In the Mall

I am currently sitting in an Amman internet cafe and actually have enough time to check all my mail, respond to it, AND make a post!  :)  I don't have personal pictures on this computer though.. sorry!

I think I failed to mention earlier that I am currently (though getting better) am going through really tough culture shock.  It's even harder because I don't think anyone understands.  Don't get me wrong, everything is BEAUTIFUL and soooo exciting and new and wonderful.  It's just overwhelming. 

So among the numerous American mistakes I've made, let me tell you 2. 

          First, I wanted to ask a waiter where the bathroom was but they were all crowded around something not paying attention, so I poked one on the shoulder and said "bathroom?"  That's bad.  Never touch a man no matter what you're doing.  I should have yelled something. 

          Second, someone came up to me and I shook his hand.   Problem is, I didn't stand to shake his hand.  I got in trouble for that too.  I'm learning what to do and what not to do so that's good.

I will start the university this coming week and am sooooooooooooooooooo excited.  It makes me nervous, but I can't wait.  I can't understand ANYONE when they talk so the classes will definitely help me out.  They told me that level 1 Arabic here is equivalent to 4 semesters of Arabic back in the US.  I got to tour the university and it's huge.. it's literally like a city within the city.  There are gates surrounding the whole thing, and you need your school ID to get in.

Oh, I wanted to talk about the prayer call too.  5 times a day the mosques will sing a prayer on a loud speaker so it sounds throughout the whole city.. sometimes other mosques will overlap.  It lasts for about 2 or 3 minutes and it's really beautiful. 

My stomach finally caught up with me... I'm better now but I was in horrible discomfort before.  Thank you, pills!  I am still drinking tea and coffee and it's wonderful :) 

When everyone around me talks in Arabic, my face is like this: 

When people ask why I'm being so quiet, my face is like this:

And when people make me laugh, my face is like this:

Those are pretty much all my faces. 

I have to go because it's getting expensive so I'll update later.  I don't have time to put my blogs in Spanish anymore :(