University

I have this brilliant idea that I will color code my blog to make things more readable.  Especially since I know this will be a looooong post. 

Oh by the way, even if I don't respond to your comments on my blog, I really appreciate them!  I love when you comment. 

I'm really sorry there aren't as many pictures as we all hoped... I left my camera chords at Aqaba and have to ask my unbiological Uncle to retrieve them for me when he goes back. 

Ahh there's so much to talk about, and it's especially difficult to fit everything in one blog when I can only update every week or so.  I should be updating more because there is a computer lab on campus, which I'm using right now. 

Ok outline:
College
Language
Touching
Bugs
Bathrooms
Random


College:  The campus is beautiful.  It doesn't actually feel that big when I'm walking on campus but to actually drive around it takes forever.  It's pretty much a city inside of a city.  You need an ID to get in, or you talk to the guard, but either way it's secured. 

The sun is SO BRIGHT! I can get away with not having sunglasses in the US, but here I can hardly open my eyes so I had to buy some.  The first few days of school was so hot, I almost passed out walking to class and walking back home.  I actually started to see all white.. not good.  Luckily these past few days have been cooler and the weather is extremely enjoyable :) 

I took a placement test last week for Arabic.  Level 1 here is equivalent to 4 semesters of Arabic back in the states.  I knew I was going to be placed into Level 1 but I took the test anyway.  The whoooole test was in Arabic, the directions, the questions, the paragraphs, the stories.. so what did I do?  I circled B, B, B, B, B, B.. then C, C, C, C, C, C... then on the essay part, I didn't know what the question was so I just put "Hi, my name is Charisse and I like languages.  In the US my Arabic professor is pretty."  Then for the other essay, I THINK I had to describe the picture, so I put "There is 2 boy.  I don't speak Arabic." 

They posted the names for each level and said that if you didn't have an ID yet, your name might not be up.  I didn't have an ID yet, so that made sense when I couldn't find my name on level 1.  Then I looked on level 2.  Nothing.  Then I happened to see on level THREE that my name was on it.  ....that's like Arabic 9 in the US.  Either I'm a really good guesser, or I'm a really good guesser. 

I switched to Level 2 and it's still hard, but I plan on studying a lot.  One of my teachers doesn't speak in English at all. This leads me to my next point. 



Language.  *sigh*  I can't make sentences. I can't conjugate verbs. I don't even know any verbs. Oh and by the way, there's technically 3 different Arabics to learn. 1. Classical, what I learn in school. 2. Colloquial Jordanian 3. Media (news, etc.) I don't know anything. Nothing. I'm actually really discouraged because I've been here for 2 weeks and can't remember any new words.  It's soooooooooooooo HARD for me to be out with Jordanians.  I don't understand their jokes, considering they're in Arabic and have to do with Arabic culture most of the time.  I don't understand anything.  I'm sitting with them, but it's like I'm not even there.  I feel alone and then I feel guilty for not talking.  It's a bad feeling.  I need a hug :(  It's not about the people, it's about the language barrier.  The people are awesome.  Seriously, God bless Tamara and her dad and her sister and cousins tenfold because they try to put themselves in my shoes.  They try so hard and I appreciate it so much. 



Touching.. I'm pretty sure I mentioned that men NEVER touch women, and women NEVER touch men.  There was actually a lady on campus who fell down a few stairs and nobody could help her up because they can't touch her.  It was really sad.  

Another story,

I took a taxi from the mall to the apartment.  Tamara was on my left, her sister on my right.  I was paying attention to the driver's smoke (everyone smokes by the way.. I think I inhaled about 3 or 4 cigarettes) because the smoke was blowing right in my face.  For some reason, I love the smell of smoke.  Just not when it's blown in my face.  What I didn't notice was that the driver's right elbow was nudged between my shins.  NOT appropriate.  Tamara's sister said "Uh, sir.. can you please move your arm? It's touching the girl."  I expected "Oh, sorry!"  but got "No it's ok.  I drive like this all the time."   It caused some drama in the car, and I had to change the way I sat.  He didn't move his arm.  I'm actually really really flattered that Tamara and her sister got offended enough on my part to yell at him. 



Bugs.  There aren't that many bugs, but there are some.  I saw a cockroach and a few spiders.  There are ants.  There are ants in all things.  In the kitchen, bathroom, on my bed... but there's not that many so I can't complain.  There's more cats than anything though.  I'm used to seeing dogs on the streets like in South America but there are no dogs, there are cats.  And they scream "ooohhhhhhhhhh" with a British accent during all hours of the night. 


Bathrooms... oh my goodness.  Listen to me.  Always put toilet paper in your pocket and your purse.  Do you hear?  ALWAYS.  Sometimes?  No. Always.  People tend not to replace the toilet paper in their bathrooms.  There is no toilet paper in restaurants, and there is no toilet paper in the University.  My back left pocket is reserved solely for toilet paper.  Plus it's a 50/50 chance that the toilet will flush.  Kleenex is used for everything.  Kleenex will be your napkin.  It will be your paper towel, and sometimes it will be the rare toilet paper.  Kleenex will also be your kleenex. 


Random:  Hmm.  The University has trips every weekend so this weekend I should be going on one!  This weekend is Madaba and Mount something.  I'm sure it will be really nice!  And I haven't talked about food that much.. I also haven't tried very many different things yet.  When Tamara's aunt cooks, it's delicious.  She made this chicken and rice dish once, so great.  She made me a falafel sandwich, awesome.  Everything here is eaten with pita bread.  Shawarma is still my all-time favorite... spiced (not spicy), juicy meat, tenderly cooked, mixed with light-tasting pickles and prepared on crispy pita bread wrapped to perfection.  So delicious.   


I hope the color-coding helped.  Aside from the language barrier, I'm adjusting much much better.  The buildings are normal to me now.  So are the sounds and smells of the neighborhood.  I'm really really liking it here.. I don't know how I'll feel when I have to come home!  The culture is so beautiful.  So is the music. 

If you guys want me to write about anything, just let me know!