a jordan update.

[harma]

I haven't been posting much lately, but read the messages frequently. Especially about Joe's continued adventure in Australia and his operation. Hope you are doing well Joe. And lots of new people (welcome), birthdays (happy birthday) and flare ups (hope flare up people will feel better soon).

Today I am exactly 8 weeks now back here. In those weeks I have moved 5 (!!) times, from a temporary place to friend, to another friend, back to friend one again and finally for one and half week now I am my permanent - temporary - place. I can stay here still the end of August. It's an amazing place, very nice, nice neighborhood but above all very big for only one person. Two full bathroom (+ guest toilet), two bedrooms, an amazing living room (where you "can turn a horse with catridge", dutch expression) and fully equipped kitchen. I just love this place. It's rented by an American family who have gone home for three and half months.

I just had a great week, a friend came over for a week visit. Same one as last fall, we went all over the country again, what was great fun. I rented a car the last week and have done a lot of driving in the country of course, but also in Amman. I have decided I want to live here, I must be able to drive everywhere, so I did actually go everywhere with the car, this morning to the supermarket at one at the malls to get my staple groceries (apple sauce, canned fruit and frozen fish and chicken), to busy shopping area's to get my gluten free bread, down town. Now and than got lost. But I think I am capable now of driving anywhere here in this city and in this country. Not that I will buy a car yet, but still I consider it part of the settling in. Only thing I am still a bit afraid of is the busy highway driving. There are a view crazy drivers here that will pass you left or right out of the blue and really scare me now and than.

Actually about the driving last week even I myself am a bit amazed about it, how easy it went, how calm and cool I stayed in complicated situations and start behaving like the arabs (start beeping if things go to slow). But I think it is one of those things, don't think, just do.

I had such a great week, was like a holiday. During my first stay last fall and the first two months, I had to deal with all kind of practical things like housing visa arabic class. Getting to know the city, finding my way around. Sometimes I even wondered why I was here going to all that trouble. But this week, gave me back that great feeling why I love Jordan, why I wanted and want to be here. That sparkle. I realized yesterday, if I want to accomplish anything here, I will need that sparkle. Have to go back to basic feeling of why I want to be here. The same feeling I had on my two holidays here. I lost that a little.

It's the countryside I like, especially the deadsea area. I hope finally the coming weeks to write more for my blog and put some pictures on there too. Yesterday we went to the bapists side of Jesus (yes well if he really was baptisted there, no one knows for sure of course, but for most christians in the world this is the place where Jesus Christ was baptisted in the river Jordan. It was such a lovely place, not only because of it's holiness, but also because it is so quiet there, green, birds. And you actually almost stand on the border with Israel (or the palestine area). At a certain point you are standing at one side of the Jordan river and the others side (like 5 meter ahead) is israel). A small minor thing is, that you can only go there with guided tours and may only stay one hour because it is a military zone.

Also any type of christian church (catholic, coptic, greece orthodox, russian orthodox etc etc etc) is building on or very near the site there church or monastery. I couldn't wonder what Jesus would have thought of that, since he is only one person, coming from one god, with on only one message in one book, but with so many different churches explaining it all in slightly different way....

I just dropped my friend of the airport and the house feels empty now and I also feel a bit lonely and empty inside. But things are getting better and easier. From tomorrow I will be very busy again with my arabic, have to catch up of last week and will start an intensive course in June. Also really if building a living is going to work here, the next three months will be crucial in finding a job, starting a business, building up a network. At the moment I have a very positive feeling about it, especially after last week.

My bowels that is an other story, where I will post a separate thread of.

[sarkin]

Harma,

What a wonderful update - from the sublime and beautiful places to the details of negotiating traffic etc...

I wish you the 'sparkle' - I'm going to keep that image in mind for me, too...

[Kari]

Hi Harma,

Shukran jazeelan for your wonderful update. Congratulations on conquering your fear of driving in Jordan - you have my complete admiration :). My fingers and toes are crossed for you that the positive feelings continue, and you find a workable situation. It is so much fun to be able to follow along on your adventure through reading your posts here. Best of luck to you.

Love,
Kari