VERY inappropriate (Yet truly funny) humor

So, today was Fat Tuesday. And it was also the day after a volunteers birthday (Andi's birthday was yesterday but I didn't find out till today). So, Josh (my village mate), Andi and I all decide to get together tonight for dinner and ice cream to celebrate her birthday.
We are hanging out at the internet cafe and, as we are walking out, Andi says "So, it's Fat Tuesday... where do you think I can get some beads?"... to which Josh replies (very quietly I might add) "At the mosque". For those of you who are not familiar, all men carry around prayer beads that look an awful lot like the string of beads you might see at Mardi Gras. So, with this, Andi goes "well, you know what I need to do to get some beads?" (and for those of you who are now worried... no, she did not actually flash all the men at prayer... although the three of us did get a good laugh at the thought). So, we are now (at least those of us here) referring (and yes, only to each other within the safety of the PC group) to the act of flashing as "mosque-ing"... ok, a bit distasteful I know... but hey, we have to let off some steam with some humor now and then, don't we??? smile

Walking is great

So, after being a lazy sloth most of last summer (c'mon it was too hot to walk), and winter (c'mon, it was too cold to walk).. LOL... I have finally started to get back into training for the Dead Sea Marathon (well, you all know me... HALF marathon... smile).
I walked about 2 and a half hours today and it was great. There is this amazing mountain road that connects my village to the next one and there is NEVER anyone out on it... in fact, just as was the case last year, I was stopped 4 times today by people offering me a ride somewhere. Being in a culture that doesn't really excercise, much less have women who walk out on freeways by themselves, I turn quite a few heads when I say I am just out for exercise. But the road is amazing and there is nothing like throwing on my headphones and walking in the middle of, what literally feels like the wilderness, with no one around me except for the occasional car or two.
Such a great feeling! Ahhh, i guess there will be some things I will miss when I get back home

A definite reason to celebrate

Often, the western portayal of Arabs is an "us against them" mentality. However, being here has reinforced for me there are good people in every society and bad people in every society. Last November there was a man in the village next to mine who was kidnapped and held hostage in Iraq. He was Muslim and Arab, and yet, he was still help captive in Iraq. Well, last thursday he was released! His arrival home sparked a party the size of which I have never seen before. It is something that everyone in his village and the nearby villages are all grateful for!

Frustrations

There are some days living here that I just don’t understand the culture. There are also days that I understand the culture and just don’t agree with it. Today was a day that emcompassed both of those feelings! I have not been more frustrated lately than I was today.Two days ago my landlords daughter (and one of my students) fell while getting out of the school bus and cut her lip badly (requiring two stitches). About 30 minutes after this I became pretty ill and went home for the day. After speaking with the Peace Corps doctor and figuring out what the problem was, I rested and slept the rest of the day.The following day (when I got up) I was immediately asked (more like attacked) by my landlord as to why I hadn’t visited. I explained that I had been sick and was very sorry but planned to visit after work. Well, without any notice or warning, we had guests come from amman and (as the women) were required to prepare a large luncheon. Because of this I was gone from 7am to 5pm pretty much running around the whole time. By the time I was done, I was exhausted! So, this morning when I got up, I was again questioned by my landlord… although this time I was told that I was “misch kwayes” (no good) for having not visited and that his daughter was mad at me. When I arrived at work I was also informed by the other staff that he came in stating that the only reason a staff member didn’t go to the clinic with his daughter was because we were all lazy and just sat around. Of course, the real reason is that her mother came and took her and we had work.But, what baffels me the most is that his daughter is very shy. She does not like a lot of attention and probably would not like visitors. In fact, when we came to visit today (we brought all the students from her class and the teachers as well) his daughter barely said anything. Visiting is such a mandated part of culture and yet, it is something that not everyone wants or desires. The bottom line (in my opinion) is that my landlord wanted the attention via his daughter… which kind of makes me sick! So, I decided to screw everyone and just stay home today.In fact, my village mate laughed at me. I rarely swear… but when I have a day like today “fuck this” and “fuck that” just seem to stream out of my mouth. Josh calls it my “steam release” valve that I turn on to keep from blowing! Ha ha…. I thought that was a pretty good analogy.So now I am just looking forward to going to Amman for the day this Thursday. It may be for a meeting and it may be a long trip, but it will get me out of here and give all a time to cool off.

Great weekend

So, I went up to Madaba for my weekend away. It was so nice to see some friends. I have been lucky that, after the year and a half here, I have developed very close friendships with several of the volunteers in my group.
In fact, it is interesting... the group that has come in behind us has lost many volunteers already (they arrived in country in July, and have already lost almost 30% of their group). So the staff has been talking to volunteers about "What makes a resiliant volunteers"... in otherwords, what makes one volunteer ride it out through the rough times (and we all have had them) and keep going and bounce back when the same things send other volunteers home. Now, I don't know the answer to this... but I do know that my friends in country (and really, especially the boys... are like brothers to me... I only have a sister at home so have never really known what it was like to have brothers) have supported me and kept me going and I can't thank them enough for that! Seeing them this weekend was a great time to reconnect.
Things here are getting busy with writing grants (another volunteer and myself are writing a grant to host a special education training workshop for 3 days with all the special education volunteers and a community partner), upcoming events such as the J9's having their mid service conference (which we, the J8's will help with)... our group having its COS (close of service) conference, my village mates wedding, and I have decided to, yet again, run (yeah, whose kidding who... walk) the dead sea half marathon! So, busy times here... but you at home are often in my thoughts and I love hearing from each of you.