eating with your hands

Well, I am back from an exciting last several days. I am very thankful for the extra memory card I got for my camera before leaving because I have been taking so many pictures! Right now I am listening to some of my language vocab while typing up this post.
This past week at language we decided that I was slowing down my classmate, so I will be on my own in class for a while so I can catch up. Which I am very thankful for as this is vital in me actually getting to know the language—it’s not about a grade like it was for me in high school. I had the opportunity to join a couple of friends to tour around the city a bit more and we ended up being able to enter the Palace grounds. This was way cool, cause other friends have asked to get inside and have been turned down.
I am trying to think of the best equivalent in the size of the Palace grounds and think maybe 2/3 of the U of A campus may be a good comparison. It was quite large. Here is the entry gate:

Then it was off to another city for a couple of days. This was great as it allowed me a lot of listening time. It has been hard for me to put the words/dialogues into context of how they are used out on the street. I was glad to be in a smaller area as well. It was neat to see a different part of NA. We stayed in a local home (well very large home) that accommodated quite a group of us. Here is a photo from the 3rd floor of this rihad:

For lunch on Friday we had the traditional dish that is served on Fridays and it was fabulous. Friends claim it to be the best in this part of the world. This particular serving was the largest I have ever seen in my life:

Our hostesses actually gave us spoons to eat, but traditionally you can eat it with your hands.

Later that afternoon we toured around a bit and saw the King’s Palace in this particular city. He has many all over the country. It was very nice as you can see here:

Later that early evening we went to local friend’s house for coffee and tea and many sweets. It was a lot of fun and a good time for me to take in some language.
The next day we were taken through the medina (old city) and it was incredible. So many sites, sounds, and smells to take in. We were on foot hours at a time, so it was quite a workout, which is good as they serve so many sweets here. For lunch we dined back at the rihad for another traditional meal and this time we ate with our hands. It has become seemingly normal practice and it was actually quite an honor to not be given forks to use.
Check out some photos from the adventures around the old city:

this is what local brides are carried around on during the wedding reception here—we walked through an area where they were making them

these are some photos of a tannery we visited—it was quite stinky and interesting to watch at the same time

here are some examples of the finished product

and here are some exciting photos of local food options found in the medina

inside a very old and active mosque in the city that we were actually able to go inside and see:

And a photo from the train ride back:
As you can see, there is a lot to take in here. I am trying to learn as much as I can and hoping that I will have the memory to keep it all in check. Just got back from visiting our maid’s house where I was able to watch video footage of her daughter’s recent wedding. It was a lot of fun to visit her and try to pick up new words, eat loads of sweets and drink mint tea (my heart is racing from all the sugar), learn about how weddings happen here, and especially meet some of her family. Also doing laundry today which is fun as we have our washer out on the veranda and we hang our clothes up to dry—it has become a fun process. I hope you are well.

Salam!

Greetings! Well, what a week it has been thus far। Going back to class this week has been a bit more challenging and I only shed a couple of tears in the process. It has been an eventful week with more and more firsts. Language is proving to be a challenge as I get embarrassed, shy, and insecure with my lack of memory for words and phrases. I have learned some ways that I shouldn’t learn language thus far :), which can be a great thing in this language learning process. Today, we decided that I need to slow down a bit as I had been trying to catch up to a class that had already been meeting before I arrived, so now I am a bit more optimistic. Early this week I had some good times in chatting with friends here, having somewhat good conversations (on my part) with taxi drivers (practice, practice, practice!), purchasing a north African sleeping bag for this weekend’s trip, getting to know some neighborhoods, taking taxis on my own, hanging out by the ocean, purchasing some local duds from the medina, and eating some fabulous local fair. As I sat down to write this, the smell of rice krispy treats filled our place here and I went into the kitchen to help decide which local pizzas we would order for tonight’s dinner. We definitely don’t seem to be suffering, but it is different. I think of my family and friends coming here and it makes me smile. This is an excitingly different place. Clothes, traffic, smells, being on foot, conversations, sights, tastes, diesel fumes and speak make up many of the differences. Last night I joined up with a belly dancing class that was way fun! It was a good little workout, too. It was fun to move a bit and laugh and shimmy with the ladies. Today I was able to check out some local Roman ruins—I mean seriously—this place has almost everything! I am going to sign off now because I need to practice my alphabet and I have some homework that needs some attention. The photo up top is from the ocean trip and has my 'hood in the background. I hope you enjoy these photos from the last few days…
the mosque that was built over Roman ruins
some of the Roman ruins!
leaving the Roman ruins
this was on the walk home and no it wasn't taken in AR! this is a very atypical home for this place--built with wood and check out that front porch :)

la bas? la bas!

