Happenings

Well, it’s been another week. I can’t report on anything especially exciting, but I want to share a little bit about the things I’ve seen and perceived over the last week.

I’m “home alone” for Christmas, but not really. Most of the Fubrighters are back home, and the remainder of them are in Bethlehem for the holiday. I’m going out on Christmas Day with Sarah and some of her friends to the mall, which I’m looking forward to a lot.

Christina’s parents are here for 10 days, and they too went to Bethlehem this morning. They brought us lots of goodies like fudge, cookies, peanut butter cups made in Rochester, NY, and gluten free ginger snap cookies. They’re staying in Matt and Hesham’s apartment while they are away to the USA.

We also got a tiny Christmas tree for the house, and a few lights.

Miniature tree

Coping with Cold

I wrote a lot about the storm last post, so I won’t repeat. But it has remained pretty cold at night. Our landlord brought us a little space heater, and now we can have a warm bathroom for showers. Also, he is buying carpets for all the units – making him the best landlord I’ve ever had.

Everyone is dealing with the cold differently. A lot of the street cats are suffering just as people are. The other day I saw a little tabby mashed against a light that was lighting up the sidewalk. I’m sure he was gaining just a little bit of comfort from the bulb.

Plagiarism

So, I’ve written about the issue of plagiarism here, and the steps I’ve taken to avoid it in my essay assignment for my class. Only one student plagiarized his whole essay, because he wasn’t in class when we were working on the assignment together.

I handed him back his essay yesterday, which had a “0%” and the word PLAGIARISM underlined in red written on it. When I handed it back to him, I explained that he got a zero because I could tell it wasn’t his work. I also told him that if he wanted to get any points at all for the assignment, he would have to stay after class and write the essay again from scratch under my supervision.

After class, he did come back. I gave him the rubric, and had him write it by hand. I corrected it, and then gave it back to him to rewrite with the corrections on my laptop. Each step the others students had to do.

When he was finished, it was a great essay, one of the best I had gotten. I told him it was good, and helped with punctuation errors. He argued that it was a “weak essay” and I explained that it was a strong essay because it was exactly what I wanted –  for him to learn the writing process and produce something with his own effort. If I want to read a stellar essay, I can search for one online. I also had to explain to him that he could have probably gotten a full grade had he just done this in the first place. 100% means completing the assignment that is based on my expectations for my students’ understanding of English. There is just a disconnect about what the purpose of the essay was.

As mom put it so well, “well, Julie Dear, you’re teaching more than just English in your class.” I guess so.

Wheelchairs and Strollers

Driving home from a restaurant where the four of us had dinner with Christina’s parents before everyone left, I saw a window display that had a wheelchair right next to a baby stroller. As mom always says about having children, “remember that you’re not having a baby, you’re having a 90-year-old in a wheelchair.” It may seem pessimistic, but it just means that you will bring a human into the world who will experience all ages and struggles of life, along with the good.

Too often, we compartmentalize humans into age groups, when we all have so much in common. Why not sell the wheelchair next to the stroller? Why not remind people that these two stages of life that require dependence on others are not so different after all?

Care Packages made of Slippers and Snowglobes

Christina’s parents brought my mom’s care package from the US to me. It contained the much-anticipated slippers, and my dear brother send me snow globes to remind me of snowy Montana. He laughed when I thanked him for them, and said that he sent them to be before it snowed in Jordan, so I got the real thing too.

My feet are so incredibly warm all the time now, and there isn’t a moment (besides showering) that I don’t wear my new fuzzy slippers in the house.

Fuzzy Slippers

Snow globes from Eric

The Weight of Snow

Because the snow was very deep at my university, a lot of the trees on campus fell over. I took some picture of the fallen trees and sent them to mom, and she wrote a poem “The Weight of Snow,” below.

“The Weight of Snow”

So tragic.

