I said I wouldn't edit any of my entries, but I just read them over for the first time and had to make a few minor changes just so the context made sense. sorry! to my it was more important to post something, even if it wasn't acturate! HAHA
Today I posted picutures, FINALLY!! I have some more on the CD so in a few days I'll put some more up.
Tomorrow we have our first language exam. The exam is converational and not written. What will happen is we go into a separate room with the examiner who is a former Peace Corps staff member; and has been a certified language examiner for several years now. He will record our conversation and then grade us according to specific items. We've been told that this mid-training exam is to show us where we are and what we need in order to reach the "novice high" requirment by the end of the 10 week training program. Unfortunately I'm completely terrified! I don't think that my language abilities are where they should be. We just have so much to do during this training period that anxiety has set in. The J7's who have been in Jordan since February 2004 took the same exam and not one of them received less than the minimium. I'm sure my language abilities are ok, they just aren't where I want them to be...which would probably be no less than completely fluent...even after only 4 weeks! LOL
I'll post my score/grade on here after we get our results. Today is an important day in Jordan. The educational system is set up that education is mandatory for all children through the 12th grade. 75% of students continue on to the 12th grade. After completion of the 12th grade, students take the Tar-je-ke which is a national exam that is REQUIRED for entry into the secondary/university programs. About 50% of those that take the test pass, and about 50% of those that pass, are accepted into the unverisity. Today, the tar-je-ke results were announced. If the villages, when someone passes the exam, family members shoot guns into the air as a celebratatory recognition. Villagers then go over to greet the student and to wish them a congratulations. The tar-je-ke is really important because you need it to even be considered for a university program. Your grades then determine which major you will study there. The unemployment rate in Jordan is officially 12% but an economist and other presenters that we've had target it for much higher. An education is important for any type of life here. Rumor has it that some men are now more interested in women who are educated...some say then men are looking for women who are capable of bringing in a second source of income. We are living in a culture that is about 75-100 years behind the U.S. in terms of social progression, and at the same time watching it change and fall in line with what the U.S. was about 50 years ago. Its a fascinating time to be here.
I got a "Novice Mid" on my Exam. Within the next 5 weeks I only one more step in order to avoid deportation back to the states in September! LOL
On Monday, we learn where we'll be spending the next two years. Only within the last few days have I finally realized two years is a long time. It was bound to happen sooner or later I guess. I'm excited though, and am truely hoping for a spot in the south. Volunteers are placed all through out the country including a few people located in the north east close to the Iraqi border. I'm just saying this to prepare those who might be upset with that placement. The people who are there feel safe and are happy...just to let you know.
I'll be sure to tell you where I'm going once I find out. But everyone...keep your fingers crosses for a southern location... I want SUN SUN SUN! (Ana biddi shemps, shemps shemps!)
Today at 3:00 PM, after 5 hours of "classes" we found out where we are going. People are placed all over the country is large villages/cities of all different sizes. I am located..... 12 km from Amman! This is an awesome site because the large village has about 55,000 people (which pretty much garantuees me at least one ducan (convenience store!) The center that I will be working at has 9 staff people and about 95 participants. The reason I was placed at the site is because it has a computer center....so I can teach computers!!! WOO HOO!
Next week we are going to visit our sites for 2 days with our counter-part (Jordanian supervisor at the site) and so I'll see to see my future house! I'm really hoping that there's roof because I haven't had the opportunity to sleep on my roof here because the girls of the family (except the mother) always sleep inside :( Here's to hoping! :)
Yesturday marked by 27th year in this world...that is IF I was still living in the states. Here is Jordan however, I just celebrated my 23rd birthday!! I feel so young! The reason I lost 4 years along the way is because in Jordan, I think I mentioned preiously, that women get married usually between 18-24. At a recent dinner at a neighbors house, I received a "HARAM!" to my answer of "27, and single." In English there is no real eqivalent to "HARAM" except to say that its incredibly shameful....and I mean incredibly! After this very upsetting exchange, I decided that once I got to my new site, I wasn't going to be 27 anymore. Luckily for me, everyone of the PC volunteers went along with this, and I am now offically 23! (Mom....I'll only be 25 when I get home! )
My birthday in Jordan was excellent. Much like other events here, my birthday festivities lasted 5 days! A very last minute surprise party was organized for last Thursday in Madaba and about 15 volunteers were able to come. We had a nice lunch together and then a few of us hung out at the local cafe where we always go before I had to catch a bus home to go to a party with my family.
