It’s so nice to know it is Thursday … it’s the beginning of the weekend here because work and school schedules run Sun-Thurs, allowing Friday (the holy day) and Saturday for the weekend.
Today was quite low-key… just a typical day at school basically. We had to do dictation in Arabic, which is always a killer for me – afterwards, my brain just feels like mush… 
I know that many people envision the
The
Since it’s the most prestigious, and largest university in the country it houses every major imaginable – from law, to medicine, to Islamic jurisprudence, humanities and everything else. 
It’s pretty easy to meet people – especially since I stand out as a foreigner.
Universities here have become more conservative in the last 15 years, so most of the girls do cover at least their heads (hijab), although some wear the complete covering, with a screen over their eyes (burkah). It’s often because it’s the first time that guys and girls are at the same school, so girls get lots of stares from the immature and desperate guys… and covering is a way to protect yourself and to blend in a bit more. 
UJ is pretty much like any other campus in the states – with lots of students eager to learn about the world and break out of their shell. Since the vast majority of the students still live at home, they all like to hang out on campus until quite late (sometimes 
It’s not unusual to see guys and girls sneakily sitting behind a building talking alone. Since dating isn’t very common, it’s usually only the brave who venture to be alone with someone of the opposite sex in public. It’s very clear that guys hang out with guys, and girls with girls.
Something that was a bit difficult to get used to was seeing guys hold hands, or holding one another as they walk – but close friends do that a lot and it’s not a big deal at all. In fact, I’ve had to get used to having girl friends/acquaintances wanting to hold my hand and hold me really close to them as we talk or walk.
I really recommend coming out and spending a year or so abroad, especially while in college. Living in another culture has really broadened my perspective, and has caused me to re-evaluate my own culture, customs and attitudes. In doing so, I’ve discovered that I was a lot more prejudice than I ever thought. Underneath the veneer of “open-mindedness” I often thought that others didn’t quite do it right if they weren’t doing it the American way – and that’s pretty pathetic.
I need to jet off to my host family’s house… so I’ll write more on this another time… ma’salaama
So today is my Dad’s 78th birthday.. you might be thinking.. “woah.. that guy is old…” and it’s true that he is old compared to most of my friends’ dads.. but he’s the one that God gave me, and I wouldn’t want it another way.
Most people who read this have little, if any idea about my life as a child growing up.. but that’s okay… because all that really needs to be said is that I prayed a long time to have my dad in my life in a tangible way, and since that happened, 13 years ago… a big piece of me has been able to be at least partially completed.
The importance of having a dad who is in your life is undeniable. Although I never lived with him, the fact that I was able to see him gave me something that many, many kids don’t have in the states. 
He is someone I admire in a lot of ways – he’s very intelligent, witty, handsome, and charming. His birthday today reminds me that God’s been so faithful to extend his life for the past three years.. knowing that he won’t be around forever makes me more thankful than ever that I have been able to share the majority of my life with him. I miss him dearly, and can’t wait to feel his arms around me, and hear him tell me he loves me. It’s those two things that make my dad so wonderful. After everything is said and done.. I’m so proud to be his daughter, and want so much for him to be around as long as possible.
I just wanted to honor him today in a public way – and say.. happy birthday dad – I really love you. [photo: on left, Uncle Al.. on right, my dad]
So I am completely blown away. I signed onto xanga and noticed all these extra buttons and after a few moments realized that I had premium, but how? I’m assuming that someone gave me a xanga gift, and I have no idea who to thank. Whoever you are – I am so surprised, and so thankful. I don’t know what came over you to do that – but I’m really touched..
So for every time I have color, or a photo, or something exciting like that… it’s because of you.
I hadn’t got it yet because I’d made a promise to myself, and God, that I wouldn’t use my credit card at all while I was overseas. And aside from once, when I sent my dad flowers while in the hospital… I have kept that promise. This is a huge blessing… so whoever you are… I am very grateful.
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Last night will go down as legendary and will be talked about for a long, long time in the dorm building I live in.
Weeknights our curfews are
I had been carefully monitoring the clock at the café that Carolyn and I were hanging out at… noticing it was 9:20pm I got up and told her I needed to start heading out before the outside doors were locked. She laughed when she looked at her watch – “Esther, it’s 
Rushing to get in a taxi I dropped her off and headed out towards the university, where I live. As soon as the driver took off I realized that I was standing in front of the door with no more money left, and my phone completely dead.
I tried ringing the doorbell several times, but after no response, I decided scaling the wall and dropping down over the security fence would at least get me closer to my goal.
Hoping that the side door would be propped open I headed towards it, only to discover it locked.
Not wanting to sleep outside, and not being able to climb back over the wall – I was left to the mercy of the residents on the first floor, who I was hoping could let me in.