The start of the layers: light, seemingly weightless flakes, like air currents themselves, drifting

and like Time, like Life-lived –  the layers obliviate the original scenes and purposes

so heavy that the unprepared are broken and fall.

Those who begin “too early” living the burden of the weightless

may stand under the layered sophistry –

– strengthened by the weight of snow.

-Debbie Elder

On the occasion of receiving from Julie Dear

digital photos of broken trees in Amman,  Jordan

Dec.23, 2013

Work and things

I’ve been trying to sort out what I will be teaching next semester. One of my pre-English students asked if I could teach a section of the technical writing class, so that is in the works with the administration. Ideally, I would like to be on campus just two days a week, because it’s a long trip to the university to teach for just one hour.

Hopefully, I will be teaching two classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, but I might be teaching one class Monday and Wednesday, and one class Thursday.

A lot of what I try to communicate gets lost in translation. Often things are misunderstood, or I end up in the wrong place or with the wrong assignment. It teaches a person to be much more flexible and forgiving. We all expect it from one-another.

The Snowpocalypse

Endearingly known as the snowpocalypse, the last week has been an event due to historic rain and snowfall in the Middle East, and Jordan has been no exception. Webdeh has had around 6″ sticking, but other areas in Amman have seen over a foot. The roads are impassible, and the city has shut down on some type of combination of a state of emergency and national holiday.

The leaves began changing to yellow right before the storm.

The rain set in before the snow. Paris Circle.

The Jordanians have enjoyed the snow for the most part, but I do think they are ready to go on with their lives. The young men (especially in the streets), have become a bit antsy, and as a result the harassment has gotten worse. Since foreign women are sometimes the only females in the street, and definitely the only unchaperoned ones, then we’re bearing the brunt of unwanted attention.

The Jordanian Thanksgiving

On a lighter note, Sarah’s family invited us over for dinner the other night, and we were treated to a feast that can only be compared to an American Thanksgiving dinner. The table was enveloped by food: malfoof, maqluba, mahshy, kabobs, and four different desserts. We had a lively four hours of conversation in only Arabic (Sarah’s family is the sweetest, most welcoming, and nonjudgmental group of people I have ever met). We also met another of Sarah’s students, Alexandra, from Russia, who is interning with UNRWA.

Our tutor, Sarah is on the left. Her friend Alexandra from Russia was also with us at the dinner.

The Rajl Talj – Snowman

On Wednesday, when it started raining with purpose, I told Sarah (my Arabic tutor), that if it did in fact snow, I would make a snowman on my window balcony and send her a picture. Little did I know that I would actually be sending said picture just two short days later.

The mini snowman on our window balcony.

The snow in Paris Circle.

The Essay

My students turned in their essays last week before the storm hit. 35/45 of them submitted it, meaning that 10 students lost 10% of their grade. I don’t think they are all that concerned, because I haven’t received any emails from them. I was actually really happy with the results; it was an opinion essay asking them to identify the three things they believe they need to be successful in life. Many chose hard work, perseverance, focus, etc. and I commented on their essays that I hope they will use these qualities and beliefs as they pursue their own goals. I also had them identify obstacles to success, and make a connection between the obstacle they chose and the quality that can help them overcome it. An example of this would be hard work overcomes the obstacle of laziness.

The Umbrella

On the day the snow really hit Webdeh, I was studying with friends in Cafe Strada, the closest thing that I can find here to The Break Espresso in Missoula (my old haunt). It has brick walls, no smoking allowed, the best espresso I have had here, and a laid back atmosphere. They also sell things like salad that I am able to eat. After grading around 30 essays over 4-5 hours in the cafe, Hesham, Christina and I braved the blizzard that was going on outside, and tried to find a taxi to take us home.

Cafe Strada

When there was no taxi in sight, we decided to make the 20-minute walk home in the snow. Mind you, I didn’t really bring snow-proof boots here, as I was not anticipating said snowpocalyse. So, within minutes my feet were soaked, and wet snow was plastered all over us. My head would have been unprotected and wet too had I not had my handy dandy umbrella along with me.

