Living in Um Sayhoun

Well to say the least, I definitely found a few ways and times to get back to Petra. After my initial solo visit, I travelled back with a couple of friends from Amman two different times to visit Petra, Little Petra, and the surrounding areas. These trips were relatively similar to my inaugural trip as we walked up many stairs, chatted with many Bedouin, and ate lots of good food. 

After finishing my semester in Amman, I travelled with one of my good friends from Amman and her friend to Petra, Aqaba, and Wadi Rum. After parting ways in Wadi Rum, I returned to Petra on my own. I had contacted a HelpX contact, which is similar to WWOOF or Couchsurfing, but not on a farm like the first and on the basis of working unlike the second. I had arraged to stay at his house and help on the website for his tour company. I ended up staying at his place for a couple nights before one rather crazy night that involved all of us moving our bags (by then there were two other girls staying there as well) in the morning. After that I stayed with a friend of mine who I had met on two previous trips to Petra. 

Unlike my previous ventures into Petra, I was staying in the government-funded Bedouin village just up the hill and a little ways away from the town of Wadi Musa - the town built for/from tourism in Petra and populated with Jordanians, but few Bedouin. The Bedouin Village is named - Um Sayhoun - and is populated with a few thousand people. Although many less are found to be permanent residents and rather live out of caves in or near Petra, especially in the warmer months of the year. The land is divided by family with each child building their own house (sizes of aparments) within that area. The families are big with many people having fifteen or more siblings. Not only do they have that many brothers and sisters, they also have brothers and sisters of brothers and sisters. For example, a guy whose father married another women and had children, that mother could have been married to another man (e.g. death, divorce) and had other children would be brother of a brother (or sister of a sister, etc); the same applies if it they shared a mother. It can get relatively complicated with families spanding for seemingly endless porpotions - especially for a only-child accustomed to small, close family. 

In the Bedouin community, eventually, you realize that everyone knows each other and that news definitely travels faster than you do; especially your presence. Although it took me a couple days to finally see all the people that I had met on previous occasions, they had already heard about the "Canadian who studies in Amman and was staying with their family". The nice thing that despite not being able to keep track of everyone's name, they are quick to accept you as a member of the community. The only downside is that they are also quick to associate you with a given member of that community, which makes you someone's "girlfriend" almost instaneously; also interesting as they will ask you where this given person is whenever they see you. Coming from a very individualistic society and culture, as well as an independant nature - having someone else's existence questioned before your own wellbeing is odd, to say the least. Overall, all the Bedouin were open and welcoming, but there is definitely a difference between the older generation and the current young one (ages 25-35). 

The guys from the younger generation are still proud to be Bedouin and typically keep a donkey, a cave, close family ties, and a simple life. However, they also have worked with tourists since they could walk and talk; had, have, or want a foreign girlfriend (there are a few wives); and have phones and social media profiles (less than I thought). It's tempting to say the new, younger generation is corrupted, but I think that would be a rather grand over-simplification of their lives, society, and conditions; instead it will be interesting to see how their lives play out. Currently, many of the men are not married and do not seem to be determined to settle down any time soon. According to some of them, Arab women would be too jealous even if their only interaction with Western women was for tourism purposes (talking, guiding, camping). The women seem to also be influenced by Western ideals of romance and beauty. I also feel as if the days of double digit children is over; not unlike the decrease of family sizes in Canada over the past century. 

Philosophy or at least ideas about life seem to abound with the young Bedouin. That there are both bad and good people everywhere and that people of any particular nationality are not all evil or delightful. Despite all this seemingly enlightenment, the guys would get in tuffs in each other, which would usually just entail some yelling, huffing, and avoidance. Eventually things would calm down and revert to previous standards, at least for the relatively minor problems. All in all, there seems to be an interest in meeting people, thinking about life, and still not having all or any answers. 

Most of my days were lackidasical, sleeping on mats either inside a cave, in a house, on a roof, or in the open. Overall it was most pleasant to sleep outdoors, despite the insistence donkey cries and dog barks. Evenings and dinner were also collective times with various dishes being cooked up. Most commonly was a mixture of cut potatos, tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, and chicken (beef or lamb) wrapped in tin foil and placed on the embers of a fire, which cooked for maybe an hour. Eventually once it was thoroughly cooked, the package was opened up and eaten with bread and yogurt as a communal dish. Let's just say eating meals without bread didn't really happen. For lunch or breakfast, there would usually be an assortment of hummus, labneh, zatar, tuna, cucumber, tomato, onion, falafel and bread. Although the most common sources of sustenance and energy were cigarettes and tea - sweet, sweet, sage-infused tea. As with this entire region, drinking water is seldom. 

The village of Um Sayhoun has expanded in its 30 year existence. Families live in clusters with new sections being built up as necessary. There are many corners stores (the norm instead of grocery stores everywhere here), a few restaurants, a mosque, a school, tour agencies, and once again donkeys outside every home. Children run relatively free within the community and are the ones sent out to fetch things. Life is quite laid back in the village with work being conducted down in "the site" (i.e. Petra) on a daily or when required basis. 

