Adventures in the North

Yesterday was our trip to the north to visit Um Qais, Ajloun Castle, and Jerash. I like having already been on these trips before because they were different. Last time, we all were just set loose to run around and explore. This time, we all stayed together (there are only 9 of us after all and most of our language partners) and saw everything as a group. I liked having the big group last semester, but I also like having a smaller group too. We have become tight and when we party, we ALL party. (we have only each other after all) If you have been following my blog since this summer, you already know how this trip went. We left early and bussed over to Um Qais. We explored a bit, then went to Ajloun Castle, and then on to Jerash. We finished at a nice restaurant in the new city of Jerash (still pretty old, just not roman ruins time). We stuffed our faces, and i passed out on the bus home. Later last night, after a short nap, we all met back up and had ourselves a little party (just the CET students, not the language partners). We went to the roof and met up with some Korean students who are also studying Arabic at the language center. They seem to only want to learn fos-ha which I don't really understand because its not really that useful, but I think they may just be having difficulty with learning essentially two languages at one time. Here are some photos from the trip!

From Left to Right, Chelsea's language partner Rasha, Jenny Sue, Chelsea, Me, My language partner Lara

Ajloun Castle

Me and Andrew and Hamze at Ajloun Castle

Pitrus, Olivia, Chelsea, Me, Katie and Jenny Sue...all the girls (and Pitrus of course)

My favorite play structure on the trip is always this door frame...this time was a bit 007 ish, who knows what next time will be!

Morgan, our resident director assistant and Rita a language partner having fun with a hole in the wall

It hit me yesterday on the trip how easy it was for me to slip back into life here in Irbid. It was really difficult to get used to over the summer and I left hating the place. Now, its not my favorite place to live but its not killing me anymore. I realized it must be really hard for the new students and I can hardly remember how awful it was my first time. I keep trying to say it will get easier and it will get better, but I would hate to hear those words if I was in their situation because I wouldn't want to get used to this. But the truth is, it does get easier and better. Not because you get used to the emotional bombardment, but because you find places of relief from it. You find good people, or quiet places, or even some strange part of yourself where you can hunker down in and hide from all the shit they spin here. Its not the perfect way to experience life, but it is definitely better than how I was feeling before. I'm not unhappy here anymore, which is good. I like not being unhappy.