On preparing to leave Jordan (already?)

I have been a very bad blogger the last week or so on account of several factors—to my fledgling readership ( I know you’re out there) I make the following excuses:

1. I was really busy writing OTHER stuff for work
2. I was in the Jordan Valley without an internet connection for 4 whole days
3. I was in a conference talking to people, rather than writing about them (although taking mental notes to do that later)
4. I got incredibly sick in the middle of aforementioned conference, and spent about 36+ hours in bed, only to get out of bed, go to work, realize that this wasn’t such a hot idea, and turn right back around and get back in bed

To any readers out there who may be my mother: I’m fine now, and yes I drank plenty of liquids.

At any rate, here I am, alive and in one piece, and officially back on my feet, having completed a full and busy day at work, and a few hours downtown in which I frequented 3 different cafes to meet three different sets of friends who I wanted to see before I left, bought a gigantic suitcase, and hobbled my way into a cab with it to get back home.

Let the suitcase anecdote segway<!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[1]<!–[endif]–> into the fact that I am preparing to leave Jordan.

Which brings up a mix of things to think about and of course feel. I know I am about to leave a place when I start making a mental checklist of Things I Will Miss About said place, and Things I Will Most Definitely NOT Miss about said place. Today’s list started off on the bus to work; rattling down the busy street on a bus weaving in and out of traffic in a manner that would have been described in a place where people actually observe traffic lanes as PRECARIOUS, rolling past the open lots filled with trash and the auto shops near where my environmental organization keeps its office (what can I say, it keeps us going), I thought in a nostalgic way, gee, I’m going to miss this commute.

And then I did a reality check, and thought, no, no, wait, I’m really not.

And so began the list of Things I Will Most Definitely NOT Miss about Amman:

• Biadur Wadi Al Seer and my lovely morning commute

• The incessant honking

• The fact that when I want to take the bus every car that passes is a taxi honking at me, but when I want to take a taxi there are none to be found for what seems like hours

• Being stared at for crossing the street, walking down the street, standing still on the street, or having any other sort of normal human interaction with the street

• Slow internet bandwidth

• The sidewalks that end, break, disappear or sprout random trees

• Being pegged a tourist

I’m sure I’ll think of more as time goes on. To be fair, here is a list of Things I Will Miss About Amman:

• The occasional sudden beautiful view
• Jebel Amman, Rainbow St., Books@Cafe
• Hashim Restaurant
• People telling me “Welcome to Jordan!”and meaning it
• The real coffee (but NOT Nescafe)
• The pastries (Jabri especially for anyone heading to Jordan, do not miss!)
• The sense of accomplishment I get every time I reach my destination or accomplish what would be an ordinary task elsewhere

I think I am most sad to leave the work that I feel I have just gotten started on—especially my involvement with projects in the Jordan Valley. I have lots and lots to say about all of this, but don’t even know where to start.

So I will digress to say that I am still grappling with how I want to narrate this blog in terms of telling my stories fully, honestly and in an entertaining way, while respecting the characters in them, who may or may not know that I am writing about them. I may change some names, or avoid using names, or just try not to blaspheme anyone…bear with me as I work this one out.

This isn’t much of a parting post, but that’s mostly because I’m not done yet–I got bogged down with work and traveling that I haven’t even begun to tell the stories that I set out to tell.

 

<!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[1]<!–[endif]–> According to Microsoft Word, segway is not a word. Any help on this? Also, I’m not sure how I feel about footnotes in my blog. Just trying it out.

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