During my nine day stay in Um Sayhoun, I got to experience many things: leading a camel on a leash; sitting on a camel as it drank water (you can feel its resevoir filling up!); sleeping in a cave and in the open air of Petra; climbing to the top of the Monastery/ad Deir; watching sunsets and sunrises from Petra; eating locally prepared mansaf (national dish of rice, chicken, goat milk eating communally); petting a baby donkey and goat, making friends with the dogs; cooking, eating, and socializing with Bedouin (impeccable English for the most part); and attempting my dance moves at a local wedding (in the women's section). 

When it came to leaving, it seems they are not fond of people leaving, which I suppose is a good sign. They were convinced that I ought to find a job in the village - seems it would not be too difficult to find a good paying job in the tourism sector. Within the village, there are quite a number of foreign women who live and work in the village. My friends seemed quite honest in this proposal and also suggested it would be a good way to become fluent in Arabic; although I am not particularly familiar with the Bedouin dialect. For now, I have left Petra and Umm Sayhoo, but I cannot say that the idea of returning for an extended stay is not tempting. 

Spending some quality time with the local children.

Hanging in one of the caves in Petra

The "little Siq" in Petra

View of Wadi Musa from Petra at night

Tons of ceramic remenants all around Petra - so many that it took me a while to realize I wasn't only walking on rock. 

View of the colours in the rocks and my buddy the flea ridden pup. 

View in the morning of the cave (difficult to spot) and more Nabatean ruins. 

View from within the cave during the day

View of Um Sayhoun from above with parts of Petra in the background. 

Morning near Petra

Inside of another cave that was painted all white on the inside. 

Climbed up the Monastery at sunset!

After climbing on top of the theatre (carved from solid rock) view down to the main tourist path, the entrance to the Siq, and more caves. 

View from the cave at night with a roaring fire for tea. 

The Wonder of Petra

This article is primary about my first time in Petra during March 2014; however, over my time in Jordan I visited the site many more times so some parts are an amalgamation of all those times.

As with my theme to take one "big" trip per month of my semester - theoretically leaving enough time for my studies - in order to get away from life in Amman and profit from my stay here in Jordan, I decided to come to Petra to another self-made long weekend. For those who may worry about my academic success, when I say long weekend that involves skipping one class and this week it was a test that I took in advance. Compared to previous semesters and years where my studies have been less than stellar, I have been putting quite a number of hours into studying; albeit I cannot guarantee my marks will wholly reflect those efforts.

In any case, after finishing class on Wednesday and stopping for a coffee break with some of my fellow classmates and friends, I headed down to the south bus station in Amman. Until now that has been the longest - and priciest, but fair according to the meter - taxi ride through the city as I went from the northern tip to the south edge. Once we made it to the bus station, my cab driver was nice enough to tell me what I needed to ask for (Wadi Musa, the town beside Petra), but was sorry as he wasn't sure in what direction to point me. So after I hopped out and long enough to note I was the only foreigner, I stopped to put my sunglasses on long enough for the driver of the bus to Petra (seems they've given up on Wadi Musa) to come over to me and led me to his bus. As it was already pretty full, I didn't have to wait long to get going which was nice. There are no set schedules, rather buses leave when they are full or if at the end of their scheduled runs when they give up on waiting for more passengers.

We were quite packed into the bus - read, mini bus with a dozen seats - with one Bedouin fellow sitting backwards on the driver's armrest area. I sat beside a friendly women from Petra who owns a clothing shop in town and drove me to my hostel - which I later realize was about a 300 metre walk from the bus station, if I had not been quite so disoriented. As I tend to travel alone and as locally as I can, or am comfortable with, she asked why I did not "take one of those big tours". I tried to explain to her that that just was not my style and that I would much rather prefer travelling this way, inspite of it's odditites. This came after we had our midway stop and I had gotten off the bus to go into the store and buy juice, as well as find the washroom and stretch my legs outside. Eventually, I realized why she had asked me when we first pulled in if I wanted juice when we had stopped - all the women on the bus had given her son money so that he could go buy juice for them all without them having to leave the bus. In any case, I had no issues at the pit stop - starring be the norm - and even had a nice chat with the Bedouin chap from the bus as I waited in line. I'm not sure if I ended up in the "men's" lineup, but the only other females in the store were military or police and went straight to the front to pay - I wasn't sure if it was a occupational or gender priviledge.

