim cemetery? Because the muslims were too shy and sent him out to get them food and things. This is because Christians are buried with clothing and perfume, while Muslims are not.

This was my personal bowl of fruit....how ever could I eat so much fruit!

Me sitting in what I called "a princess chair". The furniture is from Aleppo, Syria.

From Aleppo, Syria

The best dessert in the world!

So much food!

More food!

Deserts on a beautiful tray

Even more food!

The dining table

I always wear an evil eye necklace. The one I bought in Turkey broke a week before my trip. I thought it would be cool to upgrade...

Iftar outfit

A better view of the furniture from Aleppo

Gorgeous Mirror. 

Sorry this was so short!,
Natalie

"On the Second Day of Ramadan, My True Love Gave to me..."

Hello All,

First, I want to mention that I was successfully able to upload some videos to my previous blog post. I uploaded videos of the man with the drum and the Call to Prayer. Definitely check them out if you have time. Second, turns out a good amount of people read this blog, which is a tad surprising. I keep hearing from Jordanians and Americans about how they read my blog and enjoy seeing what I am up to. That is pretty interesting from my end as this is certainly a humble blog.

Yesterday was a tad bit of a slow day, since I woke up around 2pm. I left Mayada's apartment and went back to my apartment for a few hours to answer emails, do some work, and just generally hang out. I'm not sure my body likes the "sleep during the day and party at night" routine. I am struggling with this a bit and I am finding it difficult to be productive during the day to the level I want to be. I just want to sleep all the time currently. I think I will stop fasting to help me have more energy as I did not feel like peppy Natalie yesterday. I was lethargic Natalie.

Around 7:15pm I began to leave my apartment when I heard a knock at the door. I answered the door and saw one of my neighbors, a young woman. She had a bag of peaches for me and gave them to me as a gift for Ramadan. This was very thoughtful of her and really made me feel happy. It is customary during Ramadan to give food to neighbors and friends. I need to think about what I will deliver to this neighbor's house. In general when I am in Jordan, I like to give people food that is a bit different and perhaps new to them. I do this as I enjoy tasting all the new food that I typically cannot find in the United States. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

I was a tad late for Iftar at Mayada's house as I could not get a taxi. The streets were bare and I almost had the feeling that the reaping had occurred and I had been "left behind". I continued to walk down the middle of the once very busy streets. Typically in Amman, traffic is terrible. The cars move bumper to bumper and the congestion is beyond description. The lack of traffic yesterday evening was due to the holiday as people were staying home to celebrate the first Friday of Ramadan together.

After Iftar, Mayada, Mayas, Lizz, and I went to a small souk near Rainbow Street. In this souk there are many venders selling handmade crafts. It was fun to walk around and see what Jordanians and Palestinians in the city are making. There were hand crafted soaps, lanterns, jewelry, and books. However, the most impressive thing to me were the rosaries, both Christian and Muslim, that we found in the souk. They were made out of semiprecious stones and were simply beautiful. I have never seen a rosary that was so beautiful. Lizz bought some prayer beads there as she is gemstone enthusiast. Mayas is a large fan of the handmade soups and bought some soap and Mayada helped me find a great book by Ghasan Kanafani (Arabic) that I bought for a very good price.

While we were wandering around the souk, I suddenly heard "Hello Natalie, Hey Miss Zink!". I turned around and it was Ahmed, the man that was in charge of our security and event logistics for my program last time I was in Jordan. I was so happy to see Ahmed and I gave him a large hug. After talking for a bit, Doctor Raed, the former director of the SIT program that I was a part of, came by as well and I gave him a big hug as well. Both of these men are now working for the Hashemite Foundation and they look so happy. I swear both of their smiles were practically glowing. Doctor Raed said that he is organizing a gathering for a couple of former SIT students to get together for Iftar at his house. I am excited about this and I hope to see some old friends soon. Ahmed was disappointed that I have not messaged him saying that I was in Jordan. I need to send him a message ASAP now and I can not believe I did not tell him that I was back in the country!