So we slipped and slid along the wet snow up and down stairs. The only other people on the street were shabab (young men) throwing snow balls at one another and us. Snow etiquette in Jordan? Like not throwing snowballs at the asses of some women you don’t know who are walking by? Nonexistent.

After we passed some snow-throwing youth, Christina told me a guy that had walked by us had touched her inappropriately. He had gone away, so we just kept walking. However, about 3 minutes later, when we were halfway down a long staircase, he caught up to us and asked Hesham where downtown was (which was a stupid question since everyone here knows where the balad is) and I suspected he had other plans. He walked past us, then slowed down so much that we had to walk back around him. Hesham was out in front, and Christina and I skirted wide around him, because we both knew this was the same guy who had been trying to feel her up.

I hung back a bit as Christina passed him, and when I saw he was starting to move too close to her, I lowered m umbrella and wound it up, just in case he tried something. Then, I saw him move in and start reaching for her butt, and I immediate whacked him over the head as hard as I could with the closed umbrella. He ran off down the street and I yelled some flavorful insults in his direction and told him he’d better run.

We made it home not long after that, after feeling like every shabab lurking in the snowy night was grabbing for us. My umbrella was ready in hand.

On Rainbow Street outside Cafe Strada after the first snow stuck.

Snow blowing seen from inside the warmth of Cafe Strada.

Meanwhile on the home front…

Some of the other Fulbrighters or other expat friends in Amman have been without heat or water for three days into the snowstorm. So, those of us who do have heat and water have been having  them stay over, or at least come spend time in our houses so they can shower and eat hot food. It has been eye-opening to see the difference in experiences among just our small group. The story has been much the same throughout Amman, where some neighborhoods had two-meter drifts, and others had barely a sprinkling.

Many of the Fulbrighters have been volunteering and raising awareness for various organizations that have responded to the need of refugees for heaters, gas, and money for electricity to heat homes. Although camps like Zaatari weren’t hit with snow like Amman was, a large percentage of refugees are living in host communities throughout Jordan, and they were in the most desperate need of help. One organization that has been helping with emergency relief is the Collateral Repair Project. You can donate if you feel like contributing to their efforts to get heat to the refugees. Two Fulbright friends went along as the organization delivered the little heaters to those who need them, so I’m confident in the organization.

A view taken by a local photographer of the streets in Amman.

Also taken by someone else, this looks like the orange tree outside my window.

And of course…a camel in the snow. Photo credits to Jordan Times.

Another scene in Amman. Photo credit Jordan Times.

The Request

Last week, I helped out with a workshop training series put on for the International Rescue Committee and another local organization AMAN, both public health organizations. Besides this, I’ve only been working on the UNFPA report that is going to prepare the organization for a work plan. The hard part about this is that I’ve been working with three different supervisors on the project. The first told me how she wanted it formatted, and what to include. The second said that I had done was no good and she formatted it herself and sent it back. I have been working on that copy. However, not long ago, the Director of the Institute came by the office, and said to scratch all the previous forms, and told me a different set of information that should be included. At this point I’m frustrated, still don’t know what they want or what I should work on, and have spent over a month on and off working on it. Now with the snow week, I haven’t been into my internship for a week and a half, so really don’t have a clue that is going on.

The other day, a few employees asked me if I would be interested in teaching English to the staff, and said it would be helpful. As much as I want to be helpful, the last thing I want to do is teach more English. I’m in the internship for the specific purpose of building international development skills at an administrative level. So, I’m going to have to break that to them nicely.

Something for everyone. The International Hotel in Amman.

Brainstorming about gender based violence.

The gender based violence workshop done by IFH for other organizations.

In Other News

I’ve applied for another internship with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) because the position was advertised to Fulbrighters specifically, and because they also have an office in Cairo if I decide to transfer there after my Fulbright year. Hopefully I hear back from them soon.