Once I arrived at my hostel - Petra Gate Hostel - I was warmly welcomed and subsequently asked if my mother had just dropped me off, which I found slightly entertaining. Compared to the earlier comment on my "inappropriate" mode of transporation and travel, I was complimented on my attire as being quite in line with Jordanian standards and that I must fit in nicely in Amman; however, in Petra it is all but impossible not to stand out as a tourist. Firstly, the area is small enough that everyone knows every family and that news spreads faster than the wind blows. Secondly, in a town solely focused on the tourism industry, everyone is on the lookout for potential business. That day, as with most, I had been wearing a maxi (floor length) skirt, a crew neck tee, a light shrug, a scarf, and boots...oh and my 'wedding ring'. After welcoming me in and inquiring about my travels (or life in Amman), I was shown the great views from their rooftop terrace. It was a great welcome as I was able to watch the sunset over Petra, which seems to come out of nowhere when you're travelling through the flat countryside. After grabbing a bite to eat, I hit the hay as I wanted to get an early start the next day.

After getting up, having breakfast, and shaking the cob-webs out, I headed down to Petra's entrance. It is a couple kilometres downhill and was good as I was able to pick up some supplies for the day and a turkish coffee. A major benefit of being a student in Jordan is that the entrance fee to Petra is more of a gesture than anything else as we pay 1 JD, the resident fee, compared to the rather steep 50JD/1 day, 55JD/2 days, 60JD/3 days. That being said, it is definitely worth it and as it is a major selling point for Jordan, it is understandable why they incite such high costs. Also to note that if you are only coming to Jordan to visit Petra, rather than staying in the country, it is even more expensive. Not to criticize or judge those coming on large tours or simply for the day, but more that there is so much to be seen that is missed by those who get "hussled" through the sites. At the same time, the lack of tour groups along the "back" trails, means much nicer, and quieter, experiences for the rest of us. Although there was one rather hardy group of German tourists who definitely went off the beaten track. Apparently it is a particular type of tour group who study and are more interested in learning who travel from German, which is a definite change from the groups who solely walk to the first main site and turn back.

Over the two days I spent travelling through Petra some of the best times were spent where there were few to no other people around. To access most of these sites require some, or many, stairs, as well as some good cardiovascular effort. Not only do you get to feel like a kid in a really amazing playground, but you get to see things that are not in the brochure, but are equally (if not more) amazing, as well as seeing the typical sites from alternate (and less obstructed) views. Another bonus of making it to these "end of the world" spots - well, end of an hour's huffing - is that you are invited to have tea with a local bedouin. There is no fixed price to these seatings and most times they do not even ask outright for money, but each time I or a group of us would sit down we would typically leave a few JDs. Despite having a general familiarity with the culture, I realized after the first day that I should proably not start by asking "how much" as soon as someone invited me to sit - thinking about it now, it seems like a very Western (or North American) attitude. The one time we were invited for tea and were lacking in change, we shared our bread and snacks with the familly, which seemed to go down pretty well also - the girl seemed quite famished and keep wanting more bread to her mother's dislike.

There are two styles that are most common to see the Bedouin men adhere to - one for the older generation and one for the younger. The older men tend to wear the red and white keffiyeh, particular to Jordan, drapped over their head and shoulders with long robes that are usuallly beige or brown. Underneath they have loose trousers and some sort of undershirt. The younger generation has a quite striking, but very different look. Whether influenced by the West, tourism, or local influences, no one seems to be sure. Nevertheless, they adore scarves of less typical colours (black, brown, red, white) wore tightly around their heads. They usually wear jeans and long sleeve shirts with either sneakers or sandals. Most of them have curly, black hair that is long or short, but tucked away underneath their headscarves, as well as highly coiffed beards along their jawlines. One of the most striking features is the kohl (or kohla) that they wear on their eyes. Depending on who you ask, if is either made from a glue-like plant, olive oil, or chemically (China made, store bought products). According to stories it is to protect the eyes from the sun, but as someone mentioned to me none of the older generation wears any kohl. So the origins and purposes behind it still remain a mystery. Some, more than others, seem to be funneling in their inner Johny Depp, Pirates of the Carraebean, looks. Overall, we were all impressed by their looks and style (the guy travellers included!

I was hesitant to ask the local Bedouins if I could photograph them as traditionally photographs were not desired. However, over time and with the increase of tourism, there must be thousands if not million of their portraits, to a point where most of those who work with many tourists accept as a fact of life (and increased profit). 

Both days that I was there, there were many Arabs to which I think the Bedouin were less than pleased. Not only do they have a harder time selling, but the most widely prevailant attitudes towards the Bedouin is much less than favourable and is quite apparently when you see their interactions. On the afternoon of the first day, I was having a snack of my homemade trail mix - raw pumpkin seeds, raw almonds, spiced popped corn (not popcorn), chocolate covered raisins, coconut shreds, and dried cranberries - one of the young Bedouin girls came and sat next to me. She half heartedly tried to sell me a set of postcards and once she realized I could speak some Arabic, she firstly giggled and then proceeded to comment on how many Arabs were present with a slight tone of disgust and disappointment. Finallly realizing I was being kind of rude - "chway chway" - step by step, I will get there - I offered what was left of my trailmix; I had kept eating in front of her and her brother. It wasn't much left, but she happily took the bag and tucked it away in her bag. I'm not sure how much they make by selling postcards and trinkets, but they (the Bdul Bedouins, a local tribe) seem awfully poor; her boots and clothing were falling to pieces and I'm pretty sure she had not attended the village school as they are more profitable when they are selling goods to tourists. That being said, there are some locals (at least naturalized locals) and other Bedouin who seem to be better off - there are a number of 2014 truckes around town (keeping the year stickers on is a source of pride).

