Today I realized that for Spring Break I could go sandboarding. This sudden epiphany serves as quite an uplift from recent events.
I find it interesting how you can fall into such a funk and then the most unexpected findings will spring you out of it. Afterwards, at which, you are then given a choice to either hold onto that happy finding, or let it flutter away. Either way, its a good sign to find that sort of thing to decide on, no matter how little.
SO. Sandboarding:
Looks quite similar to snowboarding and/or wake-boarding
Apparently a sandboard has different wax than a snowboard, and is sleeker
You can't go in Jordan because of the delicate desert ecology, BUT you can go in the Sahara Desert--just a plane ride away.
I really want to go.
Here is a clip to show you what I mean: (not in Jordan, but i)
In other news, as the study abroad folk have discussed, I am feeling quite anxious. I'm currently at college now, awaiting my departure to sand-land. Friends, friends of relatives, and friends of friends have been scribbling down lots of addresses and names of folk in Lebanon, Amman, and the general Middle Eastern arena for me to say hello to and get a "real tour"--I think having these contacts will not only be convenient and assuring, but they will also be a blast to try to find!
....I have not had hummus yet while at college (granted it has only been four days). Though I think this is a good thing. If I over-do the hummus, by the time I arrive I will not want so much hummus. Thats the general thought there.
Gab?
Yeah?
We were able to purchase the Eagle Creek Truist 55 by phone. Ready for you to pick up at customer service under your name.
You guys are nuts...Need anything else?
Nope. But if you're going to Bergman's Luggage they have a new model Eagle Creek that straps zip away for airline!
Crazy human!
:P
11:55am, Sunday morning.
Now this may seem like a fairly typical back-and-forth between father and daughter..HOWEVER, what you do not know is that this is not the first backpack they have so generously prepaid for me, but the third. Now, I'm not complaining, I just think three 60L backpacking packs is overkill. This was the message to pick up yet another pack to test drive before my departure in 5 days. -whew, thats soon-
As the post title notes, it is now practically a full week after my wisdom teeth have left my oral cavity, and therefore have been on pain killers all week. However this piece of information is relatively irrelevant. Despite my pill-popping, this week has been extraordinarily productive! Not only do I have a blue, red, and green backpack, I also have collected all the other silly shananigans I need to travel to Jordan.
Some advice for those travelling in the future: converters.
That's all.
In reality, everything is coming together beautifully. It feels a bit like this Melanie Safka's, "Brand New Key" is beginning to crescendo in my ear as I walk....
For the first time in a while, everything is parking perfectly parallel to each other, and itty-bitty puzzle pieces are falling from the sky filling in holes I forgot about months ago.
It dawned on me today as I was scooting out of my jeans on the Seattle Lite-Rail for the International "No Pants Ride" fiasco (see http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013893071_nopants10m.html for information if you are confused), I realized that clothes don't matter. This sounds really silly, to have an epiphany as you are standing pant-less next to a big ole family fresh out of Seatac from Texas, but it was then that I understood that there is only so much you can do.
A major concern before coming arriving in Jordan for American girls is clothing. Yes, Jordan is conservative, but they do not require women to wear a jilbab (aka, a burka), or hijab, but you are expected to wear long sleeves without showing lots of cleavage, skirts that hit at least below the knee, and/or jeans. But, there came a point when I just thought, you know, I am an American. I will be respectful and assimilate as I go, but the packing list says I need a fancy outfit (AKA, a dress), and America has a lot of trouble selling dresses to ladies like me that aren't skin tight, plunging, and careful-when-you-bend-over-type of dresses. So I found a happy medium, grabbed some long sleeve shirts, and decided to hope for the best. I will look like an American, because I am one. Or maybe I could pretend I am French.
In conclusion, things are going well. Two days ago we picked up a massive container of pine-nut roasted hummus.
Today, despite being on a vicodin substitute for my recent wisdom teeth removal, was very productive!
Supposedly vicodin makes you feel whaaaaaguaaa whagggaaa (other synonyms: loopy, cracked out, sleepy, faint). However, this is not the case for me, which I am proud to admit.
Let me describe my day to those of you interested:
1. Got wisdom teeth out (I hate laughing gas, it tastes like you are slowly becoming a thick slightly amorphous candy cane).
2. Proceeded to watch three movies: one on Architecture (I don't remember much about this one), one chick-flick, and Anastasia (the Disney Movie)
sidenote: at some point I switched into cozy pants from jeans, and told my mom about 20 times I didn't like laughing gas. Both of this events I have no recollection of.
3. I joined the CIEE facebook Amman group and decided I am indeed going to Amman with some really neat people really far out of my league in terms of travel history.
4. I attempted to get a particular credit card and got rejected on the basis of my unemployed student status.
5. Thought about getting a Syrian visa, then thought otherwise after finding it was 136 USD. Enough said.
6. I applied for an ISE card that will get me discounts.
7. Realized my driver's license and my credit card will expire while I am abroad
and finally...my favorite part:
8. I ate a whole bowl of tapioca from 12pm to 2:30pm.
Hopefully by tomorrow I will find I applied for everything correctly, and didn't just write, "tapioca tapioca tapioca tapioca tapioca tapioca" on all blank spaces.
That's one more step to Jordan!
See you silly folks another day
countdown for Fairfield: 12 days countdown for Jordan: 26 days
Hummus is a fantastic food. Though I suppose on some levels it really isn't a "food" since Americans generally use the term "food" as something you can eat without a third wheel. I imagine hummus is more appropriately categorized as a "spread" or a "dip" here in America.
In any case, hummus, humous, hommos, hamos, or however you would enjoy spelling this tasty mash of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic, was born somewhere in the Middle East. The exact location is unknown, but because I am journeying to Jordan--the nation in the center of the Middle East--I figure it must have been born somewhere in the general vicinity (despite what some Syrian acquaintances of mine once claimed as their own creation in a diner at three am one night).
I expect that in Jordan I will meet various types of hummus. It is consumed almost everywhere in the world--or at least in Europe and America (I am unsure of the far East). Hummus seems like a primarily peaceful spread/food--most people aren't severely opposed to hummus--as die-hard carnivores might be greatly opposed to herb salad, and vegans are opposed to well--everything (just kidding, I know you folks eat apples). Hummus is fairly new and neutral to the noshing market here in America. I am not shy to admit that I have gotten around in terms of hummus. Some hard-working falafel restaurants in suburbia Connecticut, and loud Middle Eastern lunch/hookah spots in Brooklyn, NY have introduced me to some particularly lovely flavors of hummus. The end result here is that I do indeed expect to meet a variety of different and new hummus flavors while abroad.
My personal favorite hummus flavor is somewhere between spicy and roasted red pepper hummus. My hummus often comes in this format:
Though still delicious and convenient, I can't say I believe this is real hummus. It's fake, made in America stamped, NAFTA regulated, and scooped into plastic, nonrecycle-able containers by the thousands by a machine. Therefore--not real. I'm not sure what would qualify hummus' "real-ness" exactly, but I suppose that is one reason I am going abroad; to understand what it could be.
Now, to avoid confusion: I am not a hummus addict. Though I'm sure my boyfriend can attest to my love for hummus, I am not obsessed. This blog is not about hummus, but about my student travels in Amman, Jordan--meeting Jordanians, practicing my vulnerable Arabic, studying at a University, voyaging to Egypt, and hopefully consuming hummus--Real hummus.