My university has been closed and classes cancelled for the last week and a half because of ice, snow, and no electricity. Because of this,my exam schedule has been pushed back in all classes, and I hope the semester won’t be extended as well. We shall see. I need to come up with a game plan for rescheduling and making sure all students know when the exams will be. Wish me luck.

Hesham’s choir, Dozan w Awtar performing at the Russian Catholic Church in Swefiyah.

Our friend Elena’s birthday party, one of many celebrations and gatherings we have here.

The really awesome chicken soup I made on the coldest snow day.

Snow day brunch with heaterless people.

Take responsibility!

The happenings of this week have reminded me of the importance of taking responsibility for your actions and your words.

I’m teaching two MIS Terminology labs for senior students at PSUT, and recently they each signed up to present for 25% of their grades. When I arrived on Tuesday for the class, neither of the teams that had signed up to present were ready. One had emailed me in the morning saying she couldn’t do it (to which I promptly replied that she must or she would lose points), and the others “didn’t realize they had signed up for a specific date” although their names were written by them on the sign-up sheet that had dates clearly specified.

It’s not like I had expected anything different. It doesn’t matter what side of the world you are on, students “forget” or have grandparents die unexpected when exams or projects are due. I docked both teams 5/25 points which they of course didn’t like, but I told them: “You need to learn to be responsible. You must do the things you say you will do.”

The second lesson in responsibility is with the UNFPA report I’m struggling with. As my supervisor put it, “the ones doing the reporting just don’t take responsibility for reporting accurately and efficiently.” The result of these people not committing to doing a good job on the reporting is that it is nearly impossible, if not impossible, to find the numbers UNFPA wants from us.

So, a lesson for me, and a lesson for you: when you don’t do what you say, or should do, or know you should do, you’re messing up far more than your character.

Taxi Names

So, I’ve been here for almost 4 months, but I only just read the sign that’s on the side of the taxis I take all day, every day. The names, I discovered, are very Jordanian: Green Taxi, and Smooth Taxi.

So, why Jordanian? Well, green is a significant color in Islam, which is why the mosque turrets are often lit up with green florescent lights. Smooth? Well, nothing about Jordan seems very smooth, with the exception of smooth kunafeh, which is my favorite kind. If you’ve never seen kunafeh, here’s a picture, and here’s a link for you to explore the oddness of this dessert-like thing that many of the Fulbrighters are addicted to. A wheat substance that’s fried on the top of mozzarella cheese doused in syrup is how I would describe it.

Here’s a picture of a cab, and one of kunafeh, for your enjoyment.

And then there is the natural gas truck that stops two lanes of traffic to turn around in the middle of the street

Yes, this happened. I was coming home from work, and it was in the middle of rush hour. The truck didn’t want to go down the hill and try to turn around, so he began to nose out into traffic, blocking everyone, until not yielding was futile and everyone realized this aggravating moment would pass more quickly if they just got out of his way. So we waited patiently while he corrected and re-corrected his little truck that has no steering range until he had reversed his direction.

So these gas trucks. They roam the streets at all ungodly hours of the early morning, afternoon nap times, and late at night. They all play the most annoying song you’ve ever heard, especially if you hear it first while sleeping. It’s even worse than the incessant honking that all the cars do here. If you want gas, you have to run out into the street and call him over, then he comes up to your house, takes you empty canister out of your kitchen (which is attached directly to the stove), and brings you up a new one.

For your enjoyment, here’s a video you can watch that you can see the truck and hear the ever-present song.

The gas truck you always wanted for a toy

Other

This week was the last week of Qasid Arabic classes for me. I’m going to be taking 5 hours of tutoring a week now, instead of three, since this is really what’s bringing up my proficiency. I am relieved that I have 6 less commutes per week, and 9 less committed hours I have to be somewhere. Perhaps, somewhere, relief is in sight…