1 July 2013: To NATO or not to NATO: it's not even a question

Georgia loves NATO but does NATO love Georgia?  We explored this topic today at the NATO Liaison Office with the Liaison himself, William Lahue.  Georgia wants stability and security and it thinks NATO can help it reach that objective.  As I have mentioned here before, Georgia fears another Russian occupation and seeks the protection NATO membership will provide.  To prove its resolve, Georgia has contributed a large number of troops to ISAF, second only to the US.  And yet Georgia has not yet managed to "buy" its way into the club.  Against Georgia is its distance from other NATO countries (while it borders NATO member Turkey, Georgia would be the most eastern nation in the organization), its recent instability, its poor relationship with Russia and, relatedly, Russia's fierce opposition to Georgia's acceptance into NATO (Russia may not be a NATO nation but it still has clout within the organization, especially with Germany).

Pursuant to my thesis research, I asked the liaison about Georgia-Iran relations.  He told us that Georgia has a visa free regime with Iran but this may not last for long as Georgia's relationship with Iran is being strained.  First of all, Iranians are buying up a large tracts of property in Georgia.  Georgia is also concerned with Iran's unfriendly policies against Azerbaijan; Azeris are rejecting Iran's attempt to build madrasahs (fundamentalist religious schools) and Iran is growing increasingly belligerent with Azerbaijan.  Azerbaijan is a close neighbor to Georgia and the two enjoy historical and economic ties within the region.   A final concern: if Iran breaks out its nuclear weapons US-friendly Georgia could be a target.

A bit about my other research interest that ties in to my activities this afternoon.  Thanks to the director of American Councils I located a local hangout for Egyptian Copts (Orthodox Christians) and asked several about their stories.  I wanted to know why they had left Egypt, why they chose Georgia, how long they intended to stay, what they hoped to do here, and under which conditions would they return to Egypt.  Their answers were unsurprising: all spoke of the lack of human rights in Egypt, particularly under Morsi (the "lier")'s rule.  None of them condemned Egyptian Muslims as a group but the lack of policies guaranteeing Egyptians Christians the same rights as Muslims.  They gave story after story of the wrongs they suffered.  They universally wanted to immigrate to the US or Europe but visas, they vowed, are impossible to get.  Georgia, however, has an open visa policy and welcomes Egyptians.  They may legally work here and the men I interviewed all claimed that they do not feel marginalized or discriminated against in Georgia.  The interviews were fun--and I got to speak about my beloved Egypt in my beloved Arabic.  Jamila was happy.

So, which thesis to choose?  Reader, help!  Read on and if you can even UNDERSTAND my thoughts please feel free to comment:

1) Georgia and migrants (possible thesis: Do Georgia's immigration policies have positive implications for its economy/democratization/regional and/or global position?)

2) Georgia and Iran (possible thesis: Can Georgia balance its interests with America and Iran and/or remain neutral between America and Iran, and how can Georgia be an example to emerging nations of neutrality and/or independence from global power politics?)

The other events of my day were as follows:

-Early morning jog around the hippodrome.  

-Washed my hair!  Second time in nine days. :-)

-Arrived on time for a crash course in Georgian.  Wish we'd had it our first day but it was great nonetheless.

-Group lunch.  I really like Lobio--a delicious bean soup served in a large ceramic mug with very hard unsweetened cornbread.  Yum!

-Thea had something else she had to do at the last moment so Kristin and I decided to seek out Egyptian Copt handouts--and found some!  After I interviewed people in three different cafes I joined Kristin for some reflection and planning.  

-Returned to Thea's by 9pm.  We all worked together to cook up some Pilmeni (Russian dumplings) and salad.  And oh--lavash with Nutella.  Double yum!

30 June 2013: The Church and the State are good friends in Georgia

The following account DEMANDS that you go to my facebook page and look at the photos of Khazbegi.  I will do my best to describe my adventures but pictures will complement them.

You will see from my photos that Khazbegi is a gorgeous little town ringed by medium-sized brilliant green mountains that are crowned by Khazbegi and its snow-capped peak.  We were told that most of Khazbegi is covered in snow from October to May but today it was HOT.  In the company of our guide Genri, we began to hike up to the Trinity Church up atop one of those medium-sized mountains.  Legend has it that in the 13th century the residents of these mountains gave the haunch of a calf to an eagle and then spread out in order to see where the eagle would land and devour its prize.  Where the eagle landed is where they began to build the church--a project that lasted nearly one hundred years.  Today it still stands nobly above Khazbegi town and attracts both Georgian and foreign tourists in droves during the summer.  We were not alone as we struggled up the mountain; there is a road upon which cars may (and do) traverse but it is extremely rough.  A surprising number of "mature" folks hiked along side us up to the church while pickups full of young tourists labored over the ruts and craters in the road.

The interior of the church was much like any other Georgian Orthodox church.  What is interesting to note is that many of the icons (pictures of Christ, Mary, and other saints) were defaced by the Soviets and remain damaged today.  The chief icon in this church featured a faceless Mary and Jesus.

