For those of you who celebrate it, happy easter. Pagan eggs and all.
Well, last thursday night was a last dinner for one of the volunteers in the south. There are really only 3 of us down here. So, all three of us went into wadi to give him a sending off. It was really sad. And it seemed so strange that I had grown so close to him over just seven months. I don’t think I ever considered myself good friends with someone after seven months in the states. But everything social happens at an accelerated pace here. After one or two significant social interactions you consider yourself friends. Unless of course you actually dislike the person, which does happen. But disliking someone is one thing, and avoiding them another. Avoiding anyone here turns out to be too much work, and really not worth it. And considering that I see most of the other volunteers no more than once every three months, it is really not that tough. That is the other thing. How can you really consider someone your friend when you see them so rarely, and the rest is made up of text messages and the occasional phonecall? But it happens somehow. But back to the going away. It was really sad to see him go. He has been here since I got here and sort of showed me the ropes. And now he is done with his service. Saying goodbye is pretty hard. Because you know there is a really good chance you may never see that person again (even if you swear you will). Kind of like those really close friends you had in high school, but eventually fall out of touch with. And it is different when someone completes their service than when they terminate early. Because the early terminators needed it, and at least you could see that. The people at the end seem to just be getting into it. Like it is cut short. And then it was two. That is, until the next round of volunteers gets here. By the time the new volunteers get here my other friend in the south will also be done, so it will just be me. And a whole bunch of new people to get to know all over again. But we have a few months before that happens.
Anyway…
Anyone ever washed all their clothes by hand? It is a great way to spend an afternoon. i do all my laundry by hand. I put scalding hot water and powdered detergent in my bathtub. I agitate my clothes by hand and kind of scrub them together because I don’t have a scrubbing board or anything (because most people here have little washing machines). It is amazing how clean it doesn’t get them. But because there is a lot of dust in the air the water gets super dirty anyway. And if the soap doesn’t clean the clothes it at least fades them well. We will just say that my black pants are sort of a dark grey now. In the winter the extra bonus is that they take days to dry (in the summer it takes about 15 or 20 minutes). And the unmentionables take even longer because who would ever dream of hanging them where them might be seen. After a sufficiency of raw dishpan hands I even miss the late night Laundromat run.
But I had a treat last Friday. My counterpart let me use her vacuum and her washing machine. And made me lunch as well. So I got to see how woefully inadequate my attempts at cleaning my clothes have actually been. And for the first time in six or so months I feel like I have a few clothes that actually are clean. Yeah, my life is nothing but excitement.
Fat American. I think that should be my name here. The women here are obsessed with how much I weigh. I had yet another public weighing. And I overheard a woman saying that this was the first time in her life she had ever seen a fat foreigner. I think she didn’t know I could understand her. But more likely she didn’t care. It seems like calling someone fat here isn’t considered as rude as it might be in the states. and they all still seem to want exercise classes from me… But such is life.
This coming week is going to be exciting for me! Wednesday and Thursday my center is taking a field trip to the north of Jordan. A place called ajloun. Then on Saturday we are going to dana, which is a nature reserve, I think. Then on Saturday one of my friends from the clinic is coming to visit! I cant wait. My first visitor. And most exciting of all, next week I will be participating in something called operation smile. The bring a bunch of kids from iraq who have cleft palates and hare lips into Jordan where they receive free corrective operations. Our job is to keep the families and kids comfortable and entertained. I am hoping that it will feel like I have actually accomplished something good. And I will be sure to tell you all about it. Well, take care and stay dry. And there should be a few more pics up now.