We are Palestinian

Hello again everyone...

I am sorry that it has taken me a while to write you. My computer has decided that it works when it wants to. haha. So let me try and catch you up. We have done a lot of exploring lately including seeing the Citadel, the Roman Theater, downtown Amman, ate pastries, and became Palestinian. Don't worry...I will go into more detail in a minute. First I would like to actually talk a little bit about the school now that I have work. haha. Stella and I share a REALLY small narrow office and we moved our desks around literally 10 times to see what worked to avoid glares from a window and not having my back to the door all while making sure we can MOVE around while in there. haha So I think we've got it figured out. At first we only had desks...Stella's chair was crooked but she has a new one now. We eventually got computers and to let you know how old they are I will just tell you that they have floppy drives. haha. If you don't know what that is then you are to young and just get the idea. We eventually got a printer as well but we are still waiting on a phone...I've gotten used to hunting people down anyways and its good exercise. Our first project is creating a spreadsheet to compare other competitive schools to ABS and then I got a task from the principle to create a display for all of the flat screen TV's around the school of the graduating class and students who have received awards. Its taken me a while because I needed to much from other people...like pictures...and names attached to those pictures. haha He wants the College and mapped location for EVERY student that graduated last year. It is a fun project but I don't have enough time and I don't have all of my resources to get it done. I have also observed girls and guys basketball. I officially dislike the girls coach because he thinks teaching inexperienced girls to dribble between their legs and behind their backs is fundamental. I was not happy with ANY of the drills he taught. Sonny(the head of Phys Ed) told me that any one who plays a sport in Jordan thinks they are a national champion since no one plays sports their really. So Sonny says that the coach thinks he's a genius. haha The boys coach however IS a genius! He is so great with the boys and runs really good drills. I wanted to help him full-time instead of with the girls...but I really am needed with the girls. haha Several kept asking why they had to dribble between their legs and that they needed to learn beginner skills. I tried to not get in-between the coach and the girls. haha Oh...the coach...coached in Arabic. hahaha I kept asking the girls what he was saying. We have also volunteered to help with the drama program as they put on a play based on the movie Die Welle(its German!!!). We have helped with auditions and I believe I will be able to help with the singing part of the cast!!!! :-) So excited to do so much at the school. At first we were bored...now we are so busy!!!

This is already to long and I have yet to tell you about our trip around Amman. We went to the Citadel which was a temple for Zeus.(Thats part of a hand and an elbow of supposedly a 44meter statue that once existed.) It was pretty cool...I took some pictures that I already posted. We also went to the Roman theater but it was closed so I took a pic through the gate. After that we walked through downtown Amman and passed by TONS of shops on our way to get coffee/tea.

I got Pepsi. ;-) Abu Hasan (Mohammad, the YMWA bus driver) drove us around to everything because he is awesome. lol He took us to see some of his family where we were invited back the next night for dinner. This is when we became Palestinian! After we ate food made of rice, grape leaves, zucchini, chicken, and eggplant(EW! lol) one of the ladies of the house came in with a handmade Palestinian dress and proceeds to try and dress me...by the way...already dressed. hahaha. She also put a Hijab(head covering) on my head. She took a picture then told me(in Arabic of course) to take it off and put on another one. By the time I had that one on Stella and Amber were also being dressed. It was HILARIOUS. I was almost crying at how excited the ladies were and how they kept taking pictures with us. They would joke around too but we never knew what they were saying. haha. Eventually even Darren had traditional Palestinian dress on. Don't worry...it was a male version of a dress. hahaha.

We have been enjoying the fact that we have other church people here early for the FOT. The Ericksons and Registers were kind enough to come early and conduct meetings during the day and keep us company at night.(I had my first beer in forever!!!) I feel like I'm forgetting something but if I remember I will write a short note. I hope everyone has a good, safe, and inspiring FOT!!!! Don't forget to inspire others! Miss ya'll bunches!

Love,

Amanda