The past few days have been jam packed with a lot of great activities...
Friday, we went to Amman. We caught a bus and went to the Mecca Mall. The 5 people in my village bought be a gorgeous set of earings which, even though I consciencely took them off before going home, my family knew I got, and wanted to see them when I got home. News travels faster here in this developing world than it does in the best gossip-ring in the states. Its amazing!
On Saturday, after our Language lesson, one of the villages came to visit. We had a great time visiting a few of our families, and then sat and watched the sun set over great mountains...absolutely gorgeous.
On Sunday, all the girls hopped a bus to visit a girls youth center in the south, just north of Aquaba. The scenary was amazing, breath taking! In order to get to the girls center, we had to drive up through the mountains. I took a lot of pictures and some girls compared it to the Grand Canyon, which I've never been too.
This morning at the center, one of the villages presented a song for me for my birthday. It was sung to the National Anthem. I'll write down the words, and share them next time I'm on. It was really cute.
Other than that, things are going well. I'm very excited to see my site and get everything started. I'm started to get frustrated by the projects that don't see that important to me. I'm also getting frustrated because the projects that I feel are important in the long run and especially things that will help us once we start working... we get very little time to plan, while other projects that seem temporary in importance...we get a lot longer to work on them.
Its been an intense 6 weeks so far, and the next 4 are going to be more intense. After that... I'm going to need a vacation! :)
Thats it for now...Check back again ;)
Today we were given an overview of the next stage where about to embark on. Before actually movng to our site, this Saturday our Counterparts are going to be coming to Madaba to meet us! From what we've been told, there will be a lot of activities and ice breakers with our counterparts and other volunteers. From there we'll go over expectations and a one-month plan of action (don't ask me how we're going to do this...I'm not COMPLETELY fluent YET, but I'll get back to you after its all over) Then next week, we go to our sites for 2 days....first solo bus trip!!!! Where, in salah, our counterpart will pick us up and show us around. Also at this time we're going to get to check out our our humble abodes...I can't wait. My fear at this point is that I'm not going to have a roof. You Americans completely underestimate the value of a roof. In Jordan, it a very important and functional "room." Most houses here are one story. At first I had no idea what was up that staircase, but when my host sisters took me up the very well crafted stairs, it was amazing. Most families sleep up there during the summer because of the breeze, and families spend a lot of time of there because its also a great place to watch the neighbor and keep up on the gossip. So, now you know where I'm coming from when I say that I want a roof. In my house only the men sleep up there and since coming to Jordan I've been yearning for the same experience. Some of my fellow volunteers have had the honor, but I am still waiting for that experience (I'm also waiting to eat with my hands for the first time....but I can't say I have the same yearning feeling LOL)
After the site visit, we'll come back to our villages for our final weeks of family-living. Its going to be sad to depart from them, but I have no doubts that they will be visiting me and vis versa. I've already promised to attend my host sisters wedding in the future (and she's only 14!) Its definately a relationship that will continue for the years to come.
I asked my host family about the place I'm going to be moving to. They said that the area "is a good place" so I'm sure I'm going to love it. Surprisingly though, and this is from my host family, that there is a large Chinese population there working in the factories. I guess Jordan is a lot more diverse than I thought. I'm sure its going to be a large Muslim population (Jordan is 95% Muslim) but I am hoping there will be at least one church, and in a city of 55,000 I'm crossing my fingers! On the other side, if there's not, it may be a good excuse to get to Amman every week! I really am extremely lucky to be placed so close to Amman. There are volunteers everywhere, ranging from the extreme North near Irbid to the south by Petra. I can't wait to start visiting everyone, and everyone to start visiting me. :)
At this point, I'm excited to start the next phase but am terrified at the same time. I find it extremely difficult to see how I'm going to be productive at work when there isn't a common language. On the same token, these agencies haven't even been given any sort of personal/professional information about us, so I'm not even sure what specific expectations they are going to have of me other than "show up", "be respectful of the culture", etc. It also takes away a certain amount of professionalism. The Peace Corps does a very thorough job of screening from every aspect, so I am very comforted that my placement is a perfect match for ME. I guess maybe its ok that they don't know me and what I did before Jordan because now I can do and be anything I want; I can set new expectations and I can set a new image of myself, Hopefully I'll take advantage and try new things because thats why I can to Jordan in the first part, expand my horizons, push past my comfort areas, and just jump into the unknown. I've come this far, why not leap with fate :)
Gilbert's Birthday!
