Some Pictures from Turkiye

My computer charger broke, and while I have a spare, it's in my luggage at the university, which I will not be claiming until after I return from Turkey. Thus, I will be taking a brief hiatus from my blog. But check back soon, because I should have some fantastic pictures from Turkey with it being the end of Ramadan and all. Also, I'm hoping to get to go to Cappadocia in central Turkey. Gorgeous scenery - Google it if you've never heard of it before. Traveling is a bit difficult around Eid, but my friend "claims" he's secured me a bus ticket. He better have since he asked me to pick up a bottle of Smirnoff vodka and Beefeater gin at duty free. I don't do favors for free.

ISTANBUUUUUUULLLLL!!!! 9 days until I can sit and drink a Vole beer as I look out over the Bosphorous. Me amore. I'm coming home.

Whenever I have extended free time (like the last couple of weeks) I always have these grand plans for how productive I'm going to be . . . but instead, the time slips away and I do nothing. Literally. Unless lying around reading reddit and watching Breaking Bad counts as "doing something". It wasn't too bad the first week. I studied for the GRE a shitload, read two books, and did quite a bit of writing. Since then - zilch. So bored. Can't concentrate. Downtown Amman is wearing on me. I don't even want to go outside. I spent $7 on cab rides one day last last week just so I could go to the mall for no other reason but to be someplace Western. Never again will I fail to appreciate walking around in recycled air and listening to bad American pop music. I've been reduced to my 12 year old self.

I got this internship, right? And the guy that interviewed me said he wanted to get to know my writing, my ability to research, etc. before school started in the fall and the internship started in full swing. So he emailed me a scholarly essay and asked me for a page summary of the essay "in technical writing". Summarizing articles is not only something I'm good at, it's also something I enjoy, so I had no problem churning this out, and I emailed it to him first thing Sunday morning. This is the email I got back today:

I just forward the email I sent to you on august 9, we have the rewrite folder and the question both in formal language .CAN YOU PLEASE DO HIS TASK THEN WE WILL START OUR WORK.

The email he sent on August 9 was the original email I referred to above. This is all he wrote in the body of that email:

One page about the relation of Sustainable development and participation

Dude, I sent you that one page! Did you not check the attachments or even read my email? Specifically the part where I said "I attached the summary of the Mutamba article"? What does his email mean? Why is it all of sudden in caps lock like he's yelling at me? I don't think I've ever had more of an urge to email someone back in all caps WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE, A MIND READER? WTF DO YOU WANT???? His spoken English is really quite good, he holds a PhD, and he runs an NGO. But apparently he can't really write in English . . . or at least explain what he wants. "We have the rewrite folder and the question both in formal language." What does this mean? MAJOR LANGUAGE BARRIER ISSUE happening here right now. Not sure how to email him back without sounding like a major asshole.

Perfectionist that I am, I don't do well with not doing something correctly. And the worst part is, I don't know what the hell I did wrong. Sad face.

عنجد؟ really?

http://blastr.com/2011/08/jordans-king-abdullah-bui.php

On Interviewing for a Job in a Foreign Country

I had my interview for an internship today, and for once in this country, something went without a hitch! Actually, that's been happening a lot more often . . . finally, adjustment. Anyway, I decided to leave an hour and fifteen minutes before my interview - giving me more than ample time, but I think I'd rather die than be late for a job interview. So just as I was hopping in a taxi, the secretary called me to confirm the appointment, and I had a chance to ask her the name of the building and the office number. Otherwise, I was just really hoping Google Maps would not let me down this time, and the building was actually located where it said it was. I directed the taxi driver where to go, and score! there was the building, exactly where it was supposed to be. Except that while it took 30 minutes for us to cross Amman in the horrendous midday traffic, I still had at least half an hour to kill before I could show up in the office. It's not like I could sit in a cafe (Ramadan) or even on the side of the road somewhere (too much attention if one remains in stationary position in public alone), so I felt I had no choice but to wander around the neighborhood. Where I proceeded to have an imaginary conversation on my cell phone for 20 minutes so that cabs would stop honking at me. Thankfully, there was a sufficient breeze, so I wasn't too disgustingly sweaty by the time I headed up to the office.

The interview itself was very laid back and rather painless. Although, I found myself having to stifle some laughs, because after almost everything I said, he would nod and say "interesting . . . very interesting." Like:

Me: I study political science.
Him: Interesting, very interesting.
Me: I would like to make more of a connection with the Jordanian youth.
Him: Interesting, very interesting.
Me: I like cats.
Him: Interesting, very interesting.

Sort of like I had just given him some top secret information that he was deciphering . . . Apparently though I was interesting enough to work with, and I'm starting right away, since I don't really have anything better to do. The NGO, Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development, works with, and does research on the Jordanian youth in the hopes of raising political and social awareness. I'll be doing research in a variety of capacities, as well as running a discussion group with Jordanian youth where they can practice their English. I'm excited. Hopefully, it'll be a good way to work on my Arabic. (I've been awful since summer term ended. I hardly speak at all.) I'm really nervous though; I wasn't expecting to start so soon . . . the director invited me to a get together at his house for Iftaar on Thursday. What should I wear? What should I bring? Nothing like a social event, where you know NO ONE, and everyone else will undoubtedly be Arab, and thus chattering away in Arabic. Just when I get through one nerve-wracking experience, I gotta conquer a new one. So goes living abroad . . .

And also - I have my suitcase at the CIEE office with all my nice clothes; I figured I wouldn't need more than t-shirts during the break. I did bring one semi-nice outfit with me in my backpack, but I wore it to the interview. So now I'm out of nice things to wear. I should go get my suitcase, but A.) I don't want to deal with transporting it all the way downtown and B.) CIEE staff didn't seem too jazzed about letting me keep it there, so I'm a little intimidated to go asking for it back, two weeks into break. Looks like I'm going to have to do some major browsing at the flea market on Friday . . . I need new clothes anyway - wearing the same 10 shirts, that weren't new before I came here, has created some holes and some nasty pit stains. I went to the mall the other day, but things are either overpriced, or fit really, really weird. Like I tried on a pair of size 4 khakis, which in the States, usually fit me in butt and waist, but are too short in the leg. I couldn't button these pants, but there was like an extra foot of fabric gathered at the feet. I'm 5'10"!!! Who in the hell is going to fit into these pants? Not one single thing I tried on fit. I left the mall feeling extremely discouraged, so I'm really hoping I'll find some decent things at the souq.