The end of 2012 is nearing us! I can hardly believe it. I got to visit the school I'll be working at and my future apartment in Kufranjah, Ajloun this past week. I'll be working at an all girls k-9 school, with the exception of kindergarten and 1st grade which is co-ed. I met my principle and many of the teachers and they all seem wonderful. The students were excited at having a new person at their school and were all very eager to practice their English with me, introduce themselves, and ask about me. The town itself is beautiful. I got to see my apartment. The last tenant left a lot of furniture, so I am very lucky in that respect and I also have a wonderful view of the Ajloun castle, fruit trees, part of the town, and the mountain side.  I met my landlord and his family who live upstairs from me and they seem sweet. I'm excited to have my own place, but it's comforting to have a family living right upstairs from me if I need anything or get lonely.

Christmas came and went here. We had a bit of celebrating with other volunteers on Christmas day- ate pizza (comfort food!), played apples-to-apples, danced, talked, exchanged secret santas and so on. I tried to skype my family but caught them just as dinner was starting, only to get a quick glimpse of their Christmas Eve feast and a few smiling faces.  It was one of those moments when I once again realized how far away I am... I'm living on the other side of the world! As they were eating dinner Christmas Eve, I was watching the sun rise Christmas morning.

Fortunately, we did get a chance to go see the Christmas lights a few days before Christmas itself. Madaba has a big Christian population so some of the churches and shops do get decked out and I did get to see Baba Noel (Santa) speed by in a pick up truck... 

Christmas tree in Madaba

Posing in front of some Christmas lights.

Me and my host sissies

As for now, I'm done with my practicum in Ma'in so my days are mostly spent at training sessions in Madaba or having Arabic class in Ma'in. I have about 3 more weeks before swearing in as an official volunteer and then moving to Kufranjah. It's another one of those awkward in between times. I'll be really sad to leave my host family and friends in my community, but I'm anxious to set up my home and establish myself again in my new (more permanent) village.

Tomorrow my host sister is turning 6, so we will be having a birthday party for her. I just finished blowing up about a dozen balloons! The kind that you can make hats and animals out of. I'm about to google how to do that...! Saturday we get to go visit the Peace Corps office in Amman and the American embassy for a Peace Corps holiday party. I'll get to meet some of the volunteers who are beginning their second year in Jordan (the J15s) and maybe some J14s who have finished their service and are headed home soon. I'm looking forward to it.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and the last few days of 2012! Happy new year!