Can you return to where you have been? Would it be at all the same? It’s been a weird year back in the states. I sorta fell into a mid-east role without any mid-east work and various worries about unemployment or even continued employment but as anything time keeps moving forward. I realized I had been losing my Arabic at an accelerated … [Read more...]
Category: Middle East Living
Art Exhibit – Zaatari Refugee Children – Amman Jordan
I’m always the last person to know anything that seems to go on around town. As I went into my new favorite café (Café Fann wa Chai) in Jabel Al-Webdeih I noticed they were having an art exhibit that opened tonight. The exhibit is sponsored by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and featuring artwork from Syrian refugees in the … [Read more...]
Adventures in Middle East Living: Visiting the Embassy
I didn’t take photos of the embassies so I just have a photo of Amman traffic to share. So wanted to get another story and update on life, love, and study in the Middle east. Or at least two of the previous three. Besides regular classes, I've been working on trying to get my business visa to Saudi Arabia. On advice I woke up really early to … [Read more...]
Return to Amman Jordan – Middle East Living
The lovely and ancient Roman Theater in Amman Jordan It is interesting to be finally back in the middle east and one of my now favorite places Amman Jordan. Cities of the world are known for so many things, and I try to think about the distinctive thing that I think about when I imagine Amman and perhaps it is the city of hills. If you have … [Read more...]
Breakfast with Bedouins – Petra Jordan
It was early. The kind of early that does not align well with vacation plans, even "vacations within a vacation" as I tended to describe this trip. Only moments prior the sweet cacophony of the Adhan, a mainstay of Muslim countries, punctured the arid desert air of Wadi Musa and the surrounding valleys. With my cat like maneuvers honed … [Read more...]
Egypt: In the Steps of Moses
“Wow that was scary” – C said as we got out of the van into the darkness. I looked around and thought about the hike ahead, and strangely had no recollection of the journey to get here. For better or worse over years I’ve developed the ability to sleep almost anywhere. A sort of parlor trick to perhaps amuse my row mates on those cramped … [Read more...]
Into the Eastern Desert – Qasr-ain
In Arabic the word “Qasr” means palace. These were possibly palaces, although some were mere fortresses, and most were simply lodges and houses, which I guess could be seen as a palace. There were two famous examples on the outskirts of Azraq that see the most tourists (mostly from tour buses from the capital) and we opted to visit these before … [Read more...]
Weather and Wonder in Ajloun Jordan
I walked outside my apartment in the morning, fresh trash strewn on the street in front of my building. The sun was shining and it was already warming up nicely as spring was starting really show itself here in Jordan. I was feeling a bit weighed down by my coat as obviously the weather was only going to get warmer as the day rolled on. As … [Read more...]
Survival Guide for Taxis in Amman (with Language Guide)
"So how was your first day" - I asked L as he beamed a smile at me."Ahh it was great, I went downtown and it was cheap too, only cost 7JD to get there" he replied"7 JD! You got robbed! That's over twice the price" - I angrily retorted He looked quite dejected at having overpaid for something he had imagined he got a good price on. … [Read more...]
Into the Eastern Desert – The Oasis
One of these things doesn’t belong, one of these things is different. If you told me there was this huge Oasis and wetland out here in the eastern desert I would have thought it was an obvious lie. How could there be a wetland in this stark, desolate, black rock desert of Azraq. It seems to go against any normal obvious convention and … [Read more...]
Into the Eastern Desert – The Abandoned City
It is amazing how much there is to do out in the Eastern Desert even writing a lot for Part 1 and Part 2 I still had quite a bit left over for our final bit of time wandering the desert. It wasn’t 40 days but it was longer than any of us had done in the past... The Abandoned City It is amazing really what is out here in the … [Read more...]
Into the Eastern Desert – Part 2
Check out Part 1 here Timing is everything and the skies began to drop rain as we started to leave Burqu for the afternoon. I imagine that rain is perhaps a rare but welcome occurrence out here in the deserts. I don’t know how often they actually do see rain, but for my limited time in Jordan I’ve seen far more than I anticipated I would see. I … [Read more...]