A bonus to travelling solo is that locals are more likely to approach you and actually have a conversation, even when they half heartedly try and sell you something. I had a good chat with one Bedouin who owned a camel and donkey, as well as a house in the Bedouin village (seperate from the town) and a cave in Petra. Accordingly to him, despite the so-called luxuries in his house, he said that he much prefered staying in his cave. By cave, I mean a relatively well set-up place with mattresses (his words) and a good enough wifi connection to skype. However, a downside to being a solo female travelling is that I am much more hesitant (with good reason?) to accept invitations for tea...in caves. That being said, two girls from France and I went for tea in a cave on my second day just at sunset with a Bedouin and his mother. Having left the site late after our tea, security seems to be rather loose with one person watching the - open - gate and all the tourist police having long left. Despite travelling alone, by staying in hostels - as I think I mentioned before - is a perfect place to meet fellow travellers. Throughout my two days, we would occasional bump into each other along our trails and sometimes join each other for a meal, as well as give each other tips on where and what to visit. It is a nice balace of meeting people, socializing, and being tied to no schedule or will but your own.

In terms of legality and permission to live in Petra, I have heard conflicting reports. It would seem that officially they (Bedouin folk) are not allowed; hence the development of and expulsion to the Bedouin Village from caves in Petra. However, talking with many of them it would seem that this is highly ignored and that they at least have some sort of residence within Petra. On my hikes through the hills, I passed by a number of caves that were either obviously houses or looked to be easily converted - as well as a number of caves that operate as stables at night (stinky). Apparently, a USAID report in the latter part of the twentieth century advised that Bedouins ought to be relocated despite being privy to historical rights - seems rather obvious where this mindset came from.

To profit from night visits, Petra by Night is offered three times a week for tourists to come see the main site (The Treasury/al Khazneh) after sunset along with some tea and music.There were candels - in paperbags - lit all through the walk and many lit at the site - the main monument that everyone sees upon their entrance. It was definitely worthwile (12JD), but having stayed until past sunset the second night - despite advisement that tourists ought to leave before sunset (but are only restricted from entering after six) - that was even better than the guided night tour. We practically had Petra to ourselves as we walked back in the remaining daylight. Once we reached the Siq - the tunnel-like, entrance way between high rock facades - it was almost pitch black so we pulled out our handy headlamps and meanandered back in peace; it would have been possible to go without lights but less so as new visitors. After finishing our pleasant walk, we decided that a taxi would be warranted for the hike back up to town. A bonus of speaking at least some Arabic and a willingness to follow the culture, it is quite easy to ensure you are not  - completely - ripped off. Whereas taxi drivers will ask for up to 10JD for a ride into town, I have been asked for 3 or 5 as starting points with 2JD seemingly to be as low as they will go; however, getting to Petra is usually one (there are no metres here).

In terms of money, tour guides definitely profit financially from bringing tourists to buy souvenirs from shopkeepers. During one of our breaks, I watched as the shopkeeping we were beside paid the tour guide - I think in relation to how much his group bought. This is by no way forcibly done, all the shops want to sell and offer about the same things and prices. We were joined by a number of guides who had let their group "free" for the little time they had left. They were more than willing to share their stories, photographs, and interest in our lives. Where you do see the pressure to buy is from the younger Bedouin who stick jewerely on unsuspecting older women who eventually get so surrounded and adorned that they end up buying something...the kids and other sellers really know who to target. Which also means, I get left alone for the most part.

What you see in photos - I try to avoid looking at too many before any visit - is nothing in compared to what is actually on the ground. Everwhere you go there are caves, monuments, ruins, and designs. Oh and donkeys, goats, and rocks. Although the main groups only walk along the easily accessible "main avenue", which is definitely worth a viewing or two, as far as I went I never ran out of signs of (ancient) civilization or gorgeous geographical features. Overall, this was defintely worth a weekend - especially at 90 JD total without being a completely spendthrift. When leaving Petra, I am saddened to have to make my way back to a large, polluted city...oh and class.  I am already looking for a time and/or excuse to come back; discover more trails and nooks; maybe take a Bedouin up on their invitation to dinner (by being less suspicious and wary, Western traits they tell me); and practice my cragging as my fear of heights seems to have greatly diminished!

Time to go find another minibus full of locals and wait for the "scheluded" departure - aka when it's full, we go.

Enjoying my welcome coffee on the roof of my hostel overlooking Petra

The town of Wadi Musa with the outline of Petra in the background. 

Wadi Musa at night - Petra in complete darkness (looks like a coast line)

Dangling my toes off of one of the mountains I scampered up.

