Here is a picture from Seattle, not the best, but Karl asked for it:
Monday, June 15, 2009
I'm Back!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Last One
Wednesday 3rd:
So I’ve stopped blogging every night because not much is going on anymore. This is the week we were supposed to be in Jerusalem, but that fell through so now we are digging for things to do. Friday after church we left with the BYU Arabic students to go on a little 2 day adventure. First we went to Shaback castle, which was pretty much just another castle, but it had a really long tunnel underground that we got to go in that led to a little spring. Then we drove to Wadi Dana and the Dana Village. Dana village is the oldest city in the Middle East. We stayed there in a 400 year old hotel that just got electricity a year and a half ago. Obviously it wasn’t going to be the nicest of accommodations, but it wasn’t bad. The village was pretty cool, old ruins everywhere. The locals aren’t allowed to build on top of the old stuff so it is like a little ruin town that people live in. That is the best way I can describe it. That night we danced with Bedouins around the fire again.
In the morning we went to the Wadi Dana nature reserve and went hiking. We took a pretty cool trail through caves. It was fun because we had to rock climb a little bit to get where we were going. Nothing with ropes or anything so it wasn’t too dangerous. After our hike our bus broke down on the way to Karak. It was hot and miserable but they fixed it pretty quickly. In Karak we are mensaf, the national dish. I wasn’t too excited to try it after the whole fermented goat’s milk experience, but they add fat and cheese too it so it wasn’t as disgusting. I still didn’t really like the sauce, I just ate the meat and rice plain. Then we were supposed to head to Wadi Mujib, but they were worried the bus wouldn’t make it so we headed home. I was ready to head home so I was thankful.
On Sunday we relaxed and took it pretty easy. I did laundry so I would have something to wear for the next 5 days because I had no clean clothes. Then we went to the BYU Arabic students’ apartments so that we could use the internet. Monday we did about the same until 4 when we went over to Elaine’s and learned to cook curry from Veegee, an Indian sister from the ward. Tuesday was really fun. We went to Wadi Mujib with some of the BYU Arabic students and hiked up a river to a waterfall. The water was so warm and was over our heads in some parts. There were some strong currents in places so we had to hold on the ropes and pull ourselves upstream. Other times the boys had to be used as step ladders because we couldn’t get up, and there were parts where we could jump off of cliffs or slide down the rock slides. I really enjoyed it and turned into a total daredevil or the other girls are just wimpy. I kept climbing up (with the boys and one other girl) so that I could jump off again while everyone else just waited at the bottom, but it was worth it. I have a few bruises from the day, but they are cool battle wounds, and totally worth it.
Today we slept in and then walked around and took pictures at some of the local places we go to a lot. Then we headed downtown with the BYU Arabic students (yes, they have come in quite handy and they like hanging out with non-Arabic students while they can). We looked around the citadel and old Roman ruins and then we went shopping. I didn’t really have anything to buy, I didn’t have any money and I was hungry, so I’m pretty sure I wasn’t very much fun. After downtown we took Elaine out to dinner at Reem Albawadi, her favorite restaurant that is so nice. Now it is just 2 more days until I come home, which means you probably won’t read this until I get home. Exciting!
So I’ve stopped blogging every night because not much is going on anymore. This is the week we were supposed to be in Jerusalem, but that fell through so now we are digging for things to do. Friday after church we left with the BYU Arabic students to go on a little 2 day adventure. First we went to Shaback castle, which was pretty much just another castle, but it had a really long tunnel underground that we got to go in that led to a little spring. Then we drove to Wadi Dana and the Dana Village. Dana village is the oldest city in the Middle East. We stayed there in a 400 year old hotel that just got electricity a year and a half ago. Obviously it wasn’t going to be the nicest of accommodations, but it wasn’t bad. The village was pretty cool, old ruins everywhere. The locals aren’t allowed to build on top of the old stuff so it is like a little ruin town that people live in. That is the best way I can describe it. That night we danced with Bedouins around the fire again.
In the morning we went to the Wadi Dana nature reserve and went hiking. We took a pretty cool trail through caves. It was fun because we had to rock climb a little bit to get where we were going. Nothing with ropes or anything so it wasn’t too dangerous. After our hike our bus broke down on the way to Karak. It was hot and miserable but they fixed it pretty quickly. In Karak we are mensaf, the national dish. I wasn’t too excited to try it after the whole fermented goat’s milk experience, but they add fat and cheese too it so it wasn’t as disgusting. I still didn’t really like the sauce, I just ate the meat and rice plain. Then we were supposed to head to Wadi Mujib, but they were worried the bus wouldn’t make it so we headed home. I was ready to head home so I was thankful.
On Sunday we relaxed and took it pretty easy. I did laundry so I would have something to wear for the next 5 days because I had no clean clothes. Then we went to the BYU Arabic students’ apartments so that we could use the internet. Monday we did about the same until 4 when we went over to Elaine’s and learned to cook curry from Veegee, an Indian sister from the ward. Tuesday was really fun. We went to Wadi Mujib with some of the BYU Arabic students and hiked up a river to a waterfall. The water was so warm and was over our heads in some parts. There were some strong currents in places so we had to hold on the ropes and pull ourselves upstream. Other times the boys had to be used as step ladders because we couldn’t get up, and there were parts where we could jump off of cliffs or slide down the rock slides. I really enjoyed it and turned into a total daredevil or the other girls are just wimpy. I kept climbing up (with the boys and one other girl) so that I could jump off again while everyone else just waited at the bottom, but it was worth it. I have a few bruises from the day, but they are cool battle wounds, and totally worth it.
Today we slept in and then walked around and took pictures at some of the local places we go to a lot. Then we headed downtown with the BYU Arabic students (yes, they have come in quite handy and they like hanging out with non-Arabic students while they can). We looked around the citadel and old Roman ruins and then we went shopping. I didn’t really have anything to buy, I didn’t have any money and I was hungry, so I’m pretty sure I wasn’t very much fun. After downtown we took Elaine out to dinner at Reem Albawadi, her favorite restaurant that is so nice. Now it is just 2 more days until I come home, which means you probably won’t read this until I get home. Exciting!
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