It's 3:28 am in Tokyo on Tuesday morning and as such, the cabin is dark and most people are sleeping--including the two guys on either side of me. I don't want to disturb them but I hope one of them wakes up soon. I'd love to stretch my legs.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Trapped in the middle
I made it to LA and am currently on the second and longest leg of my flight to Tokyo. The total flight time is 11 hours and 35 minutes. I have about 4.5 hours to go and haven't yet gotten up from my seat. I spent the better part of the first half of the flight sleeping since according to my internal clock it was still early morning when we boarded. I did manage to stay awake long enough to catch the first "meal", however. While I wasn't particularly hungry, I took the turkey sandwich appreciatively knowing from my recent trip to Jordan, that you can never predict when you will get your next meal. I'm glad that I did because we still haven't been served any other food. (I did ask for a snack about an hour ago though and got a bag of pretzel mix. The stewardess brought me a tray of things to choose from, but to my embarrassment, I thought the entire tray was for me. Oops! In my defense, it was dark and hard to see and the last time I asked for a snack on my way to Jordan, I did get a whole tray of food. No such luck this time.)
On the road again
This is shaping up to be the year of international travel for me. At the end of March, I had the opportunity to travel to Jordan. Today in about an hour, I'll be on a plane to Japan-- well at least on route to Japan. Unfortunately, unlike my trip to Jordan in March, my flight is not direct. Rather I will have two connections before I arrive at my final destination of Matsuyama, Japan. I will almost completely skip Monday, due to the time change and transatlantic flight from L.A to Tokyo. It will be mid-day on Tuesday, May 21 in Japan before I arrive to my final destination.
As I consider this trip to Japan in comparison to my trip to Jordan, I am feeling much more relaxed. As I shared with a colleague, I am much more familiar with Japanese culture than I was with Arabic culture when I left for Jordan. I owe this in part to having roomed with a Japanese student during my first year of college and then several summers during college working with exchange students from Japan. Much of the Japanese I know (which isn't a lot), comes from those experiences over 15 (gasp!) years ago! Actually, as I think about it, I'm surprised it has taken me that long to get to Japan. I nearly took a job teaching English in Japan after college, but turned it down. It was the first professional job offer i got after i graduated from college. I still marvel a bit that given the practical person I am, I turned the job down. But at the time I felt that going overseas and adjusting to life after college would be too much. Thankfully God had other wonderful things in store for me in northern Virginia. And little did I know that I would be blessed with another chance to visit Japan after all. I am expecting it to be wonderful! I only regret that my husband won't be able to share in my experiences personally. Hopefully this blog will allow he (and everyone else reading this blog) a little taste of my adventures.
Japan, here I come! Iki ma show! (That's my poor spelling of the Japanese phrase, "Let's go!)
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Heading home
Today we return back to the United States. I believe we are all filled with a variety of emotions. As we honored Jehad, our skillful and kind hearted bus driver, and Moath, our servant-hearted companion from JUST, I found myself feeling misty eyed. I am not sure what the future holds, But I am confident that our partnership with JUST will only grow from here and hope that our paths cross again.
As I prepare to return to the U.S., I look forward to being able to speak to the group of students who will be traveling to Jordan in May and stirring their excitement and dispelling their fears and anxiety. I am excited for the great learning experience and fun that awaits them. Moreover, I look forward to working on plans for ongoing cooperation with JUST and opportunities to share more details of my experience in Jordan with my friends, family, and colleagues. This has been a trip of a lifetime and one I will surely never forget.
As I prepare to return to the U.S., I look forward to being able to speak to the group of students who will be traveling to Jordan in May and stirring their excitement and dispelling their fears and anxiety. I am excited for the great learning experience and fun that awaits them. Moreover, I look forward to working on plans for ongoing cooperation with JUST and opportunities to share more details of my experience in Jordan with my friends, family, and colleagues. This has been a trip of a lifetime and one I will surely never forget.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
The University of Jordan, shopping and our farewell dinner
Sunday marked our last full day in Jordan. After breakfast, we headed out to see the Museum of Royal Cars of the late King Hussein of Jordan and the Mosque of King Abdullah. We then stopped at a Roman Orthodox Church for a quick visit. As a Christian, I welcomed the opportunity to spend a few minutes in prayer given that Sunday marked Easter in the U.S. Interestingly, I learned that for Christians in Jordan, Easter will not be celebrated until May 9th. It appears they follow the Orthodox calendar. It was a wonderful experience and I give thanks for the freedom Christians have in Jordan to worship freely given this is not the case in many other countries in the Middle East.
