"Is that a giant turkey?"

Ahlan! Until I settle into a routine, it's going to be really hard to write much here. Things have been really hectic, and I'm exhausted. I haven't even been here a week, and I've moved into a new apartment, started at a new school, and met way too many new people. All in a developing country in the Middle East. My brain hurts to say the least. I cannot wait for the weekend (which is Friday and Saturday here).

THINGS I'VE LEARNED SO FAR

The adhan (call to prayer) currently sounds at 3:30 am every morning. And in case that one didn't wake you up, or you were about to fall back asleep, another one sounds 20 minutes later. Hence, I wake up at 3:30 and do not yet fall back asleep.

Eating fast food twice on your second day in Jordan = meesh tayyib (no bueno). I got sick. And then I had to take a 3 hour, 20 page exam written entirely in Arabic script. With an oral exam directly after. Where I accidentally said "dos turistas" when I couldn't think of how to say 2 tourists in Arabic . . . awkward.

Toilet paper always goes in the trash can. Not the toilet. Yep. It smells. Especially when one has food poisoning.

No one walks. No sidewalks. Cars everywhere. You take a cab. And on average 15 people die per week in traffic accidents. Pedestrians and passengers. It isn't safe either way.


So I'll leave you with some picture of my excessively nice apartment. And one of a dead lamb. Or possibly one of the vulture like creatures from Dark Crystal.