Second Leg

            Well, the first session is finished – only one more to go. I still feel like I’ve been here a lot longer than four weeks, but after the weekend everyone seems to have a little more energy, and we’re ready to start learning again.

            I think part of the renewed energy we have comes from having new teachers and classes. I do have one teacher whom I also had last semester, which is really nice; I really like her. One of my other teachers has been gone for the past two days, and one I’m still getting to know, but it looks like class will be good. Our class size is still in flux; it started out around eight people, but with people still trying out harder or easier levels, it looks like it will be closer to five people in the future, which is pretty close to what it was last session, so that should be fun.

            At the moment, I’m doing well in class; I’m studying ahead and learning vocabulary on the side, and I’ve asked the teacher for extra work. Not that I’m only studying – I did in fact watch part of the World Cup final, for the first time in my life, and this past weekend I visited Jesus’ baptismal site here in Jordan. It was surprisingly close to the border – if you look in the pictures, you can see an Israeli flag on the opposite bank.

            I also got to go hiking around a town called Salt. There were some really pretty views, as you can see from the pictures, but it was also very hot. It’s Ramadan, though, so you can’t drink water in the open. Instead, you have to find some sort of hidden niche – a narrow stairway to duck into or a convenient wall to hide behind – so you can surreptitiously take a sip of water and then quickly hide the bottle away again. It feels very scandalous.

            I have, though, figured out how to start bringing lunch to school. After a couple weeks of skipping lunch or buying food in the middle of the day, I finally bought a jar of peanut butter, and I can now make sandwiches with the pita and jam provided for breakfast. It might get a little monotonous, but then, not eating lunch was getting pretty monotonous.

            Halfway through my trip in Jordan, I suppose it’s good to step back and reflect on what’s happened the past few weeks. First of all, I know my knowledge of Arabic has grown exponentially. Since everyone that is staying for two sessions is simply moving up to the next level, and new people come in to fill the lower levels, it’s easy to compare where I was when I started to where I am now. The improvement is amazing, and I’m very thankful I’ve had the opportunity to come here. I feel sometimes like I speak way too much English to actually be learning anything, but looking back, I’ve gained a lot. Let’s hope that the next few weeks will be even more productive.

            Secondly, I’ve gained a lot of cultural knowledge. Living in a predominantly Arab, predominantly Muslim country, especially during Ramadan, is a very interesting experience. I have friends here now, and I’ve learned a lot from them about the way things work here and how people see things. I feel, though, that I won’t really realize how much I’ve learned, or how much I’ve gotten used to, until I get back to the States. One of the more obvious differences, though, is the food - I could barely stomach falafel when I got here, and I love it now. I've also grown very fond of baklava.

            Finally, I’ve learned a lot about myself, and about independence. I have now taken a taxi by myself in a foreign city, without a problem – the taxi driver even told me my Arabic was good. I am buying things for myself, making decisions about classes and time management and other things, without a large support network immediately available, although my parents and many others are always happy to help. So I feel I’ve developed as a person.

            We’ll see what else develops over the next few weeks. We’re getting to the more complicated sections of grammar now – “if I had money, I would feed the poor” – so that should be interesting. And this weekend we’re going to Petra and Wadi Rum, so I’ll let you know how that goes, and be sure to take lots of pictures. Exciting stuff is happening. Until next week, then!

PS - The one indoor picture is the (supposed) tomb of Jethro (Moses' father-in-law). That visit was in a small mosque, and it was the first time I've had to cover my hair since I've been here.