Looking down on some of the main sites from above

One of the local bedouin men applying henna

My snazzy mini-bus between Amman and Wadi Musa (all for 3.5 JD, 5 CAD) for three hours.

View from the front seat of said mini-bus - lots of flat, barren landscape

View of rocks, mountain, and donkey at sunset in Petra

Looking out from one of the caves on a sparsely full trail.

Markaz al-laurat

Markaz al-laurat: the Language Centre at the University of Jordan where I am studying the Arabic Language for the spring semester (February - May 2014).

Time flies...when you realize you are already at the point in the semester when you need to worry about midterms and now finals! Although I recently read - well perused might be more accurate - an article that was saying that if you keep doing the same thing (i.e. living the same "humdrum" life) time will seem to "flyby" as your brain merely "loses track" of the same activity. However, if you change what you are doing - nothing particularly drastic - time will seem to move more leisurely. This phenomenon might explain why I felt as if I had so much more time while I was travelling in Spain and Morocco - and yes that's part of the reason there was no backlog of blog entries.

This week we ended up having a bunch of exams: reading & writing, grammar, listening, and speaking. It wasn't particularly amazing - results pending - but I think the majority of us would agree that this semester is less about acing our exams than it is about making improvements upon our skills. For some this is perfecting and adhering to all grammatical and formal language standards, for me this is not quite the case. Partially because grammar has never been my strong suit, in any language; but mainly because my main goal for coming to Jordan was to use the local resources - a.k.a local, native speakers who hopefully do not want to practice their English solely (ha!) - and environment to the fullest potential. As in many a yoga class, I set my intentions at the beginning of the semester, which were the following: read and write in Modern Standard Arabic (fousha) and speak in Levant dialect (amiya). Although these seem like two very different goals, they are nonetheless interconnected.

View of the Main Gate of the University of Jordan

One of the garden areas on campus

Studying outside in UofJ campus

Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is what is taught to non-Arabic speakers through any university and many other organizations (there are those who specialize in dialect only as well). It is used by the media in both print and speech; however, newspapers come without "short vowels". For those who know anything about Arabic, this is a large handicap as words differ in meaning when even one of the short vowels is altered. Therefore not only do you need to be able to read basic words, but also decipher from context, which of the meanings it ought to be. MSA is not only "proper" Arabic (as English speakers might compare it to), it is exceedingly formal language - think legal terminology, or any other formal, professional jargon; the structure of scholars, intellects, and previous generations; and the awkwardness of speaking school-taught French (or whichever language you were taught in high school, but never mastered). Instead of saying "Hi, how's it going?", one typically sounds like "Hello my good sir, how do you fair on this fine day?", until you are able to pick up on dialect. That being said, there are connections between the two languages - at least here in the Levant (I can't say the same about other regions) - so with a little "translation" between the two, one can adapt their MSA Arabic into dialect. That is until you get to words like "go": in MSA "thahaba", in amiya "roh".

Example of the Language Centre classrooms

What the board usually ends of looking like during classes

Our class has had cake and other goodies more times than all the other ones put together!

Once I finally made my way to the University at the beginning of the semester, I was able to confirm my registration into the Centre; then came the headache-inducing parts. In order to confirm my registration into the Centre (my first teacher was very adamant you needed to be on the "official" list, despite our explanations), I needed to pay the tuition fees (~1800 USD); which shouldn't have been a major issue. However, when I tried to withdraw money from an ATM, I couldn't. After much stress (certain people can attest to my state), I managed to get the money with a Western Union transfer (to myself!) and going to one of the HSBC branches for three days in a row. Once I had acquired the funds, I need to go pay and then get a "student proof" signed; that latter I would need for a visa extension. Compared to Canada, registration is not a straightforward process - and definitely not online - as I went around to a variety of offices (in the same building, win!) to get various receipts, signatures, and stamps. At one point, I had to exchange my initial receipt for a different one. Thankfully by this time I had made enough friends that one of them was willing to point me in the right direction.

After all the running around, my student proof looks quite colourful.

After taking my placement test at the beginning of the semester - reading and writing exam on a computer, and oral one-on-one with professor - I ended up in level 3 (of 9). I had originally fretted I might be in level 1 or 2, but alas I didn't make it to level 4 (which I technically should have after studying Arabic at university). It took a few days for people to finally settle into their respective classes, there was lots of people moving up and down levels as the placement test was a good initially assessment, but it was definitely not completely accurate. I think this is due in part to the fact that regardless of level, each student is stronger or weaker in different areas. When I was doing my oral, placement test, the professor kept looking at my written score as I was unable to squeak out as many sentences as I should have been to be on par with my other score. Whereas others scored quite low on their written portion, but could speak quite well. Eventually our level was divided into two classes as we eventually grew to double our initial size.

