So I ghandwashed my clothes today for the second time. I am really not convinced I am cleaning the clothes so much as making them smell alright. Were it not for the mucky water left over from cleaning, providing visual confirmation that at least some dirt is being expunged from the fabric, I would have concluded it is worthless. Mostly, I fear ripping some of the theads out and ruining shirts as a result of rubbing the articles together with too much force. I am pretty committed now to the idea of buying a washing machine....most Volunteers have them, and they say they run around $80, so not that bad.
On Wednesday I am leaving my villiage to shadow a current volunteer, which should be fun and informative - and also relaxing. Foremost, it will be nice to have access to a toilet I can be fairly certain is fairly clean. Anywho, that is all for now.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Globalism and localism
I feel that living in a small community in a country at the lower end of the economic spectrum (it is ranked 103rd in per capita income, though significantly higher in HDI rankings) allows a person a unique opportunity to guage the far-reaching effects of globalization. In the villiage, everyone has a Nokia cellphone, and my host brothers love to watch such dated cartoons as Tom and Jerry and Looney Toons (I even caught the tail end of a Woodey the Woodpecker episode). The teenagers listen to American pop and rap music despite not understanding the lyrics, which is probably for the best, since the lyrics would emit a rather unfavorable impression of American society (as I speak Shakira is blaring rather loudly in the Internet Cafe). At the same time, there continued presence of traditional practices and notions of space. Tonight, for example, I am to attend the equivalent of a bachelor party - which severely contrasts with the image of the American version is that all attendees will be male and sober. What is unique and intensly localized is that as far as I can tell, only the immediate region practices this event. In the rest of the country, only the bride has what is called a Henna Night (Layla al-Henna). 20 kilometers away, in Irbid, this practice is entirely foreign. The uniquness is further attenbsted by my laguage instructor, Ahmed, who, when hearing me tell him of my invitation laughed, assuming I had misunderstood. He then spoke with my host mother and my translation was verified. There then seems to be a very tenuous balance between extreme locality and identification with one's region and a monolythical globalized (or even national) culture.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Close to Syrian Border
So a fun fact about my villiage - I am about two kilometers from the Syrian border. Yesterday I waked within 100 meters of the border, about 20 minutes walking. We have to stay on the road as the border is lined with an electric fence and land mines, a vestigial, I am told, from the interneceine disagreements of the 1950s and 60s, when Syria, being a revolutionary regime in the Egyptian and Soviet camp were not BFF the Hashemite monarchy, who was (and remains) staunchly pro-western; apparently a few get set off each year for various reasons.
Daily Schedule for PST
Hello all,
I am sorry, but this post will fail to be as elaborate as the last one. I am settling into my host family nicely - into a routine. I am sorry if my grammer does not reflect that ofa college graduate, but many of the keys on my computer stick (perhaps I should always use this excuse to hide me from criticism for my usually poor spelling abilities?). Anyway, I thought it would summarize my typical day - it really isn't all that exciting though. after waking around seven in the morning and having abreakfast of oil and herbs and yougurt with pita bread (kobz) I have my colloquial Arabic lesson from eight to noon. After a quick falafel sandwitch break, I go to the Youth Center (murkaz as-Shabab) for some sort of training. I usually return to the home of my host family around 3:30 and have a proper lunch (the mid-day meal is the largest). The rest of the day will vary from studying spendin g time with the host family to a plethora of other possibilities.
Today at the youth center we had our most informative session yet. Two current Youth Development Volunteers spoke and answered our questions and abated many of our concerns. Apparently, training is the most stressful time with the the most regimented schedule. Once we receive our posts, there will be much more time for R&R.
They did, however, warn us of the challenges that remain ahead. By its nature, the youth development program is extremely unstructured, at first glance to a fault, but I suppose time will tell (current volunteers do not think the lack of firm direction is a disadvantage). They did however say it will seem as though I am not being productive for the first few months- which should wisely be spent developing a favorable repore with the community. Dan and Bill also informed us of a Youth Olympics they put together, which will bring children from all Youth Centers volunteers work at to Amman in late August. They recieved a grant from the Peace Corps and from the Jordanian Higher Council on Youth, under whose mandate all Youth Centers operate. This is all for now.
