February 7, 2010

The beginning of my 6th month in Jordan, and I finally received my work permit and iqama today.

Wow. That's all.

Out and about in the country

Yesterday, after my 1 PM lesson with Linda, I traveled with Ramez to his hometown of Fuheis, an entirely Christian settlement about a half-hour drive outside of Amman. Traffic was really intense (loud cars, nasty exhaust, too much pollution) on our way there, but once we arrived, I was amazed at how little noise there actually was. The only sounds were coming from neighboring kids playing and dogs barking in the distance. I wish I brought my camera with me because the view was absolutely breath-taking. The sky was cloudy, the air was heavy, and it really felt like a day in October in Ithaca. We ate lunch - oozie and boiled vegetables, fresh-squeezed orange juice, arabic coffee, tea, baklava and chocolate - outside overlooking the country-side. I couldn't get over the amount of nature! I don't think I'm meant to reside permanently in a city. During our meal, a shepherd and a herd of sheep walked down the road. It was picturesque. Ramez told me, "If you enjoy this sort of thing, you're lucky. I swear on all things holy this never happens."

After finishing our lunch, Ramez took me for a tour of Fuheis, that, for being a small town, has a tremendous amount of history and interesting places to see and talk about. From one location it's possible to see the West Bank, and it blows my mind that most of the people who see this view every single day will never have the opportunity to go there. After my tour, we attended an Arabic Mass in one of the two large Catholic Churches in Fuheis.

Kan ieome 7ilu.

I have fabulous friends

On Friday afternoon after Church, I ate mansaf for the first time with my student's family. Mansaf is the traditional Jordanian dish comprised of rice, meat, and yogurt. Check this out if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansaf

And it was really delicious. We talked in Arabic most of the time, an event I wish happened with more frequency here. I don't speak well at all, but I can get by. Afterward I had turkish coffee and cake and gave a theory lesson.

After coming home (and several hours of good conversation later), I skyped with E.j. for the first time in about 3 weeks. Ya habibi, we shouldn't go this long without talking because it seems we have to make lists of all the things we have to say. This is the downside to living 9,500 miles away from your best friend. Around 8:30 or so, Ramez came and picked me up, and we went to a restaurant in First Circle called Magana - the place with the MOST amazing shi-sha in Amman. No contest. I smoked lemon-mint, and Ramez ordered two-apples. We talked for hours about politics, religion, sex, sexuality, dating in different cultures, spiritual experiences, our previous relationships, and everything in between. It's been SO long since I've sat down and hashed out a conversation as lovely as this one was. After coming home, I talked to my Dad for about an hour. A beautiful day of relaxing.

Yesterday I had a full day of teaching - beginning at 9:00 AM. As was predicted for me, my day was good, but relatively uneventful. I practiced for about 3 hours, taught 5 lessons (about an hour a piece), drank tea, and sat through a 2-hour orchestra rehearsal. Afterward, I was really sleepy but not exactly in the mood to go home. Fadi and Munia suggested that I come with them to their house - we tried inviting others but everyone had plans - and we hung out until about 1:30 AM. Again, I partook of delicious Arabic food and good conversation. We listened to Arabic music and Classical music, and shared our favorite instrumentalists and singers with each other (via Youtube). I forgot exactly how much I love opera. I need to stop doing this to myself and just listen more regularly! It's wonderful.

Today I'm planning to teach a lesson at 1 PM. What's amazing right now is that the college-level students are on a break. This means that I don't have any college-level classes (Ear-Training, Theory, Form) to teach right now. I will have a relatively relaxing afternoon and then an epic orchestra rehearsal tonight. We're playing music - Bartered Bride Overture, Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, and Tchaik 4 - that is too hard for us, but I must admit that I'm enjoying it.

I just returned home from the Friday, noon, English-speaking Mass in Jabal Al-Wehbde. The man who sat next to me - his name is Raymond - gave me typed-up prayer sheets and a Mother Mary pendant, and at the end of the Mass told me he was from Jerusalem. I had really beautiful, quality, silent time with him today. It's been a long time since I've experienced something like that. Especially with someone who only a few minutes earlier was a complete stranger.