Our class ended up being a decent mix of Korea (6), Swiss (1), Danish (1), Turkish (1), Spanish (1), Italian (1), Ukrainian (1), and British (1). It has been interesting during the semester as international news, outside of the Middle East was brought closer by having people from the affected countries in our class - for example the conflict in Ukraine, elections in Turkey, and ferry in Korea. Our main teacher has a good deal of experience and received many positive reviews from those who attended her fall semester class. It has been a pleasure for all of us to be her students as she pushes us further, but also is able to teach in a positive and motivational manner. We were all a little sadden when she had to be absent for a couple weeks in order to recover from surgery as our secondary teacher lacks experience, fails to comprehend our questions or opinions, and makes for a mundane, lackluster lesson to say the least. Overall, most students who come to the Language Centre seem to be disappointed in their instruction, it seems to be a hit-or-miss depending on the teacher.

Our group from level during our break between classes - Korea, Switzerland, and Italy represented. 

"Heart Attack" our health-conscious snack spot

After having a few turkish coffees during a study session

Sunday to Tuesday, we have class from 0900 - 1040 and 1100 - 1240, and on Wednesday and Thursday, we have class from 0900 - 1040 only. They vary from reading, talking, writing, and listening with some subjects being more interesting than others (e.g. magic and marriage weren't on the top of our wish list). Between class we go to the main gate - the university is "guarded" with dedicated gates for entry and exit with your student card (swipe system) - where we usually get a Turkish coffee and a snack. Drip coffee and coffee with milk are not common here, unless you're at a western (i.e. pricey) shop so I've gotten accustomed to a small, dairy-less, strong coffee with the grains at the bottom. Now that I've been drinking it for a while, I've almost weaned myself off the sugar too!

During student elections, the campus was covered in posters of all sizes and styles

In addition to our mandatory classes - absences allowed in small amounts (i.e. extra long weekends) - the Centre offers "clubs". Basically, theses are extra classes in the afternoon that professors share responsibility and focus on: dialect, grammar, and speaking. After testing out all the clubs, I settled on only taking the dialect class; although I could come and go as I please on a weekly basis. I really wish there were other clubs offered including calligraphy, culture, and religion as the other clubs are not always the most useful or well laid out.

Tre track of the sports complex

The outside of the University restaurant and the lawn in front of it. 

Sitting on the lawn one day when one of the stray cats (many, everywhere) decided to come hangout around me. 

Two samples of lunches at the school cafeteria. 

As I mentioned the University campus is fenced in with quite a few entry points that have varying levels of strictness; for example at the North Gate I use daily, I only needed to use my card during the student-elections week whereas at the Main Gate you almost always need it. Thankfully, during the first couple weeks of class, we were able to mumble our way through "markaz al-laurat" to get ourselves let in sans student card. The most exciting part of life on campus has been during the week preceeding student elections. They are taken very seriously and seem to entail a lot of fights and opposing sides. Not only were there posters all throughout the campus, but they were also handing out business cards and supporters wore pictures of their candidate around their necks. I ended up missing the actual election day as I went away to Petra, but from what I heard it was a quite intense day, as it is every year.

Within the confines of the campus, there are all the department buildings, plenty of Nestle coffee stands, a restaurant, snack bars, a library, a sports complex, and other amenities. We spend most of our time in the Language Centre, the restaurant, and the library. The restaurant doesn't offer a huge variety, but is very cheap (I think it is subsidized) and decent for lunch. It offers a selection including: hummus, salad, bread, dessert, yogurt, rice, vegetable stews, and meat. You can choose from whatever they are offering that day so I typically end up with yogurt, rice, and veggie stew, and share a combo of hummus, dessert, or meat. The library is an okay facility although there is much construction going on and not a lot of seats available, which is surprising as most students seem to hangout outside all day. Nevertheless, it does offer a quiet place to study. The Sports Complex is slightly disappointing as it is only open Sunday to Thursday 0800 - 1600, and it's facilities aren't well maintained or many. In any case, I have been playing squash with one of the German girls on a semi-regular basis, which is a good change of pace and rather fun. Outside of the buildings, there are quite a few trees and greenery (especially for Amman), wide walkways, and grassy areas to sit.

Main Library in the University of Jordan

One of the many study sessions in the library

View of the book  shelves in te library

Another example of study areas in the library

Compared to my semesters of 2013, this has not  been my most productive semester, but at least I initially spent a good deal of time studying. Unfortunately, that has fizzled out after the midway point and I am working on getting it back to make the most of the last month! I will still be taking some weekend and day trips as I want to make the most of my time here and join in on group trips that might be harder on my own.

Welcome to Jordan! - with lots of photos

First things first, despite being in Jordan, almost no one is "from" Jordan. Even those who are from Jordan, they are most likely not from Amman. It may seem like an odd scenario or concept, but when considered as one of the most stable and prosperous (relatively) Arab countries in the Middle East, it is easier to understand why so many Palestinians, Egyptians, and Syrians. In addition to those seeking safety, stability, and refuge there are also those who are (mostly) from the Gulf and quite obviously wealthy. Just as Jordan is a relatively well-off country, it is also a relatively progressive society and culture. What might be prohibited in a more conservative country - read, Saudi - is more accessible here. Despite being a relatively modern and urban city, tribal ties are still very strong and at the heart of individuals' identification and connections. Additionally, the population of Jordan has swollen in the past century with large influxes - continuing until now - from surrounding Arab nations that are or were in turmoil. The most prevalent case are Jordanian-born citizens who are Palestinian in heritage, but who most likely have never set foot in Palestine.