We're home!!! On Tuesday, August 24th at 8:00 AM I left my village to go to Sahab....my new home. Sahab is about 12 KM outside of Amman. 3 buses and 2 hours later I arrived! The only directions I had was to get off at the last stop. Unfortunately I didn't know what would be around me (a mistake I will NEVER make again) so when the bus controller said "Lesche, Lesche" (why, why?) and I responded with "Hallas??" (end/finish) he was trying to tell me the route was over so reluctantly I got off the bus. I was about 30 minutes early so I decided to wait exactly where the bus dropped me off just in case I was in the right place! My counterpart Zaha, called me about 15 minutes later and asked where I was. I told her I was in Sahab and when she asked if I was at the bus stop (at least that is what I am assuming she said) I said NO! Luckily I had the word for Circle (Du-waar) and a few minutes later she came and picked me up. The funny part was as we were driving back to the center I saw SEVERAL other circles so I was excited that she picked the right one! After we were in the van (the center has a van!) I asked where we were going and she quickly said "Center - its Du-am" (working hours). When we got to the center there were several people in the office just hanging out. A cup of tea came within minutes and I sat and sipped my tea while I tried to answer questions but mostly just listened to them speak arabic...and from body language I was able to tell it was all about me :)
Shortly thereafter Zaha took me on a tour of the Center which was a lot larger than I was expecting. There are three classrooms for Kindergarten (which is starting next week), a computer center with old computer (possible proposal PROJECT!!), a "sports room" which was being used by about 10 women to exercise in (running around a room about 9 feet X 9 feet), a very large classroom, 3 offices, a room for baby sitting), and a few doors that were not open.
After the tour we went back to the office and sat. At about 12:30 or so Zaha, Rania, and I went to see my house!!! The house was a 2-family house. You walk into the front door and go up a flight of stairs. At the landing there is a huge outdoor patio (or what I like to call a ROOF!). The first door on the left is my house. You go into a large room which is my bedroom AND living room. I was a little disappointed but later figured out that I can buy a divider so that visitors will not be able to have immediate acess or viewing ability of my bedroom. In the room already is a Queen size bed, a couch, 2 chairs, and a large cabinet. Off the room is a bathroom with a Bathtub, a SITTER, and a Bouday (??) In order to get to my kitchen you need to go outside to the next door. The kitchen is small and a little dirty but I can't wait to hit it up with a huge bottle of bleach. The landlord said that they are going to knock out a wall so that I would have direct access to the kitchen from my house, so hopefully my the 16th of September it will be ready (in shalah)
Living downstairs are two sisters, probably around my age, and their father who I was not able to meet at the time. The girls both seem really nice and I got along with them well. The younger of the two speaks English extremely well so I think we're going to get along well. There is a third sister that lives in Miami Beach with her family.
After the house visit we went back to the center and "worked" until 3pm. At 3:00 PM all the staff hopped into the center van to go home. On the first night in Sahab I stayed with Fatimah and her family. If I remember correctly Fatimah has 8 brothers and sisters, all except for one lives in the house. The house has 2 floors of living space, two brothers/their wives/their children live upstairs. A another married brother/his wive/his child live downstairs on the same floor as Fatimah/her parents/ her 2 unmarried sisters/ and 3(?) unmarried brothers. I stayed in the same room as her sister-in-law whose husband lives in Saudi Arabia right now working. In Jordan there is a huge deficit jobs and it is a lot more money in the jobs that are in other countries. Fatimah has another brother who works in Sudan. Both come home every 6 months or so. Its a very difficult situation, but it allows the families a greater income to live.