I'm looking forward to this afternoon - lunch, turkish coffee, music theory, and practicing. I'm still trying to decide what my plans should be for the remainder of the evening, and if it should involve going somewhere or staying put. I'm happy either way.

Too much (clap clap!) time on my hands...

I've been eating so well this week it almost seems unfair.

I've been helping one of my students with her music theory homework, and her mom has been inviting me to their home for lunch as a thank you. Holy cow. On Sunday, we ate kusa adowallah (I have no idea how to actually spell this), but squash stuffed with rice. So good. Yesterday they fed me this dish that literally means "upside-down" in Arabic - chicken with rice... and the tabbouleh! So delicious. Today, Rana took me to her grandparents' home where we ate a totally different kind of rice and chicken dish - with chicken broth and vegetables over top. It was so delicious that I ate 3 helpings. For dessert we had some kind of sweet pastry - phillo dough stuffed with cheese filling. Mmmm. I think I've gained over half the weight I lost with the Ameba (oh George, I don't miss you) this week.

I'm in class giving my final analysis exam and wondering where the last four months have gone. Seriously, I can't figure it out. February 6th will mark the beginning of my 6th month here in Amman.

Next semester I'm teaching "Introduction to Form and Analysis". I'm thinking I'll probably give the same class with some baby-steps into the class. This way if I teach the course again in the fall, I can give them 20th-century form and analysis. :D

I'm singing with a choir now - It's funny to me because Allyss also sings with the group. On the list of my life expectations, singing in a choir in Jordan with my first voice teacher did not initially appear. I think it will prove to be a really fun semester with this group. We're traveling to Germany in May! Walla! I'm excited.

It's been really cold here the past few days - temperatures as low as 0 at night. It's been amazing. It makes me feel like a little kid. I think I eventually I need to live some place where cold weather and snow are a part of daily winter life. I've been missing Ithaca, not in a realistic way, but in a nostalgic way... oh I wish I could dig my car out of a snow bank right about now!

Tomorrow afternoon I'm planning to go with Haifa to cut my hair. I hope this means a little separation and break from the bad energy I've been carrying with me lately.

The end of next month will bring big changes to my place of employment - I'm REALLY hoping that they're positive ones.

It's been Ithacating all day

And I feel so alive.

Rain. Ridiculous winds. Grey skies. It's supposed to be cold enough tonight that it may snow. I really hope so. It's kind of funny to me how I never realized (until now) that I feel so alive in cold weather. The kind that makes you shiver when you walk outside. It's what I've been missing so far this winter.

Since when is it January 25?

We played a combined concert about a week ago in honor of the king's birthday with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. The program included the Overture to Rossini's La Gazza Ladra, Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 1, and R-K's Scheherazade. I had so much fun preparing for this concert. It's the first time in a long time that I actually felt relaxed and excited about performing. And it was SO nice to play with harp.

Next concert includes Tchaik 4!

Yesterday some of my students played in a recital with Allyss's voice studio in the main hall of the conservatory. It was so warm in there, to the point that I would have been most upset if I were performing. I was so proud of each of my students, though - one as young as twelve - to get up and play in front of a room full of people - and play MUSICALLY! It's really encouraging for me to know that they're all working so hard.

The other night Maryellen and I had Ramez over for dinner and we watched Lilo and Stitch. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard. I've realized recently is that I'm not laughing as much as I used to... a point that definitely deserves to be worked on.

I've been going to Mass again recently and it is so refreshing. What's really interesting to me is the disparity between the services. On Fridays I go to a Mass in English, and it seems that the entire Filipino population of Amman is there, while on Sundays and during the week, I go to a 7:30 AM Mass that is filled with older Arabic-speaking men and women who seem perplexed with my attendance.

It's so cold in my house right now. To the point that I'm just amused. And that I may wear my winter hat to bed. :)