After the souk, Mayas, Mayada, Lizz and I went to Mayada's friend's house, Dua'a. It was nice to see Du'a again after so many years and she is just as happy and bubbly as she was last time I saw her. We sat outside on her patio and she served us some food for Sahour. We had lovely salads, dates from Mecca, and a dish called Halava, which is sesame paste mixed with sugar. This thick dip is eaten with bread and tastes like candy. Mayada told us that back in the day, the Bedouins did not have candy or cake, so they ate Halava for dessert. The Halava Du'a served was from Damascus and was considered the best Halava.  Attached below is a link that has more information about Halava.

More Information on Halava

While the food was delicious, the most impressive part about the gathering was the drinks. We were served tea and coffee in the most beautiful tea cups I have ever seen! My coffee cup was a light pink with gold dots on it and the other cups were light green and purple with the same gold pattern. They were so modern, chic, lady-like, and also looked like a traditional Arab coffee cup (which remind me of espresso cups). I would have loved to have taken a picture of the cups, but that would have been so strange. Also, every time the group was served coffee, Dua'a used a new set of tea cups. It was fun to see and hold so many beautiful cups. Before I leave Jordan, I would like to buy a very nice tea and coffee set to use as a decoration on my kitchen table in my apartment. Tee and coffee in Jordan bring me such joy.

Dua'a was also very generous and served us Zam Zam water. Zam Zam water is the water that comes out from the spring beneath the Ka'ba in Mecca. The spring is believed to be in the spot where Allah made a well when Abraham's son, Ismail, was thirsty and they could not find water to give him. This Holy Water is served in a tea cup. Before you drink the water, you say Bismallah ("In the Name of Allah"). Then you make a wish before drinking the entire cup in three sips. Attached below is a link to a wikipedia page that has more information on Zam Zam water.

More information on Zam Zam Water

We sat on Dua'a's porch until 3am drinking coffee, listening to Arabic music (mostly poems by Nizar Qabbani put to music), and smoking Sheisha. In particular, we listened to كلمات  "Words" from Nizar Qabbani. This poet and poem are thought to empress the emotions of a woman correctly. I will leave the poem here, in English, and let you decided.

"Words"by Nizar Qabbani

"He lets me listen, when he moves me,
Words are not like other words
He takes me, from under my arms
He plants me, in a distant cloud
And the black rain in my eyes
Falls in torrents, torrents
He carries me with him, he carries me
To an evening of perfumed balconies

And I am like a child in his hands
Like a feather carried by the wind
He carries for me seven moons in his hands
and a bundle of songs
He gives me sun, he gives me summer
and flocks of swallows
He tells me that I am his treasure
And that I am equal to thousands of stars
And that I am treasure, and that I am
more beautiful than he has seen of paintings
He tells me things that make me dizzy
that make me forget the dance and the steps

Words…which overturn my history
which make me a woman…in seconds
He builds castles of fantasies
which I live in…for seconds…
And I return…I return to my table
Nothing with me…
Nothing with me…except words "

Dua'a even had an awesome head to her sheisha; it was glass instead of clay. Even the top of the head was glass and no tinfoil was used. This was simply awesome as the coals were able to heat the tobacco, but the tobacco never got burned. As a result, the smoke and favor was smooth and light. I must find a glass head for my hookah at home. When we left to go, Dua'a gave Mayas, Lizz, and I each a nice present with a verse from the Quran printed on it. She told us that the verse from from the Quran and that we should not throw it away. Why would I throw away such a lovely gift? Dua'a was so generous! It was quite an evening and Dua'a definitely spoiled us.

Gift from Dua'a with a chocolate bar (blue rectangle)

Also, apparently my neighbors in the next building over are Americans and the father is the director of Royal Jordanian. I can literally see into their backyard clearly. The King and Queen of Jordan have been known to come to this house for Iftar. Mayada told me that I will know when and if this happens because there will be snipers on the roof and security people all around. She wants me to let her know if I see this as she wants to come over and watch. I said of course!! I really hope this happens as it would be neat to be so close to King Abdullah and Queen Rania.

Until Next Time,
Natalie 

Ramadan Karem!

