There are so many things I take for granted. Probably the greatest thing I take for granted is the relationship I share with my sweet husband. We are genuinely happy together, and we chose each other not just because we were in love, but because we are perfectly matched.---
This week, I went to a beauty shop to get my hair trimmed. The woman who came to the door didn't speak a lick of English, but told Kyle that there was a girl inside who was studying English at the university who would be able to translate for me. With that, Kyle left to put sleeping London to bed (our apartment is only 1 building away). The second I sat down, the three women who work there swarmed me and began asking a hundred questions. The first thing they wanted to know was if Kyle and I were related to one another. So--in the Middle East, there are basically only arranged marriages; and it's not uncommon for you marry a relative (a cousin), who also happens to be ready to get married. There is no such thing as dating before an engagement. The father of the groom asks the father and mother of the bride, a contract is signed, and the two are, for all intents and purposes,"married" before they are ever allowed to spend time alone (a chaperon is almost always present when an engaged couple is together). When I told the ladies that we were not related, they went crazy! They asked the university student fifteen more questions- before she asked me, "So, you fell in LOVE?!" "Yes!" The women all gasped, beamed, looked up dreamy-eyed, gathered themselves, and fired questions, one after another, after another. I told them all about how we met, that we only intended on being friends, and then, fell in love, and were married in a white castle a year later. I sat in the chair for over an hour, just answering their questions, and they looked at me like I had told them the most beautiful story they had ever imagined. The women were so kind and told me, "We love you! You are welcome here! Please come back and see us! We love you!" I left the shop, so happy to have made new friends, and so sad that they will never know what it feels like to choose the person they want to spend the rest of their existence with. Granted, it is a very good thing I didn't marry some of the people I fell in love with---but a marriage that begins without any of those wonderful feelings of utter bliss that only comes because your whole soul is consumed by the way you feel about your spouse, just makes my heart ache! And that is all I have to say about that.
About a 45 minute bus ride from Amman lies the ancient city of Jerash, with the most complete remains of a Roman city anywhere in the world. This was our choice for a field trip this week. The ruins are surprisingly complete, with roads, a colosseum, a hippodrome, temples, fountains, and a city-center surrounded by columns. I guess the climate here is perfect for freezing time. Kyle, me, London, and three of our friends, spent the day marveling at the beauty of the city. It was like being in Rome, without the smog and tourists.
We were invited to the home of a Jordanian family on Friday afternoon. The wife is an American who is related to someone who knows Kyle's favorite aunt. (See if you can wrap your head around that!) The family was lovely! We were able to experience a day in the life of an American who made her life in this country and is trying to find the balance between both cultures.
There are so many wonderful things about life here:
The hospitality of the people is unmatched.
Virtue is prized above all else.
Family is central to the society.
And then there are the negative things:
Women have no rights.
Religion is forced upon you from the time you are in grade school.
We had the most fabulous time, and I really hope we will spend more time in their home!
Afterward, BYU hosted an alumni dinner at a swanky downtown restaurant. All of the Jordanian graduates were seriously classy. They are all related to people in power, like the prime minister and members of parliament. I guess Jordanians appreciate the honor code at BYU and feel comfortable leaving their children in the care of Mormons in the little-known-American-state called Utah. The meal was six courses of delicious food unlike anything I have eaten before. [I love how you can go to another country and discover amazing new flavor combinations!] My favorite was fried balls of goat cheese with a blueberry spread. Heaven!
Kyle has his first midterm tomorrow- and I'm sure he'll get at least a 99%. He is learning new words and phrases every day, but my favorite things he learns are in his issues class. Hearing about problems in the Middle East from an Arab is eye-opening in a way that CNN will never be able to match.
London got her 6th tooth this week, which suddenly means she can make new sounds. When I tell her to say "snake", she makes the "K" sound, and when I tell her to say "tiger", she makes the "T" sound. She then claps for herself and says "YAY!" London cheering for herself might even be cuter than the sounds she makes. She is such a little lady--she wants to wear my jewelry constantly, pick out my clothes each morning, and sit on my lap when I do my make-up. Have I ever mentioned how much fun it is to be her mother?
This week, I went to a beauty shop to get my hair trimmed. The woman who came to the door didn't speak a lick of English, but told Kyle that there was a girl inside who was studying English at the university who would be able to translate for me. With that, Kyle left to put sleeping London to bed (our apartment is only 1 building away). The second I sat down, the three women who work there swarmed me and began asking a hundred questions. The first thing they wanted to know was if Kyle and I were related to one another. So--in the Middle East, there are basically only arranged marriages; and it's not uncommon for you marry a relative (a cousin), who also happens to be ready to get married. There is no such thing as dating before an engagement. The father of the groom asks the father and mother of the bride, a contract is signed, and the two are, for all intents and purposes,"married" before they are ever allowed to spend time alone (a chaperon is almost always present when an engaged couple is together). When I told the ladies that we were not related, they went crazy! They asked the university student fifteen more questions- before she asked me, "So, you fell in LOVE?!" "Yes!" The women all gasped, beamed, looked up dreamy-eyed, gathered themselves, and fired questions, one after another, after another. I told them all about how we met, that we only intended on being friends, and then, fell in love, and were married in a white castle a year later. I sat in the chair for over an hour, just answering their questions, and they looked at me like I had told them the most beautiful story they had ever imagined. The women were so kind and told me, "We love you! You are welcome here! Please come back and see us! We love you!" I left the shop, so happy to have made new friends, and so sad that they will never know what it feels like to choose the person they want to spend the rest of their existence with. Granted, it is a very good thing I didn't marry some of the people I fell in love with---but a marriage that begins without any of those wonderful feelings of utter bliss that only comes because your whole soul is consumed by the way you feel about your spouse, just makes my heart ache! And that is all I have to say about that.
There are so many wonderful things about life here:
The hospitality of the people is unmatched.
Virtue is prized above all else.
Family is central to the society.
And then there are the negative things:
Women have no rights.
Religion is forced upon you from the time you are in grade school.
We had the most fabulous time, and I really hope we will spend more time in their home!
Afterward, BYU hosted an alumni dinner at a swanky downtown restaurant. All of the Jordanian graduates were seriously classy. They are all related to people in power, like the prime minister and members of parliament. I guess Jordanians appreciate the honor code at BYU and feel comfortable leaving their children in the care of Mormons in the little-known-American-state called Utah. The meal was six courses of delicious food unlike anything I have eaten before. [I love how you can go to another country and discover amazing new flavor combinations!] My favorite was fried balls of goat cheese with a blueberry spread. Heaven!
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| She looks so much like Taryn in this picture! |
1 comment:
Those ruins look amazingly beautiful! I love that hair salon story too, it's so crazy how different cultures are and how lucky we are!
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