Coincidentally, the first person that I met arriving in Jordan was a bus driver who had fled from Palestine after 1967. His English was extremely good and he was very well spoken as well as genuinely welcoming. He helped me get my bus ticket and on the bus from the airport to downtown. It was definitely a genuine experience that included a segment on politics, Israel, the Occupation, and his misfortune. Unfortunately, I can no longer remember the details, but although he drove a bus he had been highly educated and employed before making the unwanted move to Jordan.

Even after being in Amman for some time now, almost everytime that I meet someone - a taxi driver, a shopkeeper - they are Palestinian or Syrian. I have yet to figure out what is the most appropriate response. This is especially true as almost all the Palestinians have never seen Palestine with their own eyes and unless there is a dramatic change in regional politics they will never have the chance to step foot in what they consider their homes. So not only does one refer to Israel as Palestine - unless you truly know with whom your speaking. One also ought not to too proudly or loudly state their past or future travels to Palestine as you are more privileged than they might ever be. However, if you are part Palestinian - preferably your father - then you are more than welcome to talk about what city or village your family is from, and maybe how long ago they left Palestine. Even if you speak no Arabic, have never stepped foot in the country, or meet your family - if it is in your blood, you are Palestinian. Despite all these seemingly oversensitivity, for what we - as outsiders - may consider, it is a tough subject as it hits home to family roots, tribal connections, and believed injustices.

For those of you who weren't following my every fleeting thought, Amman was not my first choice. Despite my interest and pension for the unstable and off-the-beaten track places and choices, the political landscape of the Middle East lessened the scope to which I would be willing to travel, and temporarily live. Initially, I had wanted to attend the University of Alexandria in Egypt, but as tensions had been cyclically mounting and elections were scheduled for this time frame I decided it was not worth the risk. Despite my typical less than stellar grades - well at least during the first few years of university - the aim of this semester was to focus on my learning of the Arabic language along with some cultural immersion and education; therefore, going somewhere that unstable and regulated was not the place for this time.

As has been the theme so far this year, I have taken a more relaxed approach to planning as some bewildered folks noted when I left in January. I think I've come to realise that despite having nothing booked or confirmed, I did have a mental 'road map' that guided my journals so far and I think will continue to do so for this year. In any case, rather than attempting to find an apartment via the internet, I settled for staying in a hostel downtown for an indefinite amount of time upon my arrival until I settled in and found a place. This turned out to be a quite wise move on my part, despite taking over a week to find suitable accommodation. During that period, I stayed at the Amman Tower Hostel which is located in the 'downtown' part of the city. Conveniently located between two busy and usually jammed roads and beside a mosque - daily call to prayers from the minarets at least five times a day can be loud and persistent at first. I stayed there for over almost two weeks, commuting to the University every day, which is in the north part of the city. Even though taxis are affordable compared to Western standard (a few dollars usually), I opted to take the bus - cheaper and more interesting.

The city is divided into very distinct neighbourhoods with their own vibes and specialities. Al-balad, Amman's downtown core, is nothing particularly stellar when compared to other cities both modern and ancient. The small area holds a small selection of ruins, many hotels and hostels, and a good number of shops and restaurants. During my stay at the hostel downtown, I had some great times with other travellers who were also staying in the hostel and travelling both long and short term. This included going to one of the few local bars, O'berg (pronounced like Auberge), which serves women alcohol and provides a very local vibe. Located down a small alleyway with snack shops and stores along the way. Once you clamber up the stairs, you enter a smokey, dimly-lit, small room with a bar and kitchen; tables tucked tightly together; and charcoal station for the arjeela. The decor is apt with photographs of Arab singers and artists who can also be heard crooning from the speakers. Although not the best grub, they offer "local" beer - Amsel that is produced in Jordan for export; argeela. water pipe or shisha; and a authentic environment with the swooning voices of Arab singers.

Closest to the downtown area is Rainbow Street which is a modern, cool-chic, expat-oriented street with lots of food options (generally pricier), artistic shops, and small niche stores. A little further away is abdali which offers a very large flea-market on Thursday and Fridays with a huge selection of used clothing and shoes, household items, and fresh produce. Starting at Rainbow Street and moving west are eight traffic circles used as reference points - get into a cab and try and use street names forget it, circles are critical for navigation. The main city malls are in Swefiyeh to the west, closer to the more affluent, residential and the modern, westernised areas. To the east, lies the less developed and more impoverished areas of Amman. I have only made a few ventures into this area and usually only because I didn't manage to get myself off the bus before we went wizzing to the "other side". Although noticing a lower level of wealth, I did not sense a greater sense of risk or insecurity - even after wandering along unknown roads at night until a taxi driver decided I needed a ride. North of most of the city is where the University of Jordan's campus is located along with lots of student housing.