Hello All,

First and foremost, Ramadan Karem! Last night marked the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

Today I began my first day at Qasid. To my surprise, I woke up and discovered that I was placed in the highest level in the program 5, as well as the highest section, A. This came as a shock to me, as I never do well on placement exams and I always have to ask to get bumped up a level. To anyone who is reading this that has completed Alhawary's Arabic Grammar class, heck did his class make this test look like a coloring book! I found myself saying "Is this all you got?! Come on!!". Yes...I'm insane. The class seems a tad bit simple and slow at the moment. I am used to being the worst in my class and having to really work for it. The readings and assignments on the syllabus for the summer class seem a bit too simple, particularly after Shammas' Modern Arab Authors course, a class that was incredibly difficult. Today is only the first day, so I will see how it goes. I might hire a tutor to work with me on some older Arabic poetry.

In my class, I am one of four students, and I am the only girl. The three other men are from Turkey and are a tad older than me. I have a feeling that this will be an interesting semester as this is a unique group of people. Two of the men are currently sleeping in a mosque, as their housing plans fell through. Mosques will house travels and people who need a place to stay at night. The one man said that the Iman was very nice and let him in after he recited the Shahada. Because it is Ramadan, there is a lot of food at the mosque before and after the fast so the men said they were eating well. I have never heard of churches taking in people like this, but I am sure that this happens as well. Because we all speak different languages and are proficient in Arabic, it is easy for us to talk in Arabic throughout the entire class. Our teachers do not know English or Turkish, so Arabic is really our only mode of communication. Also, one of the men is studying Sharia and the other two seem pretty conservative and religious as well. I am definitely the odd ball in the group. However, this is a great thing and I truly think everyone will bring something to the course.

After class, I went to Taj Mall. In Jordan, it is a tradition that I go to the Nestle Tollhouse Cafe after class for what I call my "tasty treat" (Yes, I sound like an obese person). I really enjoy eating a cookie there and using the wifi to do my homework. Today however, I beheld something tragic: the cafe was closed! Turns out, almost all cafes, bakeries, restaurants etc. close during the hours that you should be fasting. I guess I will need to move cookie time to a later time in the evening. However, I did go grocery shopping again today while I was at the mall. The Safeway near my house did not have yoghurt (American yoghurt) or a good amount of fruit (go figure, I'm in a desert!). I found these two things at the grocery store in the mall as well as fresh Zatar, or Thyme, rolls. I look forward to eating all of these things! There was also a bookstore next to the grocery store, so I bought some Arabic books I want to read. It feels so great to have access to current Arabic books and music!

The beginning stages of hoarding Arabic books

I kind of accidentally fasted today. I forgot to eat breakfast as I was busy trying to figure out what class I was enrolled in and get ready for school. Throughout the day, I did not drink water as I did not want to offend the people around me and I did not eat as there really was not time to. However, I did shove my face at 6:30pm, about an hour before the fast was over. I just could not resist after going to the grocery store! The yoghurt looked so good!

Also, one of my neighbors has hedged the words Allah (الله) and Mohammad (محمد) into his bushes. I saw this days ago while walking with my host sister and burst out laughing! I would never have thought to carve "God" or "Jesus" into a bush. However, it looks nice and it is festive for Ramadan.

Allah is in the bushes!

Now I will be heading over to Mayada's apartment for Iftar and to break the fast. I will write more later.

I went over to Mayada's apartment for Iftar. There I saw Rashad, her husband, for the first time in years. He was very nice and is a happy person. It was nice to see him again.

When I walked in, the table was set with food. Since I was the only one not fasting, Mayada had me be the taste tester to see if something required more butter or salt. Of course everything tasted great as  I was at Mayada's house. The call to prayer sounded over the speakers of the nearby mosque, and everyone sat down. This is a regular occurrence in Amman and across the Islamic World, but next surahs from the Quran were being recited over the speakers as well. I asked Mayas what surahs were being recited, but she did not know (If you happen to know, please leave the information in the comments section.). During this time, people might ask God for a blessing or offer up a prayer. Mayas asked for Allah to help her on her Tawjihi exams, the large exams Jordanians have to take in order to enter college. Certain scores are needed in order to enter certain professions, and only a small fraction of students pass the first time. Next over the loud speakers came a prayer, or Du'a. I asked what the prayer was, and Rashad started laughing as I was literally speaking over a prayer. Way to go, Natalie! That was certainly an ignorant American moment. I apologized and laughed as well.

