I'm Back!

Hi friends & faithful blog followers. I'm sorry it has been a while since I have written anything on here! There has been quite a bit going on lately--with quite a bit falling into the overwhelming/emotional/tiring category. Lots of learning happening, lots of times the hard way. The past few weeks have definitely held some challenges, but I feel that I can look back and be grateful for these experiences and the way I am growing through them. 

Some things I am referring to are pretty serious in nature, while others seem insignificant in retrospect. I feel like living abroad for a while tends to exacerbate otherwise slight trials, or perhaps intensify any kind of experiences. Sometimes just doing the smallest things can prove extraordinarily difficult; but at the same time, small things that wouldn't typically be appreciated can cause disproportionate happiness. I guess its a trade-off in that regard.

This past weekend could serve as a relevant case-study. I took a little trip to Jordan, with the essential purpose of re-entering in order to renew my visa (just one of the complications of studying here). On top of just being nervous in general, a few minor incidences happened along the way--including a wild goose chase for an adapter and cigarettes, getting into a taxi accident, and crossing the border late at night with only moments to spare [don't worry mom, I'll explain...]

First of all, apparently the electrical adapters in Jordan are not the same as Palestine, which was kind of a big deal considering I needed to use my phone to send some very important messages. Determined to find a solution, I set out to buy an adapter, which really didn't seem like it would be too difficult. I walked to a nearby shopping area and into store after store [including at least 10 cell phone/gadget stores all on the same street...which made no sense to me], but not one of them had the right kind. This would be frustrating anywhere, but was even worse as a foreigner trying to communicate in half English/half Arabic in an unfamiliar place as one of the only women on the street. Meh :/

I never found an adapter (but did find a computer at the hotel that I could use to send those necessary emails). Then the next morning, I went on another search, this time for cigarettes. No, I haven't started smoking. But the dad of the family I am staying with asked me if I could buy him a carton of his favorite kind of cigarettes that are unavailable in Palestine. So I said, "sure, that shouldn't be too difficult..." [famous last words]. After asking for them in several stores before finally finding the right brand, attempting to get enough money from three different ATMs that didn't work, appealing for help from two different banks, then finally figuring out I could exchange my leftover Palestinian shekels for enough Jordanian dinars, I finally succeeded! All of these adventures involved walking up and down the same long street like 8 times, much to the amusement of the same shopkeepers who kept seeing me pass by. 

Despite my stress [primarily regarding things that are not such a big deal, I know], I was truly struck by how kind people were towards me. When I couldn't figure out how to tell the taxi driver the location of my hotel, someone on the street looked it up and wrote down directions in Arabic to give him. When I frantically realized I needed to print out a copy of my flight itinerary to show at the border, a shopkeeper let me use his printer for free. Just as I was thinking about missing spending Easter with my family, someone randomly wished me a happy Easter, even though the holiday is not celebrated until next week in Jordan. Like I said, sometimes it's the little things.

Nearing the end of the trip, my university decided the best strategy was to try to cross the border right before it closes, so they would be less likely to give me any trouble. This was a really great plan until the hired taxi got into a slight accident literally while leaving the hotel parking lot... Thankfully, we were fairly soon on our way again in a different taxi, but cutting it a little too close for my liking. It was a very strange feeling to be traveling on the last bus between the two borders (in a sort of eerie limbo land) as one of the only passengers in the dark of the desert. But hey, it all worked out fine in the end--I'm back, safe and sound :)