I am sorry, but this post will fail to be as elaborate as the last one. I am settling into my host family nicely - into a routine. I am sorry if my grammer does not reflect that ofa college graduate, but many of the keys on my computer stick (perhaps I should always use this excuse to hide me from criticism for my usually poor spelling abilities?). Anyway, I thought it would summarize my typical day - it really isn't all that exciting though. after waking around seven in the morning and having abreakfast of oil and herbs and yougurt with pita bread (kobz) I have my colloquial Arabic lesson from eight to noon. After a quick falafel sandwitch break, I go to the Youth Center (murkaz as-Shabab) for some sort of training. I usually return to the home of my host family around 3:30 and have a proper lunch (the mid-day meal is the largest). The rest of the day will vary from studying spendin g time with the host family to a plethora of other possibilities.
Today at the youth center we had our most informative session yet. Two current Youth Development Volunteers spoke and answered our questions and abated many of our concerns. Apparently, training is the most stressful time with the the most regimented schedule. Once we receive our posts, there will be much more time for R&R.
They did, however, warn us of the challenges that remain ahead. By its nature, the youth development program is extremely unstructured, at first glance to a fault, but I suppose time will tell (current volunteers do not think the lack of firm direction is a disadvantage). They did however say it will seem as though I am not being productive for the first few months- which should wisely be spent developing a favorable repore with the community. Dan and Bill also informed us of a Youth Olympics they put together, which will bring children from all Youth Centers volunteers work at to Amman in late August. They recieved a grant from the Peace Corps and from the Jordanian Higher Council on Youth, under whose mandate all Youth Centers operate. This is all for now.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Host Family
I have been in Jordan for narly a week now and I just arrived at the house of my host family - the Abu Mahers - with whom I wll live for nine weeks while I study Arabic and do training. I am in the village of Tura, which, with a population of 30,000 is hardly a village by American standards. It is interesting, it seems any settlement of peple that is not a major city is called a village. Ramtha, where the female Youth Development (YD) trainees are for their homestay has an estimated population of 100 thousand, and was also described as a village (goreea).
The family I am wifth are very nice. In addition to Abu and Umm Maher (father and mother of Maher there are three sons - Ahmed, 15; Khaled, 12; and Abdullah, 9 - and a baby girl, Noor, who is 16 months, who enjoys running around the house, but then often looses her balance and plopping on the ground. There are also evidently three older girls, all of whom are married and live outside the household.
The house itself is very quaint, and is lined with Olive Trees, with grape vines in the rear . My bedroom itself seems to be a later addition, as it is only accessable outside the house, having a door on the porch. It is probably normally used primarily as a secondary sitting room for celebrations, perhaps where te men congregate, leaving women the normal living room inside the house proper, which is easily accesible to the kitchen and the bedrooms, though this has not been cooroberated. My room is very large, perhaps ten feet by twenty, lined with floor cushons to sit on, and a fan in the center.
My house is right next door where two other YD male volunteers - Erik and Randy - are staying and is of similar size. The fourth volunteer, along with our Language and Cultural Facilitator, Ahmed, are living in a house which can only be described as tricked out, and could possibly be on the Jordanian version of MTV "Cribs," complete with a proper toilet (most homes use a Turkish toilet, which will be intimnatly described in a latter entry), a Play Station 2, around 6 sitting rooms, a big screen TV - this all being only on the first floor - there are three. It is funy, because who would have thought one's living stanbdards would actually improve in the Peace Corps.
That is it for now, will add more later.
The family I am wifth are very nice. In addition to Abu and Umm Maher (father and mother of Maher there are three sons - Ahmed, 15; Khaled, 12; and Abdullah, 9 - and a baby girl, Noor, who is 16 months, who enjoys running around the house, but then often looses her balance and plopping on the ground. There are also evidently three older girls, all of whom are married and live outside the household.
The house itself is very quaint, and is lined with Olive Trees, with grape vines in the rear . My bedroom itself seems to be a later addition, as it is only accessable outside the house, having a door on the porch. It is probably normally used primarily as a secondary sitting room for celebrations, perhaps where te men congregate, leaving women the normal living room inside the house proper, which is easily accesible to the kitchen and the bedrooms, though this has not been cooroberated. My room is very large, perhaps ten feet by twenty, lined with floor cushons to sit on, and a fan in the center.
My house is right next door where two other YD male volunteers - Erik and Randy - are staying and is of similar size. The fourth volunteer, along with our Language and Cultural Facilitator, Ahmed, are living in a house which can only be described as tricked out, and could possibly be on the Jordanian version of MTV "Cribs," complete with a proper toilet (most homes use a Turkish toilet, which will be intimnatly described in a latter entry), a Play Station 2, around 6 sitting rooms, a big screen TV - this all being only on the first floor - there are three. It is funy, because who would have thought one's living stanbdards would actually improve in the Peace Corps.
That is it for now, will add more later.
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