Finally, dinner (Iftar) was served with the conclusion of the prayer. We began the meal with a small bowl of chicken noodle soup. It had the alphabet in it and it was so cute. I assume the reason that we begin with soup is because you want something light after not eating or drinking all day. We had a fresh salad, Fatoush, chicken that was marinated in mayonnaise, ketchup, and a tad bit of olive oil, an eggplant dish, and some pies with vegetables in them. Everything was superb, but I really loved the Fatoush! In the US we do not have Pomegranate Syrup that is used as a dressing for the salad. It is so refreshing and light. The chicken was also fabulous and I need to remember the recipe to cook it at home later. The meal was enjoyable and this was the first time I spoke to Rashad in Arabic really as the whole table, Lizz and I, were able to join in conversation.

After Iftar, we sat in the living room and watched TV. We watched a famous show Bab ElHara that depicts life in Syria many years ago. I enjoyed the show as it is good fun and reminds me of a soap opera. I also liked seeing the furniture and style of the old houses in Damascus. It really made me think of what a tragedy the war in Syria is. So many people are being killed and history is being destroyed.

During the show, I found out that Rashad likes eating shrimp. I said that I brought a spice, Old Bay, with me and if we could find some fresh shrimp, I could prepare some shrimp Maryland style (God Willing). He liked this idea and knows of one place that sells fresh shrimp. I hope this happens as I really would like to cook a dish that my friends have not had before, and Old Bay is in my blood. Also, Mayas was quizzing Lizz and I on Arabic grammar from her Tawjihi book. This was hysterical as we were all very passionate about who was right and wrong.

Mayas, Mayada and I went to a cafe around 10pm for tea and coffee. Turns out that most stores and cafes are open until 4am during Ramadan and it is common for people to stay up really late and go out. This was a lot of fun as well.

Around 3am, it was time to eat again. This time the meal was called Sahour. We were alerted that Sahour was approaching as a man was walking in the streets banging on a drum saying "Wake up, It's time for Sahour". This man will do this everyday for the whole month and the neighbor will give him money at the end of Ramadan for this service.  This was a neat sight to see and I embedded a video of this below. Mohammad brought back huge hamburgers for us to eat. Seriously, mine was as big as my head and was overwhelming. Around 5pm, another call sounded over the speakers of the nearby mosque letting us know that it was now time to resume the fast. Mayada quickly finished her last cigarette and put away the coffee.

Video of the Man with the drum

Video of one of the calls to prayer and Quran readings

As it was late, I spent the night at Mayada's house. I woke up at 2pm after going to bed at 5am and was alarmed. However, Mayas and I were the only ones up at this time, so I felt okay. It felt so strange to wake up so late!

Today I am fasting as I feel like I began correctly. Never before have I eaten Sahour before trying. It is 4pm here now and I do not feel on the brink of death despite the fact that that I have not eaten or drank anything since 5am. Also, if you sleep for a good amount of the day, that helps as well. I think I will go see my friend Paige for Iftar today as she returned from Kuwait last night. Paige also studies at Michigan as well.

See you later,
Natalie 

My first few days in Amman

Hello All,

I am sorry for the delay in posting. The internet in my apartment was not set up yet and I found it difficult to get to a cafe with internet as I was having so much fun hanging out with Mayada and Mayas.

Hmm... now it is time to remember the previous few days. I feel as if they are blending together.

For my first day in Jordan, I can barely remember what I did. I think I just hung out with Mayada, Mayas, Leen, and Lizz. Lizz is Mayada's current American host student. She is very nice and also speaks Arabic. Leen is Mayada's niece who is visiting from the village of Mufraq. She is about 15 years old and is a hoot! We went to the new mall that was recently built, Gallaria Mall, and walked around. Before this trip, Leen put on a fashion show for us and wanted to know if her outfit was okay. She looked adorable in the white jeans, jean jacket, and yellow shirt, but wanted our approval. She does not speak English incredibly well, and at first she was shy. As our trip went on in the mall, I kept asking her what words relating to fashion were in Arabic. I learned the word for "collar" among other words. This cracked the shell! Suddenly she was asking me tons of words in English, all of which she asked me to write down in her phone. Ever since we have been friends. She is a cutie pie and I cannot believe I forgot to mention her in my previous post! How rude!

