Treebeard

I think since Thursday afternoon I've used the public transportation about 17 times.

Thursday is the Jordanian Friday. Which means we get off school for the weekend on Thursday cos Friday is the Islamic holy day. Saturday is just a day to relax and school resumes on Sunday, just not this Sunday cos it's the Prophet Mohammad's birthday and schools take a recess. Seperation of church and state? Not so much. Mish Mushkalem.

I've been in Rajif for two weeks now and life is smooth operator. I didn't really need to get out but the three day weekend is too much pass up. Thus, Thursday at noon (school gets out early on Thursdays) I hitched one of the rattletraps for the three hour trip to Amman. Caught up with Duha and The Juice at the Al Abdalii bus station and we cabbed over to meet Duha's sister and former J6 PCV Noora (Peace Corps Volunteer from the 6th group in Jordan). Dinner at Lebani Snack. Better than the food was Jonathan calling to say that Landon singlehandedly tore apart Mexico. Viva Football.

Cabbed to Villa Cafe for Jordanized desserts and yammering. I love people talking.

Noora let me and The Juice crash at her place on the very outside of Amman. Choice place. Arches and patios were a delicious contrast to the box and beige motif used in Amman. Not a fan of Amman architecture. Met her boyfriend, Ahmed, who said he'd take me to some soccer games here if I'd like. Yes, I would like.

Friday was Amman to Madaba, Madaba to Hilalyya to visit the host family. Abu Nihad calls every 36 hours to make sure I'm not dead and well fed. Bless the heart of that family. Almost better than seeing them all and eating watermelon under the fig tree on the patio was Umm Mohammad filling an old motor oil container with olive oil. "I wash, I wash!" She claims to have washed it out all perfect and I believe her. Her olive oil is so much better than the stanking store-bought stuff I'd eat it even if it did protect against viscosity breakdown.

Woke up late Saturday. Stock. Got two lucky bus transfers and made it back to Amman only one hour late. That's like four hours early. Cabbed to Mecca Mall, again, but tis mashi cos I bought contacts, a much needed investment. Only 25 JD fetched me a three month supply. I didn't even have to have them check my perscription or go through the silly tape that you do in the US. Met Katja, Rima, Jennifer, Catherine, Duha and The Juice at the mall and cabbed over to Jebel Hussein district and saw Duha's house. Our cabbies raced on the way there and it was the most spectacular display of driving I've yet seen. We told our guy we'd tip him extra if he won. I'd try to describe the fashion he won in but the style is beyond my description.

Two hour bus ride from Al Abdalii station to Irbid, which is where I am now. It's 1.20 a.m. and I'm in a cafe beneath the nicest hotel in the city of one million. Don't get excited, it's only a three star. But that's three stars of independent Jordanian fun and the calzone thingy I had for dinner was massive and mumtaaz. There's a Real Madrid soccer game on the tellivizzle, free internet. choice motief and loud Arab pop. We all came up for Noora's (of the J7 sort). We being Katja, Ian, Alex, The Juice, Ibrahim, Audrey, Naureen, Maryiah and Catherine.

Sat and talked about pre-pre service training in DC and first impressions, how our English classes are going, village life and foreign affairs. Looking around the table I'm just happy to be with these people. Good folks. Times are not tough.

Trying to figure out if the discount price of 10 JD is good for staying here tonight or if we should go to Ibrahim's house in Daryousef. Prolly gonna stay here.

.......

Letzter Funf

In pursuit of brevity. - 20.07.2007

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We're not getting there. - 14.07.2007

Somehow I lost all my Dropkick Murpheys. And this on the eve of my chowder va-ca-tion. - 02.07.2007

I need to write him a letter. - 21.04.2007