After leaving the church, we grabbed a light lunch on the bus and headed towards the University of Jordan for a visit with the Vice President of the school and a tour of the campus, which was set up for us by JUST. It was great to see the differences between the University of Jordan and JUST. While both campuses are large and beautiful, the University of Jordan appeared to be more diverse in its student body, most likely due to its location in a large urban center. I didn't feel like I stuck out quite so much as I did at JUST, but it may have been the fact that I was less anxious and unsure as I was when I arrived a week earlier.
Once we arrived on campus, we were welcomed by the VP of The University of Jordan who provided an overview of the university. We then had an interesting discussion about statistics of women employed and enrolled in the University, their fields of study, and the impact of societal norms on women in pursuing higher education. I found it enlightening and helpful in dispelling some misconceptions that I had previously held.
Following our visit to the University, we left for the city Center for shopping and site seeing of the
remains of ancient Roman ruins. I was pleased to find many shops with the kind of things I had been looking for all week. I got to practice my bargaining skills and meet some kind and helpful shop keepers in the meantime. I ended up purchasing so many souvenirs and gifts, that i purchased a small carry on bag in which to carry them all.
After shopping we left for the Flying Windmill, a wonderful open air restaurant where we met up with our hosts from JUST, Dr. Al-Ajlouni and the president and Vice President of the University. The food was delicious and the restaurant provided the perfect atmosphere in which to celebrate our last night in Jordan. It also provided us the opportunity to thank Dr. Al-Ajlouni for the intricate role he played in planning our itinerary and coordinating our visit and for us as a group to commend Ahmad, the leader of our trip, for the humor, grace, and enthusiasm with which he led our group during the trip. We surely will not forget the wonderful experience we have had in Jordan and thank Ahmad for all that he did to positively shape our experiences.
After leaving the church, we grabbed a light lunch on the bus and headed towards the University of Jordan for a visit with the Vice President of the school and a tour of the campus, which was set up for us by JUST. It was great to see the differences between the University of Jordan and JUST. While both campuses are large and beautiful, the University of Jordan appeared to be more diverse in its student body, most likely due to its location in a large urban center. I didn't feel like I stuck out quite so much as I did at JUST, but it may have been the fact that I was less anxious and unsure as I was when I arrived a week earlier.
Once we arrived on campus, we were welcomed by the VP of The University of Jordan who provided an overview of the university. We then had an interesting discussion about statistics of women employed and enrolled in the University, their fields of study, and the impact of societal norms on women in pursuing higher education. I found it enlightening and helpful in dispelling some misconceptions that I had previously held.
Following our visit to the University, we left for the city Center for shopping and site seeing of the
remains of ancient Roman ruins. I was pleased to find many shops with the kind of things I had been looking for all week. I got to practice my bargaining skills and meet some kind and helpful shop keepers in the meantime. I ended up purchasing so many souvenirs and gifts, that i purchased a small carry on bag in which to carry them all.
After shopping we left for the Flying Windmill, a wonderful open air restaurant where we met up with our hosts from JUST, Dr. Al-Ajlouni and the president and Vice President of the University. The food was delicious and the restaurant provided the perfect atmosphere in which to celebrate our last night in Jordan. It also provided us the opportunity to thank Dr. Al-Ajlouni for the intricate role he played in planning our itinerary and coordinating our visit and for us as a group to commend Ahmad, the leader of our trip, for the humor, grace, and enthusiasm with which he led our group during the trip. We surely will not forget the wonderful experience we have had in Jordan and thank Ahmad for all that he did to positively shape our experiences.
Last stop: Amman
On Saturday morning we left Aqaba for Amman, the last stop of our trip. In total the trip took us five hours. Although this was the longest stretch of time we had on the bus, we made a few stops that helped break up the long drive. Our first stop was at a little country side diner along the highway to pick up sandwiches for our lunch. We then headed to see one of the most famous mosques in Jordan. We were allowed to go inside the inner courtyard, but all the ladies had to have their arms and head covered. This was the first time since I had been in Jordan that I was required to cover my head. Having never been in a mosque, it was very interesting to see. The faculty leading the trip, Dr. Ahmad Audi, provided helpful explanations of some of the monuments within the Mosque. As a Muslim himself, he has been instrumental in helping the group to learn more about Islam and its practices and how that shapes the culture in Jordan and elsewhere. Ahmad is very open about his faith and I am grateful for his willingness to answer questions and engage in dialogue about Islam in a safe and respectful way, even with those who do not share his same viewpoints.