Leen wanted a picture with me. I assume because I'm awesome, blonde, and American.

During the shopping trip, Mayas bought a lovely blue shirt and white jeans. White jeans seem to very much be in trend currently and everyone seems to like them. I do too as they are summery. At the first store, Mayas saw a shirt that said "I'm a nasty girl" and pointed it out to me and her mother, Mayada. I could not hide my reaction and just said "Ew, how gross!". Mayas was a tad upset with me as she really liked the shirt, but her mother asked me what it meant and I told her the meaning and that it was not a great shirt to be wearing in public. I felt kind of bad, but the reaction was automatic. Also, Mayas is a beautiful, intelligent, young lady and she should be wearing tops that match that. She is certainly not "a nasty girl". Mayada, however, very much appreciated my help. She says that I have such classy taste and looked forward to me shopping with Mayas and her. I found this shocking as I always feel like a huge slob in Jordan. The people always have perfectly ironed clothes, nice shoes, excellent posture, and such grace. Here I am in my jeans, tee shirt, and pink Birkenstocks. Also, Mayada and Mayas loved my makeup. For me, this is on par with winning the Olympics as, in my opinion, Arab women do the best makeup. I told them that it is Mac and I think my host mom wants to get the lipstick now from the mall. So shocking!

Mayada, Mayas, Leen, and I also went to SIT, my former Arabic program to visit. It was so nice that the professors remembered me. They are really happy that I am choosing to pursue Arabic professionally. I was greeted with many warm hugs.

On my second official day in Amman, I took the language placement test. I think it went very well, actually. It was a fair exam that I felt was gauged towards students who were just beginning. In my oral interview, the professor and I were cracking jokes and having a good time. I think she liked my sense of humor and appreciated my love of poetry and jokes. We recited some Arabic poetry together and discussed the role of women, as it came up in a test example. I was asked to translate "The way to a man's heart is from his stomach" from Arabic into English, after that, the professor asked me for my opinion on the expression. I responded in Arabic, "I hope not, as I do not cook. What about education? I hope receiving an education is the way to a man's heart". She started laughing so hard, agreed with me, and gave me a high five. Also, the professor was impressed with my love of grammar and the poet Adonis. I really appreciate how I was able to move my test back a day and relax a bit before my test. I was able to get a goodnight's sleep and get myself into the zone a bit. In Jordan, things are much more easy going. If I had asked an American institution for an extra day, because I frankly just wanted an extra day, the answer would have been no. Instead, Qasid was very flexible with me and I appreciate this. I start classes tomorrow, but I have not received my placement yet. I called earlier and I expect to receive an email at some point tonight or tomorrow. Whatever, I will start class at some point soon. No point worrying about it. I love the Jordanian "When and If God Wills" way of life. It is so the opposite of me in the States. Also, I did not study for my test the night before, instead I sat up and watched funny youtube videos with Mayada, Mayas and crew. This is so anti "study hard Natalie", but I relished it and loved how I chose to focus on the more important thing: the amazing friends I have in Jordan.

Later on during the evening, I went to my apartment and was just hanging out. Suddenly I heard the intercom go off, which very much sounds like a car quickly hitting the breaks. I went to the door and saw in the intercom's camera a young woman standing there. I just buzzed her in as I did not want to deal with the language barrier over the intercom system. Also, I knew she had to be here to see me as my intercom is the only one on the front of the building and it has the owner's name on it. Turns out it was the wife and daughter who live in the apartment I am renting! They wanted to drop off a mattress they just bought in one of the rooms. This visit was hysterical for two reasons: first, the intercom broke when I buzzed them in and the alarm would not go off for a long time. The father, who was waiting downstairs, came up and fixed it for me. Second, the Satellite TV was not working. The father saw this immediately and started to work on it. I said that I really did not mind as I am not a large TV person. However, he insisted. I tried not to laugh as I thought to myself, men are men everywhere and need to have the TV working. This reminded me of my father and other males I know that get pretty frustrated when the TV is not working. This is a universal guy thing! Unfortunately, he could not get the TV to work so he told me that he would send a repair person over. I said okay and no rush.