I am well and had a great weekend. It was very full, but great indeed. Lots of firsts here, which is to be expected. Yesterday I had the opportunity to learn how to cook a very popular local dish! It was a lot of fun and very delicious.

We had loads to eat and there was lots of language/culture learning for me!


Later, one of the ladies that was there teaching us how to cook offered to do henna as it is a hobby for her. I told her that I had done some henna with friends back home and she let me practice on her! It was a lot of fun and I am excited to have my hands all henna-ed now. I was grateful that she let me try it out on her.


Yesterday evening I was taken around the neighborhood a bit and enjoyed seeing some of the sites and getting to see a neighboring city and the ocean from a clear and high spot in our ‘hood.

This morning I was able to join some friends for a fun brunch. It was very tasty and a delight. This afternoon I got my mobile phone and am really excited to have it. It is way nice (for me at least) and it even has Suduko on it! I guess I will start learning how to play. This afternoon I spent a few hours reviewing language and am encouraged. I started out pretty incredulous, but after much reviewing—thank goodness for the cds with nationals speaking—I feel a tad more confident. I decided since I had my mobile now, I had to go out on my own to at least talk to someone before it got dark. I went down across the street and had my very first conversation with a national to purchase these really delicious ding-dong type snacks. I had to think of something to get! It wasn’t a long conversation, but at least I went.
I also did my first load of laundry and put the items out to dry on our fancy veranda. This weekend has been fun.
I am eager to be in class tomorrow and hoping that my words learned will be fresh in my mind. I also hope to keep a positive mind on my learning of the language. Well, I hope you are well. Thanks for reading!

पास बे उपों यू!

I got up bright and early this morning after a late night of chatting with my roommate. Made it to my first language class this morning and I hope that you enjoy the photo below that is me waiting outside of my language school—just like all those first day of school photos from the good old days.

It was raining this morning, which is a good thing around here. I was a bit surprised when I saw this outside my window, but was delighted when I watched a little guy run back and forth in the rain to get out in it, then hide from it. It was delightful.
After sitting down for my first language class I had my worries rise up, but was excited as my teacher is very sweet and is really great. I really admire teachers. I taught ESL for a bit and now have such respect for the students I had. My teacher was gracious, very helpful, precise, and great at reading my face when I was in distress. I really enjoyed the initial session and will be continuing my three hours a day through Thursday of next week to catch up to an already further along classmate. There is hope here.
After my session, I joined some friends for a late lunch that was great and serves as the meal of choice in this place. I have been delightfully surprised that people do indeed dine out (which is one of my favorite things to do) often. This has been fun and pretty inexpensive at the same time.
Afterward, I had the opportunity to check out the country’s version of Wal*Mart. Purchased an exciting microwave for my roommate and I. The store really had many items and I was very surprised to see what all is available. I am thankful. Especially thankful that a friend drove us there, so we wouldn’t have to walk a microwave back to our place.
I got to see some new parts of the city today and it really got me excited as some sites were very distinct reminders of home. It was surprising, yet delightful. I am really glad to be here and just excited about learning more about the culture, language and people.
Next weekend I am tagging along with some friends to go to another city a couple hours away। I am really stoked as this will be a really neat opportunity to learn more about the different people in this place. I am very grateful for this time and am in a positive mind.

वेल्कोमे होम!

Well, I am here in my new home and taking it all in—literally. My window is open and life here is bustling on the main artery of a street below. I have ridden in two taxis thus far and have learned that I have a ways to go in learning how to communicate effectively. Our house-cleaner is so sweet and politely asked me to leave the room that she was about mop for us. Later she decided to rename me to Miriam, which is a name that I have recently grown fond of. She does a fabulous job of wiping down our stone floors and keeping the layers of black dust to a minimum. What an exciting adventure this is and I am so glad to be here.
I got everything unpacked last night so I could start fresh and ready this morning, although I slept in pretty well and am enjoying this “morning” and will be going out with my friend this afternoon. As I gaze out the window here at my desk, I see 30 plus satellite dishes and half that many antennas. The wind is blowing and the air is nice and cool. The traffic on our street is constant and the horns add an extra pitch to all the humming of the diesels. Laundry is flapping in the breeze and the outside walls of nearby buildings are painted a crisp white.
As I came into my new room yesterday afternoon, I have to admit that tears came to my eyes. I am actually here. Wow.
I start language school tomorrow and I am ultra happy about that. I can already sense my insecurities coming out as I am so unable to use words to communicate. But I know that it will come. Feeling this way makes me already want to incorporate hundreds of hours in studying practicing, and using the language. I just hope that I will be good at following through on my aspirations.
Leaving you now with a few photos that you may enjoy…thella फ्रासेक

सयिंग गूद्ब्ये टू थे फाम!

अर्रिविंग टू थे एअरपोर्ट अल बग्स!

माय रूम!