After we stopped at the mosque, we drove north again and then made a quick stop besides the road at a scenic overlook that marked the divide of the desert region and the green pastoral lands. Before long, we had arrived in Amman where we checked into the hotel and then out to dinner. The restaurant served fast food style Jordanian food, of which I tried Mansef, the national dish of Jordan. It is lamb stewed in a yogurt sauce served over rice and a pita bread. Although I am glad to try it, I must say that I did not care for it.
After dinner a few people went out for coffee and hookah. Given that it was my son's 6th birthday, I stayed behind to call and talk with him. It was delightful to see his face and exchange virtual Eskimo and butterfly kisses as we typically do in person and wish him a happy birthday. I was glad to see that he was having fun and a lot less emotional than me. It was also a treat to see and talk with my husband. I will always remember my time in Jordan with fondness, but it will be nice to be home soon.
After we stopped at the mosque, we drove north again and then made a quick stop besides the road at a scenic overlook that marked the divide of the desert region and the green pastoral lands. Before long, we had arrived in Amman where we checked into the hotel and then out to dinner. The restaurant served fast food style Jordanian food, of which I tried Mansef, the national dish of Jordan. It is lamb stewed in a yogurt sauce served over rice and a pita bread. Although I am glad to try it, I must say that I did not care for it.
After dinner a few people went out for coffee and hookah. Given that it was my son's 6th birthday, I stayed behind to call and talk with him. It was delightful to see his face and exchange virtual Eskimo and butterfly kisses as we typically do in person and wish him a happy birthday. I was glad to see that he was having fun and a lot less emotional than me. It was also a treat to see and talk with my husband. I will always remember my time in Jordan with fondness, but it will be nice to be home soon.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
4x4s in the desert and Riding the waves in Aqaba
Camping in the desert at Wadi Rum proved to be more comfortable than I had originally envisioned thanks to the fact our tents came equipped with beds and several warm blankets and a pillow. I fell asleep pretty quickly after the music ended around 11:30 pm and slept well until about 3 am when what I think were coyotes started howling, followed by a chorus of barking from dogs in the area. Thankfully my ear plugs were within close reach and I was able to fall back asleep. I had intended to take a shower when I woke up as I was feeling pretty dirty from the sand and sweat from hiking and dancing the previous night, but it proved to be too chilly to attempt it given the showers were across camp and were not within a heated building. Not able to do much else with my gross hair, I pulled it up into a pony tail and hoped that we would arrive at the hotel in Aqaba early enough for me to take a shower before our planned activities there.
After breakfast, the group loaded into the back of several 4x4 trucks which had benches bolted in them and headed out to the desert for some sight seeing and fun. We saw some neat archaeological findings left by ancient Bedouins as a map of the surrounding area for travelers passing through the area. We saw desert plants used to make soap and a root that women could use for lip color. We climbed a big sand dune and slid down, and then we enjoyed a short joyride back to camp.
Shortly after returning, we boarded the bus for Jordan's southern most city, Aqaba. Once there we checked into the hotel and then left for an afternoon of boating, swimming, snorkeling, and lunch on the Red Sea. It was a relaxing afternoon filled with much fun. I didn't go swimming but enjoyed relaxing on the boat in the beautiful weather and taking in the wondrous sites around us. I was particularly struck by how expansive the Red Sea is and marveled over the miracle God performed in parting the Sea for the Israelites to escape the Egyptians. I don't know the exact point of crossing or how the sea levels may have changed since then, but it was still mind boggling to think about it.
After docking, we returned to the hotel. Although we had planned to go by bus, we ended up making the mile walk back to the hotel by foot. The bus got stuck on one of the roads leading back to the main street because of cars that were double parked on both sides of the street making the road to narrow to pass. Dr. Al-Ajlouni, the principle person at JUST with whom we have been working called the police and flexed his muscle as Dean at JUST to eventually resolve the situation. I understand that it resulted in many cars being ticketed and towed away....