Later that evening, I received phone calls from many of my neighbors in the building (on my home phone). They must have heard that someone was renting and that I knew Arabic. They were calling to say welcome and check in. I have been invited to come to some apartments for coffee and I hope to do this in the future. One girl and her mother were particularly nice. I met the daughter outside the building and she was so excited to meet me. This is too hysterical as I am just a quiet person who likes to read, yet some Jordanians think I'm cool. It's darn near hysterical!

All the members of the family whose apartment I am renting are nice. The father's name is Khalid and he works for Royal Jordanian. The eldest daughter's name is Marah and she is a first year college student studying English Translation. I forget the mother's name, unfortunately, but she is so so sweet as well. It was nice to meet them and nice of them to stop by. They came over with the TV repair guy again today, and I had a good conversation with Marah about regular things. I noticed that Marah was wearing a beautiful crown necklace that matched her phone case. I commented on it and she told me that this was a high school graduation present from her father. I told Khalid good job and gave him a thumbs up. He responded that he does not know what he will get her for her college graduation present. I joked that he should get her another necklace. He said no and that he was thinking that he would find her a husband. I laughed then looked at Marah and said "hold out for another necklace!!". All three of us cracked up laughing and I am glad they appreciate my sense of humor. The TV repair guy was quiet, and only spoke with Khaled. Khaled tried to get me involved in the process and show me how the remote worked. This was a tad bit uncomfortable as the TB guy kept using "adult themed" channels as examples. The names of the channels were "18+ArabGirls" and "Sexy Arab Women"(I do not get these channels, al hamduillah. I just saw previews for them). I turned red and kept staring at my feet. Khaled was nice and told him to find some other examples. What about Al Jazeera or Rotana as examples?!!!

Also during our conversation, Marah told me that her mother really likes me as I speak Arabic pretty well and she does not feel awkward around me. I have been invited over to break the Ramadan fast (this meal is called Iftar) on Friday with them. I am excited, but nervous. What do I wear? What should I bring? I have emailed some Saudi colleagues of mine to ask them. I think I will buy some cookies or pastries from a bakery and I will probably buy a new outfit as all I brought were jeans and teeshirts. I do not think the party will be fancy, but I want to be respectful. I am excited about this invitation and look forward to going to their house, which is a block away from the apartment. In the US, going to a "stranger's" house for dinner would be a "no-no", but here it is really not a big deal. The wife of this family is the sister in law to Mayada, so I will be visiting an extension of my former host family. This should be fun!

But, what is Ramadan? Ramadan occurs during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and commemorates when Mohammed made the Hajj from Medina to Mecca with the first Muslim community, who lived in Medina. Muslims still make the Hajj pilgrimage today and this tradition is very much alive. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sun rise to sun set for a month. During this period, there is no food, no water, no sex, no promiscuity, and Muslims try to act in a humble and modest way. Before sunrise, families gather for Sahour, or a large meal before the fast, and Iftar, the large meal/party that breaks the fast. I really wish I could do the fast, but I am already struggling to keep hydrated, I blame being sick on the plane. As a result, I do not feel comfortable not drinking water all day. From past experience at Middlebury, the food is a non issue, but going without water is pretty difficult. All I wanted to do was sleep. While I am in Jordan, I want to be awake and have fun! As a result, I will eat and drink moderately. Also, fun fact, eating and/or drinking in public during Ramadan is forbidden and against the law. The police will stop you and ask for your ID. I do not know what the punishment is though, and I really do not want to find out what it is from experience. Currently, the malls are decorated with moons, stars, and lanterns, all of which are symbols for Ramadan. This reminds me a tad of Christmas decorations in the US. I am tempted to get a small lantern for my apartment, as I want to be a part of the festivities. Even though I'm an Agnostic American, I still want to enjoy a happy holiday! A party is a party!

Ramadan decorations at the Mall.