The next morning we woke up at 7:00 AM and left the house at 7:30. We walked and got to work by 8:00AM. We went to the office and sat. Shortly thereafter we all had tea. Then we sat. At 11:00 AM I sat in on a Leadership/Communication class at the Center for Women. At 12:00 we went back to the office and sat and had tea. Then Fatimah and I went into one of the Kingergarten classes and started making drawings to hang on the walls. At about 1:30 we went back into the office to have some coffee. Then at 3:00 Zaha's husband came and picked the two of us up and took us home to their house.
We sat and had some juice and then at about 4:00 PM Zaha and I started preparing dinner. In Jordan there is a cultural rule that for the first 3 days in someone's house you are a guest. You can't serve/cook/do anything. Since however I will be living on my own Zaha agreed that I needed to learn how to make Magloba (Jordanian dish). For two hours we prepared the chicken/rice dish and ate about 6. I was extremely excited because when Zaha pulled the chicken out of the redrigerator it was wrapped in plastic!
My biggest fear here was having to go to the "chicken store" - having to point to a certain Charlie-the-chicken and saying 'HIM, I want HIM for dinner," watching the guy go to the back of the store with Charlie, and hearing things I don't ever want to hear, and then be handed a bag dripped with Charlie's blood.
So now that I know that I can buy chicken from a grocery store, Jordan is even better in my eyes!
After dinner Zaha's husband, Omar, asked me to write down the words to two Pink Floyd songs. His tape deck was old and I couldn't figure out the words myself so i eventually gave up and told him I would get them off the internet.
Omar then left to stay with his mother for the night. I thought we was leaving because I was there but Zaha explained that Omar's mother is the first wife and lives upstairs from the husband and his second wife. All of her children are married so she now lives alone. Omar and his other brothers sometimes stay with their mother so that she has company. This situation is actually not Islamically appropriate. According to Islam you can only get married to a second (third, or fourth) wife under certain circumstances (women is not able to bear children, or she is sick and can not tend to her family). However, if a husband ever takes a second wife, both (or all) wives have to be treated equally, without exception. In Omar's mother's case, this is not reality.
Ater he left, Zaha and I sat outside on the patio and talked for about 2 hours. We joked about how, if Omar wanted a second wife, Zaha would kill them both. While we were joking about it, it also shows that is a submissive and traditional culture, women do think freely and have opinions, maybe more now then in the past. Jordan is spending a lot of resources and settng up a lot of programs that teach women leadership, decision-making, communication, conflict resoultion, etc.
At bedtime we threw some farsha's (pillows that you can sit or sleep on) on the living floor and crashed...we had our own slumber party! It was quite fun. She asked how old I was and then asked 22? 23? I love this girl! I actually admitted that I was 27 and she said that that was good. She said that women don't marry here until their late 20's or 30's so my age isn't HARAM anymore! What a relief!
That was my weekend. At 9:30 AM today, after 3 buses and 2 1/2 hours later I was back in Madaba for class.
Here are my thoughts about my site:
Center
1. The staff are great. We have a deal that I will speak Arabic and they will speak English so we can all practice and learn.
2. The Center has a lot of great programs set up. The director is very involved and interested in making it a place for women (and youth ??) to come and learn. She is also very flexible and has stated that if I watch and see anything that I want to do, I can do it..no problem :)
3. I have two ideas for proposals. The first is the Director's idea (althought I have to say it was mine LOL) to get better exercise equipment in the sport's center. The second is the get better computers/equipment in the computer centrer.
4. This will be a great opportunity to do team building/communication/decision-making activities, like games. I haven't had too many opportunities in the past to do this, so I'm happy to expand my skill base a little.
House
1. I'm a little disappointed that it is so small but hopefully I can make it cozy
2. The family downstairs seem very nice
3. My house is FAR from the center so it will be great exercise
4. It seems really safe
5. There are internet cafes close (I hope) so I can update my website often!
I really think I'm going to be happy in Sahab. It was an extremely comfortable and welcoming visit and I can't wait to get there!!!
Tomorrow is Sarah's birthday - Happy Birthday!
Now I can check - Go to the lowest place on earth - off my list of things to do.
Anyone who comes to visit, I'll take you there so you can experiene it yourself! Truely amazing!