Today felt like 10 days wrapped into 1, and is definitely worth writing about.
Early this morning, I received a text message from my 10:30 lesson student, Samer, telling me that he would be unable to attend the lesson today. Although I look forward to working with him each week, it was kind of nice to roll over and go back to sleep for a while. I made it to the conservatory to only be told by my ear training students that only 3 out of 7 would be able to attend the class today. The others are sick with the same flu that knocked me down last week. So instead of having an intensive class, we listened to a Radiolab episode about Wagner's Ring Cycle. It was SO refreshing to talk about music history with people who were actually interested in listening. Artie made a suggestion to me that I should start learning more about music history on my own to keep myself entertained. After today's class, I'm definitely inspired to do this.
After class, Joe and Nadeen and I made plans to go to il Ballad - the downtown. Tikako (with whom I was eating lunch when they arrived in the cafeteria) asked if she could drive us so that someone could wait in her car in the crowded no-space-to-park streets so that she wouldn't get a ticket while she ran into a restaurant to grab some take-away dinner. A ride to downtown? Sounds OK to me! After driving through all of the traffic and feeling REALLY car sick, we made it safely to the restaurant. Joe and I went into the restaurant (Cairo Restaurant) with Tikako, watched her order, and gawked at the delicious food behind the glass. As a reward for waiting with her she gave us some stuff grape leaves. Joe and I eventually ate these for dinner - and they were phenomenal.
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After leaving Tikako, we had a fairly typical downtown experience. Nadeen bought a ring and a necklace from an "antique" store - where the items were actually just made to look antique - and were therefore incredibly affordable. We wandered to the oldest nut/seed place in Ballad - established 1944 - where we bought bizzir and the clerk gave us nooga for free as his treat. Nooga is a kind of a gummy treat that tasted something like Arabic ice cream covered in pistachios. It was quite tasty. I looked for a picture of this, but I can't seem to find one. I'll buy another and take a picture myself. I had a really amazing time today - good company is something that absolutely can't be replaced. I learned many new Arabic words today, too. Always a plus :)
After wandering back to the conservatory, Joe and I made the trek up the hill towards the apartment. The pollution hung like fog over the city this evening and was thick enough that you could almost cut it with a knife. Breathing was interesting. On the way home, we saw this man who was selling fresh almonds from Damascus on the street. He gave us a few to eat. I literally had no cash on me, or I would have gladly traded him a dinar for these delicious nuts. Next time.
After eating our stuffed grape leaves and practicing for a short while, I went to the movies with Nadeen, Humam, and Humam's friend. We saw "The Ugly Truth," a movie that most definitely did not increase my intelligence, but it was so nice to just sit and not think for a few hours. To become engrossed in someone else's drama. Just like going to the movies in America, we stopped at a store before buying our tickets to pick up snacks - far cheaper than buying them inside the theater. Nadeen and I picked some doritos and non-alcoholic beer, while Humam and his friend had a soda and a water respectively. After the movie ended, we all went out for Shawarma in Swaifia. Nadeen and I sat in the car and listened to music while the men ordered and brought the food back to the car. As this Shawarma place has no place to sit down, we had to drive a few blocks away and park. We then proceeded to eat our spoils on the trunk of the car. Apparently this is a very Jordanian thing to do, and we talked about how there may be snow sometime this winter (it's already becoming very cold). I talked about how much snow can sometimes fall at home - and about the great Ithaca snow of Valentines Day 2007. I remember looking up at the sky and seeing stars. And feeling so comfortable. And wishing that I would know that I would have a moment like this whenever I'm feeling upset, because I'm really in good company here.
After coming home, Maryellen and I talked for a while about our respective days. We also started listening to Christmas music. It's weird; there are already trees in the windows of many of the shops at the mall and it's not yet American Thanksgiving. Listening to Christmas music is really making me miss the smell of my house at Christmas time - the wood and ashes from the fireplace and cookies in the oven. And feeling the warmth of the fire while listening to NPR's broadcast of performances of the St. Olaf choir. And going to Mass at home. And I started thinking about watching Meet me in St. Louis by myself and suddenly became very homesick. Sometimes I feel I shouldn't be allowed to think too much this late at night.
Tomorrow morning we are going to the Citadel for real - and will perhaps play a game of European football in the afternoon.