Yesterday, I met Mayada, Mayas, Leen and one of Mayada's friends, Deem, at the mall. Deem is the wife of a man who works just under the Minster of Economics in Jordan, and he is very much high up in the government. You might remember that I went to their apartment last time I was in Jordan. It was nice to see Deem again, and this time speak with her in Arabic. She was impressed I could keep up and asked why I did not speak more Arabic last time. I said that speaking Arabic to me is like wearing a pair of jeans that is just the slightest bit too tight. I can wear them, but its uncomfortable. She encouraged me to keep trying and says that she feels the similarly with English (which she speaks beautifully). This encouragement was nice. Deem had some exciting news to share with us: She was invited to Iftar at Queen Nour's house on Friday. As a result, she needed a new outfit. Wow! What an invitation! I hope she takes photos I can see, but I know deep down inside she will not as it is portably tacky. She asked Mayada and I to help her pick out her outfit. We did not have luck finding an outfit for Iftar, but we found her a lot of other good things. It was a great trip and I enjoyed getting the opportunity to pick out clothes for a lady with great long legs as I am short. It was nice to have that experience since I cannot wear some of the clothes she could pull off. Deem is a lady who wear the hijab, or head scarf, which in my opinion really make her eyes pop. While trying on clothes, Deem would come out and show us the outfit and ask for our opinion. During this, she would not wear her hijab as it did not match the clothes she was trying on and she was only around women. However, the fun kind of came to an end when male employees kept walking into the employee room that was in the back of the dressing room. This happened a couple times in a row and Deem quickly disappeared behind the curtain of the fitting room, as she felt exposed. Shame on the store for having this type of layout! Also, shame on the men! They could tell she was uncomfortable, yet they kept walking in. Boo on them!

Apparently Deem's young daughter, Susu, (7 years old?) still asks about me and says "Where is Natalie?" every time Mayada comes over. I find this funny as I only met her once, and very rarely does a young child really take a strong liking to me. I hope I see Susu soon. She is such an intellegent child and recognizes so many languages.

Later in the evening, Mayas, Leen and I went on the Fast Walk. The Fast Walk is a program where people gather to walk a good distance together in Jordan and work out. The group is overseen by some Jordanians who stop traffic and make sure that everyone is safe. Before the event, I had to go buy a yellow safety vest, like construction workers wear. This proved to be a challenge. My host mom did not know that the store she sent me to had moved and I went to the wrong place. I asked the police for help and they directed me to another store, that then tried to sell me an orange life jacket, before directing me to another store: a construction store. I walked into the store in my tight capri work out pants (as I was heading the Fast Walk, and jeans are not allowed) and saw that everyone in the store was a 20 year old man. Great! After the whispers subsided, one man approached me and said "I do not speak English". I responded in Arabic "That's fine, I know Arabic". I told him in Arabic that I was going on the Fast Walk and needed a vest. He whispered to another man and they both told me that there is no such thing as a "Fast Walk". Even after I explained what it was and that it is most likely geared towards foreigners, they still did not believe me and wanted me to prove its existence. I could not as I did not have internet on my phone (Why did I skimp on this, literally I could have had internet for $7 a month?!). Why did this matter and why did I have to prove the existence of this event?! They would not help me or take me seriously. I said a somewhat rude goodbye as the men were eyeing me up and laughing at me. I heard someone call me crazy in Arabic, which frankly pissed me off. So I walked outside and found a police officer. I explained to him (in Arabic) what I wanted and told him I was frustrated and asked for his help. Suddenly one of the men from the store ran out, seeing that I was talking to the police. He suddenly became helpful after I proceeded to yell at him in Arabic that I was not crazy, that fast walk exists, and that I am now very angry as I have been trying to get this vest for an hour. I repeated my request curtly at his request, and he went in the store and got me an orange vest and apologized. On the way out, I thanked the police officer, who gave me a big smile. I do not know how I found the courage or the words to reprimand the man in the store, but looking back it was funny.

Finally, I got to the Fast Walk. Turns out, I needed a yellow vest and not an orange one. Luckily my host sister had an extra or I would not have been able to participate. The "Vest Journey" was certainly a comedy of errors. So Leen, Mayas, and I begin the walk. Early on, I found out that Mayas and Leen needed a chaperon, as we literally were walking the streets of Amman, and I now qualify as an adult. I found this hysterical, but quickly became concerned. Leen is a very quick walker and she ran way ahead of us. As I felt responsible, I kept trying to find her, but Mayas and I lost sight of her for 45 minutes as we are a tad bit slower. I was very nervous and asked Mayas to call her phone for me, just to make sure she was okay. Mayas responded that she did not have her phone number, or minutes on her phone. Luckily we found Leen shortly. Leen also did not have Mayas' number, or minutes on her phone. I nicely told both girls to please go buy minutes tomorrow when the store was open. They are free to use my phone if they are with me, but if we get separated, it is better for everyone to be able to make phone calls. They laughed at me, but I was serious. I guess I'm a bit too American with my need to be in contact with people. The walk was a great time and a good work out! We walked up many hills and stairs. I would definitely do it again!

