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.