Neurons that fire together, wire together

I would like to preface this post with the fact that it is nearly impossible to find female speaking partners outside of Jordan University.

Every day after school, I pass a salon for women on the way home knowing that if I entered, I could easily find friends. It took me four weeks to get up the courage to go. I'm a little ridiculous. And by a little, I mean very.

I entered it today. Four women from Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco share the salon. I asked if I could sit with them and speak. Of course they said yes. Of course. Tomorrow they are going to give me a manicure (they were appalled by the state of my nails) while we watch their favorite Arab soap operas from Turkey. It was so amazing listening to their interesting lives. I showed them pictures of my family. Those were a hit. They told me I can come and sit with them whenever I like.

Euphoria. 

Pure Euphoria.

This is why I study Arabic. They are the reason. 

Also, it's super humbling when a woman is speaking to you, stops talking, and excuses herself to pray as a simple submission to God. I love it.

This past weekend I visited Salt with a small group. We went to a couple museums and then our professor loosed us to explore. The city consists of a hill, a valley, and a hill on the opposite side. The valley is the business center where a large souq and mosques can be found. A few of us decided we wanted to go to the top a hill and see the view. We climbed up stairs and ruins going through abandoned houses and hopping fences. Gorgeous.

It reminded me of the movie "Captain Abu Raed," which is actually filmed in Amman. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest you do. 

I woke up this morning and realized that I will be in Jerusalem and Bethlehem during the Christmas season. Oh boy. I can barely contain my excitement. 

Three articles and a culture class on honor killings today. They were painful to read. It's completely understandable how people with sheltered lives can hide away in ignorance (I know, I have), but that doesn't make it acceptable. 

The more I spend time here studying this language, the more I know this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. 

We are out of water, again. Jordan says that our apartment is the girl's camp from hell that never ends. It looks nice though.

Jenni Boyle. She once told me that I am better than the only toilet in our apartment that flushes. I've gotta admit, I feel the same about her. 

We have to read two hours of newspapers a day. Well, they say two hours, but it ends up being about three. They are all depressing. Our recent articles have been about a drowning, the Palestinians losing hope about getting recognition, and Syrians being tortured. That one is the worst. One time we walked in the apartment and Dana was sobbing. She asked us Why do we have to read this? Jordan and I turned back around through the door and bought lots of chocolate that night.

I also purchased "The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" in Arabic. We are trying to read it as an apartment before we go to bed so we can lighten the mood shway.

Thoughts on Dana. I am fully convinced that she is the most perfect human being I have ever met. She wakes up early, does her little kickboxing video, finishes her homework, prepares her lunch (normally a fabulous salad), goes to school early, comes back, does all her homework right away, makes some culinary masterpiece that smells divine, and (get this) she embroiders.

I'm amazed.

One time I tried to be domestic and make brownies. They ended up being gooey on the sides and burnt in the middle. I am putting all the blame on our archaic stove. :)

I went running with the perfect couple, Stacy and Jacob, the other day. Stacy is on the BYU track team. It was quite the rude awakening. There were a few choice words I wanted to say when I saw them running down the street looking like Greek gods at six in the morning.

The possibilities here are endless, let me tell you. I am growing bags on top of the bags that currently reside underneath my eyes. It's quite impressive.

I love being here right now during all this political turmoil. Pick up the newspaper. It's interesting. I get to listen to friends', teachers', taxi drivers' opinions about the recognition of Palestine and the Syrian revolution. There are also weekly demonstrations for both, which we are actually ordered to avoid, but I like to think that I'm participating in some form or another.

I still hang out with that group of girls at the university every day. They are fabulous. More details to come.

Neighborhood blackout in Amman? Check.
Hearing Sarah Kate's high pitched scream echo through our apartment building? Check.
Prying open the elevator to free Coby from the elevator? Check.

Guess homework wasn't meant to be. 

Instead of homework, we went star gazing.
Look at me, I'm getting a little wild and crazy.

PS: The call to prayer is bomb. It's got to be one of the best sounds in the world.

Signs of Culture Assimilation

At the conservative language institute that we attend, there is a ladies' room. As the name suggests, only us ladies can enter. Some took the segregation as an insult. Others love the quiet atmosphere and opportunity of shedding layers of clothing. Anyways, the BYU girls have taken over the room.

Today, Andrew came in to look for Esther. He swung open the door and marched in. He had been where no man has walked before. Because we have been so used to being apart from the men folk, some girls let their mouths fall open with shock, while others just stared blankly. He immediately realized he had done something wrong.

Silence for two minutes.

He turned around and left without saying anything and then we all laughed our heads off.
Now, I would like to remind you all and more importantly myself that it's only been two weeks.
Imagine how we'll be after three months.
Yikes is right.

Figured out how to turn on the water heater. 

And it was good.