Despite having described as seemingly distinct areas, the districts in Amman are sometimes overlapping and still cause confusion, especially as some names encompass a number of smaller districts. What I had not anticipated or particular enjoy is the sheer size of Amman. Compared to other cities that I have explored and visited, Amman has rapidly and expansively grown from the seven hills it originally occupied and now sits upon over 22 hills. Instead of being considered a city, it ought to be considered more of a metropolis similar to the GTA or the Lower Mainland in Canada with various cities having been incorporated into one large area.

On the subject of hills, they are everywhere. This is especially apparent when wandering the city and even more so after getting lost - usually after climbing up the wrong hill. It is not a city that is developed for pedestrians, most sidewalks, if existent, are crumbling, blocked by trees, or covered in refuse. Thankfully, most vehicles either dodge foot traffic or incessantly honk to warn you of their approach. The main means of transportation you ask, after personal vehicles, why taxis, bien sure. Compared to western countries, taxi fares are reasonable and made for average locals. Costing 2-3 JD for a decent trip through the city, 5 JD being the most I ever spent (northern to southern edges of the city), and starting at 0.25 JD - after ensuring that the meter is set before taking off! Biking is not really an option between traffic and terrain; mopeds seem to be limited to delivery drivers; donkeys are limited and I have not seen any horses; and walking is not a "thing". Buses are available and while I was commuting between the hostel and the university, I would take the bus. Normally, viewed as vehicles for the working class and rather unpleasant, I had mostly positive experiences riding the bus. In the beginning, I primarily took the cities buses as they didn't wait to be full and were more reliable - despite a lack of schedule and dedicated stops. I also benefited as my routes (I could choose from several) were not the most popular as some other buses were packed like sardines - once a bus drove off with a lady's ponytail dangle out of the door, there were that many people stuffed on the bus. However, on the way back to the hostel, catching cities buses seemed much more futile so I started taking the mini-buses. They are white, 12-18 seater buses that run along dedicated routes. Before leaving their starting point, they wait until they are full most of the times and if it's not a popular time will leave after a while, but it will cost more - fare depends on number of riders, when full 0.35 JD or 0.55 CAD. Learning the areas and circles is a definite asset as on a number of occasions I either missed my stop - flying off towards some other undesired neighbourhood - or was unable to clearly ask for where I wanted to go.

As with all my other city exploration, I walked a great deal throughout Amman often getting lost and having to descend and climb multiple hills, occasionally dragging my compatriots with me. Despite not being a "walkable" city, I have not had any negative experiences other than the normal staring - 1. it's cultural, 2. I'm foreign, 3. I'm female, and 4. I'm walking. Then again on one fine day, slogging to the bus "station" from a day at the market, a driver pulled over in front of me and said the equivalent of "come in" (tafadali) as I walked by his car. Apparently my provocative hiking pants, long sleeve shirt, scarf, runners, and multiple bags were good indicators that I was a prostitute; however, I feel as if the fact I was walking was probably the largest factor. Being responded to as a prostitute has been a common occurrence that has either dissipated as I have been in the same areas for a while or I have become accustomed to the interest.

Whether it be from hospitality, national pride, or friendliness, at every turn and encounter one is "welcomed" to Jordan even if you have been here for an extended period of time. As being welcomed to a place (e.g. Welcome to Canada!) and welcomed for something (i.e. thank you - you are welcome) are the same in Arabic, I have gotten somewhat over-welcomed by everybody. On the other hand, my iconic, Canadian usage of "sorry" as definitely been weened down to almost complete disusage.

In order to catch up for my blogs in Jordan, I have written an outline for the next six+ entries, which does not include new things from this point onwards. Therefore, I will be once again working on catching up on these entries with the most effort I can afford. Despite having travelled and lived in different places, the first month in Amman was definitely more overwhelming than most of my other experiences and since then I have felt as if I am perpetually trying to catch up or do everything. It has taken until March when I found a more balanced approach to my life in Amman, but compared to life on the road or back home is still much more demanding.

And now I should study.

Alex

Bus from the airport to the city.

Ikea (still in construction at this point)

View from my hostel room.

Great breakfasts included at Jordan Tower Hostel

My bunk at Jordan Tower Hostel

Chilling in the lobby with Pen and Melissa

Dinner at Hashem's - hummus, fattah, falafel, stuffed falafel, pita bread, sweet mint tea. Served on plastic chairs between two shops outside. 

Dinner at al-quds with Pen and Melissa - classy, turkish coffee time!

Our waiter at al-quds

Night out at O'berg

Arjeela & Amsel

Visiting the Roman Amphitheatre after dinner!

Enjoying the coziness of a taxi - five in the backseat (you can see my jeans and white top!).

View of Amman from one of my many walks on one of the many hills. 

Market in the East part of the city - view from a city bus (was working on getting back to the centre of town)

View of a city bus on my way to the University