After knocking on the first window with no response, I tried the next one over.
I looked in and could see two girls sleeping, but with no other viable option – I knocked on the window. One of the girls looked up and freaked out to see a shadow standing outside her window. She quickly woke up the girl next to her and they began holding one another and keeping the covers over their head, assuming I was some crazy person trying to get into their room.
Thinking they could hear me, I began telling them in Arabic… My name is Esther.. I’m from
After about five minutes I realized they were not going to budge. Gathering all her courage, one of the girls jumped up and ran towards the phone. Turning the light on, I thought she could see me now and would realize who I was…. Continuing to shout, “I’m a girl! I’m Esther, I’m from
Assuming the police would be arriving any moment I decided to just plop down and wait. However, instead of calling the cops, they called their neighbor – who came in to check out the commotion.
I knew I wasn’t getting any closer to getting let in, but was now trying to calm them all down because I could hear them wailing and could see they were genuinely afraid. I just kept repeating, “I’m Esther”… and at one point I heard a response but couldn’t quite understand it.
After another few minutes the director of the building came into the room and after opening the window, finally saw who the “crazy American girl shouting outside their window” was..
At first she tried to turn me away telling me it was past curfew (something I obviously knew since I was standing outside)… but with the help of the girls who I’d nearly given heart attacks, I was let inside and greeted by a group of giggling girls happy to see I wasn’t some lunatic.
Later I spent quite awhile getting to know the girls, and laughing about it all…. I was trying to explain what had happened, and why I had ended up at their window.
They told me, “We heard you saying, ‘I’m a girl’ and ‘I’m an American’… but we also thought you kept repeating, ‘I’m Easter’ and couldn’t figure out what that meant… so we yelled back, ‘Christmas’.. but that didn’t seem to get you to go away so we didn’t know what to do.”
I about fell over from laughing so hard… although making a major fool of myself, it was probably the best icebreaker I could have had to meet and talk with them. One of the girls wanted to know what I thought of the Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion, because I’m a Christian and she saw it and was really touched by it. I’m pretty sure that we’ll be hanging out a lot more now.
As much as an adventure as it was… I think I’ll make sure to get in on time tonight. =) [last photo is the inside of my room that I share with Chrystal.. a girl who teaches here]
I’m so bad about updating my xanga photo.. or for that my website photos… I think this summer I’ll finally give in and go premium… *sigh*… [bowing to peer pressure again] ..hehe…
I like to tell stories about photos though … so this was taken a few days ago.. the second night I was in Tunis.
We walked around the downtown souq, and then up a tree-lined avenue and ate at a posh little Italian cafe that overlooked part of the street.
As we left I got my camera out and started snapping various photos of the place, street, and people I was with (friends of my friend).. and this was only one I got of myself… so here it is.
Can I just say that the beauty of this country is stunning.
Due to the bureaucracy it took us two days to get her stuff out of air cargo, but now basically her house is all set up, and I’ll be leaving tomorrow to back to Amman.
It’ll be sad to leave her here because I consider her to be such a close friend and care a lot about her. However, I’m really excited for her new life that will begin here. It’ll be great to see to see what fabulous things happens through the years as a result of her life…
Today we’re going to go to the beach – it’s my first time at the Mediterranean, and it looks like a cloudy day. I’m not going to complain though, just the fact that we get to go at all is nice. Today is our day of exploring a bit more now that we have a rental car to jet around in.
Last night we spent the evening hanging out, lounging around eating chicken, rice soup and watching Season 3 of Alias, yet again. It’s become quite like an obsession.
Just thought I’d let the world know… 41 days til I return to the states….
I write this from Tunis, Tunisia. For those of you who flunked out of geography – it is in North Africa, between Libya and Algeria.
I’m here with a friend who is settling in, and I’m helping with the transition essentially. It was a huge honor when I was invited to come and assist.
So far we’ve wondered around the capital but haven’t made our way outside of the city. The Mediterranean is stunning.
We’ve gone to Carrefourre twice now, which is the French’s version of a Super Wal-Mart – except bigger. I hadn’t realized it was possible.
You can see the French colonialists everywhere, particularly throughout the old city. They were amazingly effective in spreading their architecture, culture, and language. Everything is in French.
In North Africa the Arabic is so vastly different from the Jordanian dialect I’m used to.. but it’s fun to try and practice some French. I want to become fluent in both Arabic and French – so it’s a great place to spend a few days… and maybe longer in the future… I’m open.
Every time I leave Jordan I realize how much of a home it has become to me. I return on Friday, and then I’ll have only 40 days left til I return to the strange world I’m from. The internal process of leaving has definitely begun. It’s something that is so difficult to explain. I just know that coming was so much easier and less complicated than leaving will be.