Here are some random musings that do not fit into the first part of this post:
1) I will be grabbing so many books and Arabic CDs before returning to the US. I feel like the books and music I do have are from the 80s and 90s. I need more current stuff.
2) Mayada has really been instrumental in my Arabic education. While I was in Jordan, we did not speak much in Arabic, but when I left we messaged each other in Arabic. This very much has helped me progress in Arabic. Now, she and I speak only in Arabic, something she feels pretty firmly about. She says I have progressed so much in two years and is happy I have the ability to communicate now in Arabic. I have already learned so much and improved my Arabic just by talking to her. She really has given my the confidence to try to speak Arabic, something I really needed and deeply appreciate.
3) I will NEVER fly Air France to Jordan again. The trip is way too long and Royal Jordanian is so much easier. I still feel pretty wiped out.
4) I am already pretty dehydrated. While on the flight, I was very sick and did not eat or drink anything. This did not help anything. Today I mostly sat around after going to the grocery store as I felt pretty ill. I am feeling better now after drinking a lot of water and taking a nap. Currently I am having chocolate cake and sitting in Turtle Green Cafe with a peach iced tea.
5) I love Damascus style furniture! If I win the lottery and have a large house, I want the living room to be decorated from top to bottom in this style!

Damascene Furniture!!!

Welcome to my future living room, God Willing!

If only this could fit in a suitcase....

Until Tomorrow,
Natalie

Amman- Round two

Hello All,

I have decided to resume my old blog, but with a new and somewhat more professional layout. However, do not fear as the same old Natalie will be posting. It is my hope that these new postings will be more eloquent in thought and writing than my previous posts two years ago.

I arrived in Amman last night around 9pm and my host mom and brother, Mayada and Mohammed, greeted and welcomed me at the airport. This was so joyous!!! Everyone recognized each other and we all picked up where we left off.  This was simply joyous!

Mohammed drove us to his house where we met my host sister, Mayas, and her cousin for tea. I had bought Macarons in Paris as I assumed we would be having tea and coffee and they were well recieved. This was everyone's, including me, first time eating Macroon's from Paris. This made us all laugh and feel somewhat fancy.

After coffee, Mohammed and Mayada took me to my apartment. Honestly, it's just the perfect place. I'm so happy there. There was a concert going on and I enjoyed listening from my balcony.Mayada seemed a bit nervous as to whether I would be okay "on my own", and I tried to show her that honestly I'm good. The quiet is good and I will see them often. In fact, I'm going over for lunch shortly.

I will take my language placement test tomorrow. I delayed it as I became tremendously  ill on my flight from Paris and felt completely exhausted when I arrived in Jordan. I had to get up three times from my flight  from Paris to Amman. This should be striking to the people that know me well and my irrational fear of public restrooms, especially airplane bathrooms. One of the  flight attendants got upset and shoved me in the aisle. A very nice female attendant reprimanded him in French so I have no clue what was said, but it made me feel better. She could tell I was struggling and frankly I looked pretty pitiful.

Also, I went to the Jordan River Foundation a little while ago and found the same quilt I saw last time I was here! I will acquire it at some point!!  So much joy!  Also, I got a SIM card for my phone so I won't have to juggle two phones this round.

Finally, one small reflection. It is amazing how at 23 my heart is divided between three homes: Westminster, Ann Arbor, and Amman. In each place, I feel like different parts of my personality come alive. In Jordan, I'm laid back and go with the flow: the opposite of Ann Arbor Natalie. Things will happen when they are supposed to and that's grand. No need to worry or force things.  It is nice to return to this  way of life.


Well I'm off to continue drinking my sweet tea in Turtle Green Cafe on Rainbow street!

Talk to you soon,
Natalie