One month in.

Today was another day at center in Madaba. Amongst other things, I learned that centipedes can spit, sheep can bite, and scorpions like to hide in sleeping bags. We had our first aid course today and went over every possible thing that could go wrong. Lessons learned—don’t pet the sheep and shake out your sleeping bag and shoes. A lot more is obiously covered during center days- some if it is repetitive and doesn’t always apply directly to Jordan, but are things the folks in DC require us to cover. After center we came to the hotel (where we all come to take hot showers almost immediately) , ate dinner, and then played the game Mafia for about 3 hours. 

Days and weeks are beginning to go quickly now that I’m more in the groove of things. A month ago today I was getting on the plane to head to DC! Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays I co-teach 1^st, 7th and 10^th grade at the all-girls school down the street from me. Girls are so enthusiastic to participate. Every class I am greeted by all students standing up and in unison saying “GOOD MORNING TEACHER”. Me: Good morning! Them: “HOW ARE YOU TEACHER”. Me: I am good, how are you? Them: WE ARE VERY GOOD, THANK YOU TEACHER. Every question I ask results in almost every hand going up in the air and girls yelling “MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS”, begging to be called on. All the students have one classroom they stay in and it’s the teachers that move around. None of the classrooms are labeled, but people in Jordan are extremely helpful and hospitable so if I ask anyone or simply look a little confused for a split second I will quickly be escorted to my desired destination. There are 2 classes for each grade, but recently one of the 1^st grade teachers has been sick so Ala and I have been attempting to teach to about 40 1^st graders in a classroom designed for 20. It is really… overwhelming. Thank goodness they’re cute. 

The women I work with are amazing. There are 2 other volunteers working at the school with me and during break the teachers bring us tea and coffee and sometimes a full on bread, hummus, lebana, olive buffet. Once again, Jordanians are extremely hospitable. I can’t get over it. From teaching I go to Arabic class and from there I come home to eat lunch and often nap. Evenings are spent either playing/watching TV/studying with Jana and Noor and Khalid at the house or sometimes at Mama Bashar’s house (she lives across the street and has 4 teenage daughters). It’s a wonderful village and it will be hard to leave in January! This coming weekend I will be visiting another Peace Corps Volunteer in Ma’an, in the South of Jordan near Petra. I hear things are quite different in the South so I am excited to see and experience a new part of the country. 

I find out my permanent placement on December 10^th and will move there on January 15^th!!