After everyone had a chance to change, we headed out for a delicious dinner of grilled fish outside in the courtyard of a group of restaurants. It was an enjoyable time, but made for a late night. I understand that it is customary for Jordanians to eat pretty late at night, like Spaniards, but I have to admit having dinner so late has been difficult for me. Despite the late dinner, I went shopping with others from my group to some of the surrounding shops in search of souvenirs to bring back. Although it was almost midnight, all the shops were bustling and showed no signs of closing. I wasn't all that successful unfortunately, but look forward to some additional shopping in Amman.
Our trip is now winding down. As much fun as this trip has been, it will be good to be home. I think the others are starting to share a similar sentiment after being together now for 9 days. Given our very full schedules, that is understandable. I know however that we will all share wonderful memories of our time in Jordan.
After breakfast, the group loaded into the back of several 4x4 trucks which had benches bolted in them and headed out to the desert for some sight seeing and fun. We saw some neat archaeological findings left by ancient Bedouins as a map of the surrounding area for travelers passing through the area. We saw desert plants used to make soap and a root that women could use for lip color. We climbed a big sand dune and slid down, and then we enjoyed a short joyride back to camp.
Shortly after returning, we boarded the bus for Jordan's southern most city, Aqaba. Once there we checked into the hotel and then left for an afternoon of boating, swimming, snorkeling, and lunch on the Red Sea. It was a relaxing afternoon filled with much fun. I didn't go swimming but enjoyed relaxing on the boat in the beautiful weather and taking in the wondrous sites around us. I was particularly struck by how expansive the Red Sea is and marveled over the miracle God performed in parting the Sea for the Israelites to escape the Egyptians. I don't know the exact point of crossing or how the sea levels may have changed since then, but it was still mind boggling to think about it.
After docking, we returned to the hotel. Although we had planned to go by bus, we ended up making the mile walk back to the hotel by foot. The bus got stuck on one of the roads leading back to the main street because of cars that were double parked on both sides of the street making the road to narrow to pass. Dr. Al-Ajlouni, the principle person at JUST with whom we have been working called the police and flexed his muscle as Dean at JUST to eventually resolve the situation. I understand that it resulted in many cars being ticketed and towed away....
After everyone had a chance to change, we headed out for a delicious dinner of grilled fish outside in the courtyard of a group of restaurants. It was an enjoyable time, but made for a late night. I understand that it is customary for Jordanians to eat pretty late at night, like Spaniards, but I have to admit having dinner so late has been difficult for me. Despite the late dinner, I went shopping with others from my group to some of the surrounding shops in search of souvenirs to bring back. Although it was almost midnight, all the shops were bustling and showed no signs of closing. I wasn't all that successful unfortunately, but look forward to some additional shopping in Amman.
Our trip is now winding down. As much fun as this trip has been, it will be good to be home. I think the others are starting to share a similar sentiment after being together now for 9 days. Given our very full schedules, that is understandable. I know however that we will all share wonderful memories of our time in Jordan.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Indiana Jones, camels, and Bedouin dancing
Yesterday was a full day full of excitement, rich culture, and lots of physical activities. We started the day bright and early hiking into Petra, an ancient dead city carved into solid rock by an ancient Arab tribe known as the Nabataeans. Some archaeologists have ranked Petra as the eight wonder of the ancient world, which is understandable once you see it.
Some people may know Petra from the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which was where the Holy Grail was hidden. The building featured in the movie is known as Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury. It was carved in the 1st century BC as a tomb of an important Nabataean king, but it is also thought by scholars later have been used as a temple. Unbeknownst to me, it is only one of numerous monuments carved into the high sandstone hills known as Petra. Additionally, unlike the movie, the Treasury is not very deep. There is no inner courtyard or secret passages. Nonetheless, it was still spectacular to see this amazing feat of architecture and engineering. As a big fan of the Indiana Jones movie, I could not help but hum the theme song for the movie as I strolled through the valley of Petra. Consequently, I was greatly amused that on the way into Petra I spied a vendor who was selling bull whips and Fedoras like Indiana Jones.
The hike into Petra was one full of beautiful views and people from all over the world. It was approximately a one hour downhill hike to the Treasury. I rode a horse part way down, but probably should have left that part for the hike back up as it was all uphill. On the positive side of things, I got a great aerobic workout. Once we returned from Petra, I did a little shopping before we headed out for lunch and our next destination--Wadi Rum.
