What a day

Well, today was an interesting day to say the least. We all started classes on Sunday(which is equivalent to the American Monday... Friday and Saturday are considered the weekend over here) and things have been, um unorganized to put it nicely. Most of the campus is shut down because it's Ramadan, therefore the Arab students don't start school until late this month. There's no eating, drinking or smoking in public, ANYWHERE and if you're caught taking the smallest sip of water, you could be arrested. There's not too much to stress about because almost every place is closed, the dining halls, local college hangouts/restaurants, fast food places, stores and most buildings on campus. So even IF you wanted to find food, you most likely wouldn't. Our program has allowed us to start our classes early, probably because we are all scrambling to learn "real" arabic, by "real" I mean the stuff that's spoken on the street. Formal Arabic doesn't get you very far, and the cab drivers just LOVE to listen to all of us butcher words. While we're all trying to find our way around town and campus, most families are fasting, sleeping most of the day and eating most of the night. Fasting from dawn til dusk is extremely hard, I'm trying my best to understand why and often struggle with the concept. Muslims believe in fasting during Ramadan mainly to understand how less fortunate people feel. They believe it teaches patience and self control. Not only is it a "fast" from eating and drinking, but also thinking negative thoughts, cursing, or talking about people. It makes you stop, and really think about each and every thing you do, it also makes you appreciate the value of everyday life. I'm not fasting because I'm a Westerner, but the limitations placed on society apply to ALL, so at school, it's no food or drink for me.

Today, I had my first "alone in a foreign country experience". I got an interview with a local NGO called Engicon. They're an environmental engineering consulting firm that deals with many issues in the middle east, such as the sustainability of water and goods, roads, buildings and cross cultural communication. I started the day very excited and super nervous. During my break I read their website for the millionth time and brainstormed questions that I thought I may be asked. I chose the "professional business look" instead of the "trendy college student" and thought I was very prepared, I seriously looked the part. Well, my interview was at 4 and in a part of the city I had never heard of, I got into a cab at 245 and quickly learned my driver did not speak a lick of English and had no clue where I was going. Thankfully, I had written the address down, in Arabic, for just this reason. After 30 mins of driving around old Amman, the cab driver pulls over and he gets out, leaving me sitting in the cab alone for close to ten mins. He had gone to ask directions. By this time, my professional business look consisted of me covered in sweat, totally stressed because I couldnt communicate with my driver. He just kept saying "NO ENGLISH" and mumbling under his breath. We FINALLY got near the building and I got out and walked the rest of the way, 45 mins in a hot cab, after a stressful encounter and I was READY to kick some butt. I walked into Engicon and immediately noticed I was very overdressed. Everyone was in jeans and a t-shirt and I was a sweaty-business-mess. My interview went well I guess, it's hard to say. I guess because it really wasnt much of an interview, but more a conversation. I talked to a project manager about random things and then she told me she'd let me know by Thursday if I got the job, I honestly thought she was just warming me up for the big boss, who would do the interview. My 45 min cab ride was NOT worth the 10 min convo about the weather in Amman, haha it was umm quite unusual and very informal. So... we will see if I get the internship, en sha allah! My cab back was the opposite then my cab there. The driver spoke english very well and had the AC blasting on the artic chill level. He was a little too friendly and kept giving me his cell phone numbers and telling me he could tutor me in Arabic if I ever needed help. This guy looked older than my Dad (no offense Big Ray) and I was EXTREMELY glad when he pulled into my neighborhood. OH MY, what an experience, and all alone, although I was texting my roommate Alison the WHOLE time haha just in case I needed backup.

Once I got back, Alison and I (well mainly her) braved the 50 yr old green Toyota washing machine to try and get some much needed laundry done. HAHA oh dear, another crazy experience. We had no idea how much soap to use so we just kinda guessed. I was picturing a movie scene where the laundry overflows and suds are soaking the floor, thankfully that did not happen. The washer worked okay but after that we went through the process of : washing the extra suds out of our clothes in the sink, wringing out the excess water, putting 4 or 5 pieces into the "spin dry" for 5 mins, then taking the damp clothes from the spin dry and placing them on a drying rack. Let's just say, it was a process and I MISS DOING LAUNDRY IN AMERICA. Every time you use your big washer and dryer, esp the dryer, think of me, wringing and spinning my clothes to death!

Tomorrow is our last day of class for this week, we have a program trip to Petra and the Desert on Thursday for the weekend. CAMEL RIDES WHOOO HOOO!!! haha its going to be intense, but Ill be sure to document the whole experience. Petra is considered one of the new wonders of the world, you may recognize the amazing village carved into mountains from some popular American films (Indiana Jones). Check out the link for more info! Anyways it will be a few days before I post again, but I hope everyone is doing well in America. Ma' salaama for now!
http://www.visitjordan.com/Default.aspx?Tabid=63