Ajloun Adventures

Interview team with Miriam and Nusaba

Things are slowly wrapping up here in Jordan. I cannot believe it's almost over! Some of the interns from other programs are leaving this week and the rest of us have just over two weeks left. I have to get some souvenirs asap....I also have to hit all my favorite restaurants one more time before it's all over! I know the falafal and hummus will just not be the same back in the States.
Last weekend, our interview team had the chance to speak with a wonderful woman named Miriam. She participates in a co-op farm north of Amman in a small town called Ajloun. She was a wonderful woman with so much to share with us. She has had a very difficult life and has taken on the responsibilities of so many. She is unmarried (which can make things very difficult in Jordan), but is raising the handicapped child of her brother AND managing a farm. Despite many of the trials she faces, however, she has such an amazing perspective. She told us that she has hope everyday that she can be happy and enjoy life. She was also very progressive in some of her ideas about marriage, gender relations, and work. She was basically an amazing inspiration and after the interview we just kept going on and on about how cool she was!

The dream team on the farm

We have also been able to spend time out on one of the farms in Ajloun, which has been amazing. It is so peaceful and beautiful up there. It is an amazing escape from the city and has become one of my "happy places." Last week we even had the chance to spend the night out there. It was nice and cool (which is a complete novelty for us now) and absolutely beautiful. We sang songs, danced our hearts out to insane music (i.e. Maneater, Rasputin, Thriller, etc.), and ate delicious apple crisp. The next morning we woke up and spent the day trying to terrace the one of the hills on the farm. It was clear that I was not cut out for extended manual labor, but I had fun doing it for the day! It wasn't a half bad way to spend my time and was well worth the good times, great views, and excellent food we had. Basically, all is well. I am having such a great time but am looking forward to going back to Portland. I realized yesterday that I haven't seen my beloved city (or my bed) since Christmas! That is much to long for me. It's time to be back in the beautiful Pacific Northwest:)