I’ve nearly a month left in Jordan, and return has been on my thoughts lots these days. I’m trying ahead to going house, seeing my household, and catching up with my buddies. However I’m additionally already lacking so many facets of Jordan that I received’t get to expertise within the states. Right here’s a fast listing of what’s on my thoughts proper now and what I’m going to overlook essentially the most:
1. My host household
These are among the kindest, most welcoming individuals I’ve ever met. I’m going to overlook sitting in the lounge with them sipping tea and watching Turkish dramas. I’m going to overlook the massive household gatherings, with youngsters working round, the scent of shisha smoke heavy within the air, and too many conversations happening directly. This household has taught me greater than I can put into phrases.
2. The fixed chance of sheep
Let me clarify: in Jordan, you by no means know when you’ll open a door whether or not or not a flock of sheep might be outdoors of it. It’s all the time a pleasant little shock, one that can sadly be lacking once I return to the U.S.
3. The meals
Uggh, this one I’m actually unhappy about. Jordanian meals is so good. How am I ever going to return to grocery retailer hummus within the U.S.? To inform you the reality, I’ll by no means eat hummus once more.
Enjoyable truth: Jordan’s nationwide dish, mansaf, is talked about within the Bible. In Genesis 18, Abraham cooks a calf along with milk and bread, just like the way in which mansaf is ready to at the present time! You already know the meals is sweet when God thinks it’s vital sufficient to write down down the recipe.
4. New buddies
Who else can be keen to do a 3 individual Titanic reenactment on the Bosphorus Sea?
5.The cats
This one is admittedly simply an excuse to point out off all the cat footage I’ve taken. Have a look at Basbousa observing her reflection. Isn’t she cute?
6. All the things else
At this level I’m realizing one weblog submit isn’t practically sufficient to cowl the whole lot that I’m going to overlook about Jordan. So I’ll finish with a ultimate quote and gratitude for the sensible phrases of Mahmoud Darwish, a Palestinian poet I’ve been studying plenty of throughout my time right here.
If I had been one other on the street, I’d not have seemed again,
I’d have stated what one traveler stated
to a different: stranger! awaken
the guitar extra! Delay our tomorrow so our street
could lengthen and area could widen for us, and we could get rescued
from our story collectively
Darwish, Mahmoud. “If I Have been One other.” Poetry, December 2005.
Right here’s to savoring each second and delaying tomorrow just a bit bit longer.
