BAAACK in the saddle agaaaaiinn...
well, all, i'm doing Good, it's been awhile since i put anything on here, but our winter break starts today. which means it will get even colder, lonlier, and more boring. maybe. BUT. like i said, i'm doing good, and i should have a bit more chance to internet now.
as for news, let's see.. the center is going well, right now is break for 3 weeks, but i'm going to try to get some stuff done for it in that time. i may be going to the deaf cultural center in amman to take lessons in arabic sign language, so that's exciting. then i can bring it back and teach a bit to my teachers and students, hopefully.
About 3 weeks ago, for Iid al Adha (the holiday ending the Islamic month of the Haj), i went over to my neighbor's for the barbecue of 2 sheep they slaughtered (you slaughter a sheep during this iid, if you have enough money, feast on some of it and give the rest to the poor/ family/ neighbors, etc.). it was pretty good, except for the one piece of meat that i got that was all pure fat. then i went and spent 4 days in Wadi Rum with my friend Adam. wadi rum is a beautiful place, where these melty-looking red mountains just stick up out of the sands of the desert out there. we did a lot of hiking and scrambling up mountainsides, and Adam is supposed to send me some pictures soon. we walked and walked all day every day, then came back and had dinner at crazy Abu Ernie's chicken and rice shack. Abu Ernie was quite a character, an egyptian with a short-term memory problem. "Wheeere have you been? I have not seen you in many days!" "Abu Ernie, we were in here like 3 hours ago!" "Ahh..... yes, yes....." it was a great trip, and we met some other interesting People as well, and saved a little british kid wandering around in the desert (more on that later). All in all, it was great to get out into the open away from People for a bit. there were also a lot of camels.
in international news, the israeli offensive in gaza is of course really big news here in jordan, and People ask my opinion of it all the time. i don't know what to say to that, really.. "war is haram?" "that's really sad?" "i wish i could do something to help?" ..basically, i'm just trying to help here in the way that i can, and keep on with what i'm doing. there's been a lot of protests here in jordan, especially since People here are related to People in Gaza, and about 60% of jordan are Palestinians, refugees, or their descendents.
other than that, trying to keep busy, maybe reading, listening to or playing a little music, designing d&d stuff (look out for that when i get back, boys), cooking, hanging out in front of the heater, etc.
More on Wadi Rum and Christmas later. take care of y'all bad selves.
Love
Shane
as for news, let's see.. the center is going well, right now is break for 3 weeks, but i'm going to try to get some stuff done for it in that time. i may be going to the deaf cultural center in amman to take lessons in arabic sign language, so that's exciting. then i can bring it back and teach a bit to my teachers and students, hopefully.
About 3 weeks ago, for Iid al Adha (the holiday ending the Islamic month of the Haj), i went over to my neighbor's for the barbecue of 2 sheep they slaughtered (you slaughter a sheep during this iid, if you have enough money, feast on some of it and give the rest to the poor/ family/ neighbors, etc.). it was pretty good, except for the one piece of meat that i got that was all pure fat. then i went and spent 4 days in Wadi Rum with my friend Adam. wadi rum is a beautiful place, where these melty-looking red mountains just stick up out of the sands of the desert out there. we did a lot of hiking and scrambling up mountainsides, and Adam is supposed to send me some pictures soon. we walked and walked all day every day, then came back and had dinner at crazy Abu Ernie's chicken and rice shack. Abu Ernie was quite a character, an egyptian with a short-term memory problem. "Wheeere have you been? I have not seen you in many days!" "Abu Ernie, we were in here like 3 hours ago!" "Ahh..... yes, yes....." it was a great trip, and we met some other interesting People as well, and saved a little british kid wandering around in the desert (more on that later). All in all, it was great to get out into the open away from People for a bit. there were also a lot of camels.
in international news, the israeli offensive in gaza is of course really big news here in jordan, and People ask my opinion of it all the time. i don't know what to say to that, really.. "war is haram?" "that's really sad?" "i wish i could do something to help?" ..basically, i'm just trying to help here in the way that i can, and keep on with what i'm doing. there's been a lot of protests here in jordan, especially since People here are related to People in Gaza, and about 60% of jordan are Palestinians, refugees, or their descendents.
other than that, trying to keep busy, maybe reading, listening to or playing a little music, designing d&d stuff (look out for that when i get back, boys), cooking, hanging out in front of the heater, etc.
More on Wadi Rum and Christmas later. take care of y'all bad selves.
Love
Shane