The drive to Wadi Rum took about 3 hours. We arrived in the late afternoon to the camp where we would be staying. Run by local Bedouins, the camp consisted of about 100 small Bedoiun style tents with short concrete walls and woven black and white goat hair blankets fashioned over a metal frame. Inside each tent were two beds on wooden frames with blankets and pillows. There were also a semi circle of hospitality tents in the center of camp with benches and tables resting low to the ground for meals and several seating areas with fire pits in the middle. In the middle of the hospitality tents was a large circular concrete patio that I later learned was for dancing.
After checking into our tents, our group had the opportunity of riding a caravan of camels a little way out of camp to watch the sunset. It was a much different experience than riding a horse-the wooden saddle was far less comfortable than that of a horse and getting up and down is a bit more precarious because the camel must sit down and stand up each time. However, I could not imagined a more perfect way to see our first sunset in the desert.
Once the sun went down, we enjoyed sitting around a camp fire before a delicious dinner of roasted lamb, rice, and other traditional Arabic cuisine. Soon afterwards, the DJ begun playing traditional Jordanian music and our companion from JUST, Moath, started leading a group of people in a traditional Bedoiun dance. I was surprised to see just how many faculty traveling on the trip let loose and got down on the dance floor. It was a great time enjoying authentic Aspects of Jordanian culture. Coupled with the opportunity to sleep in the desert in tents, yesterday was the best day in Jordan yet. This trip has been so amazing and has given me a whole new appreciation for Jordan and the Middle East. I am actually considering studying Arabic when I return home. Given our discussions for ongoing partnerships with JUST, I think it may come in handy.
Photo credit for Indiana Jones photo: Google images
Some people may know Petra from the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which was where the Holy Grail was hidden. The building featured in the movie is known as Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury. It was carved in the 1st century BC as a tomb of an important Nabataean king, but it is also thought by scholars later have been used as a temple. Unbeknownst to me, it is only one of numerous monuments carved into the high sandstone hills known as Petra. Additionally, unlike the movie, the Treasury is not very deep. There is no inner courtyard or secret passages. Nonetheless, it was still spectacular to see this amazing feat of architecture and engineering. As a big fan of the Indiana Jones movie, I could not help but hum the theme song for the movie as I strolled through the valley of Petra. Consequently, I was greatly amused that on the way into Petra I spied a vendor who was selling bull whips and Fedoras like Indiana Jones.
The hike into Petra was one full of beautiful views and people from all over the world. It was approximately a one hour downhill hike to the Treasury. I rode a horse part way down, but probably should have left that part for the hike back up as it was all uphill. On the positive side of things, I got a great aerobic workout. Once we returned from Petra, I did a little shopping before we headed out for lunch and our next destination--Wadi Rum.
The drive to Wadi Rum took about 3 hours. We arrived in the late afternoon to the camp where we would be staying. Run by local Bedouins, the camp consisted of about 100 small Bedoiun style tents with short concrete walls and woven black and white goat hair blankets fashioned over a metal frame. Inside each tent were two beds on wooden frames with blankets and pillows. There were also a semi circle of hospitality tents in the center of camp with benches and tables resting low to the ground for meals and several seating areas with fire pits in the middle. In the middle of the hospitality tents was a large circular concrete patio that I later learned was for dancing.
After checking into our tents, our group had the opportunity of riding a caravan of camels a little way out of camp to watch the sunset. It was a much different experience than riding a horse-the wooden saddle was far less comfortable than that of a horse and getting up and down is a bit more precarious because the camel must sit down and stand up each time. However, I could not imagined a more perfect way to see our first sunset in the desert.
Once the sun went down, we enjoyed sitting around a camp fire before a delicious dinner of roasted lamb, rice, and other traditional Arabic cuisine. Soon afterwards, the DJ begun playing traditional Jordanian music and our companion from JUST, Moath, started leading a group of people in a traditional Bedoiun dance. I was surprised to see just how many faculty traveling on the trip let loose and got down on the dance floor. It was a great time enjoying authentic Aspects of Jordanian culture. Coupled with the opportunity to sleep in the desert in tents, yesterday was the best day in Jordan yet. This trip has been so amazing and has given me a whole new appreciation for Jordan and the Middle East. I am actually considering studying Arabic when I return home. Given our discussions for ongoing partnerships with JUST, I think it may come in handy.
Photo credit for Indiana Jones photo: Google images
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)