While hiking the nearly 10 miles up and back down I had plenty of opportunities to chat with Genri with the aid of our translator Katie.  Genri, it turned out, is the caretaker of the church and hikes up that mountain three times a week!  Genri also owns a local restaurant (where we subsequently ate lunch) and, apparently, is a medical doctor.  Georgians are not lazy people.

Genri told me that church attendance has been on the rise, particularly among young people.  This phenomenon is reflective of the rising Georgian nationalist sentiment that has accompanied the rise of Ivanishivili and the Georgian Dream Coalition.  In contrast to Sakaashiili, Ivanishvili has encouraged the role of the Church in government and the Georgian national identity.  The growing anti-Russian sentiment in Georgia may be tied to this increase in Georgian nationalism and may also be fueled by Ivanishivili.  The latter is unclear; Ivanishivili is an local Georgian who made billions in Russia and it entirely unknown to Georgians.  As you may recall, many speculate that he only won the recent elections because of the release of videos depicting horrible human rights abuses of prisoners that turned public opinion away from Sakaashvili.  Is Sakaashvili directly responsible for the abuse in prions?  Likely not, but his increasing arrogance and refusal to negotiate with the opposition was really starting to anger Georgians, particularly the Church.  After the release of the lurid videos the Church patriarch and priests began to preach Ivanishvili from their pulpits.  Sermons are highly politicized and Genri and his fellow attenders claim to embrace the message.  Do Georgians actually vote as they are told to?  We will find out this October during the presidential election.

I also had some time to muse on my thesis for this class.  My professor, Dr. Christensen, suggested that I look into how Georgia has remained neutral in the on-going tension between Iran (its neighbor) and the U.S. (possibly its patron).  Georgia has much to gain by retaining good relations with both nations and may be an example to other countries in neutrality.  Is it possible to remain outside or neutral from power politics?  I may look further into this.  I am also still interested in locating the supposed Egyptian Coptic refugee community here in Georgia.  If I can find enough academic sources on the phenomenon and can conduct my own primary (anecdotal) research than I might like to head in that direction instead.  The former topic seems more IR and macro to me, while the latter has opportunities for micro analysis.  Maybe.  Maybe I am also exhausted from my wonderful hike up the mountain.

The rest of my day was like this:
-Lunch at Genri's restaurant--bread, cheese, salad, khinkali (meat dumplings), and kabob.  No kabob for me today.  Kristin and I skipped breakfast in favor of a lie-in so we were ready for lunch when we finally descended...at 3pm!!!  Don't worry; we drank lots of water and ate a Lara Bar Kristin had packed in case of emergencies.  Yay Kristin!  I love her.
-Quick (2.5 hr) drive back to Tbilisi and return to Thea's house.  We picked up hot puri (bread) and cherries for dinner on our way back.  Thea was impressed (well, she was nice to pretend) with the Georgian I picked up while away.  I know can say: "This is my friend.  I have a bag.  You do not have hot bread."  I know--you are impressed.

29 June 2013: Into the Caucasus

29 June 2013

When our professor told us that we would take a hiking excursion during our two-week trip to Georgia I will confess that I thought to myself: "Hiking?  I can go hiking any time in Virginia.  What I CAN'T do in Virginia is be on the streets of Tbilisi talking to and learning about Georgians."  Being the daughter of a tour conductor I would never complain but was a little skeptical.  I was even less enthusiastic as we pulled out in our buses at 8am from Tbilisi--not an unreasonable hour but having only had five hours of sleep the night before I was just REALLY uncomfortable on the bus.  No recline, twisty roads--you get the picture.

I changed my tune by the time we reached a picturesque church clinging to the edge of a cliff that dropped down into a green lake.  We had reached the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains and the whole scene was ringed by fairly large green mountains.  As we ascended into the range the mountains ("mta" in Georgian) grew taller and the views increasingly spectacular.  It took at least three hours to reach our destination--Khazbegi--but each hairpin turn (taken at full speed while passing other vehicles!) revealed yet another gorgeous vista.  I will post pictures on Facebook.

Khazbegi is a quaint town at the foot of a giant mountain.  No one has yet been able to tell me the elevation but it appears to be the height of Mt Hood or Mt Timpanogous.  I'll look into it further and give more accurate info later.  Only pictures can do the town and its surrounding grandeur any justice so I urge you to look on Facebook for the photos.  Suffice it to say that it is almost the most beautiful mountain scenery I have ever eyewitnessed.  In my mind, it is only second to the tropical mountains of Hawaii.

We arrived starving and so went as a group to lunch.  I have to admit I find large group lunches a bit tiresome so I decided to head back to the kitchen.  There I met the cooks hard a work making everything from scratch--and I mean scratch.  They were literally grinding the meat for the kofta kebab and rolling out the dough for the khacha puri (cheese bread).  These ladies nicely let me film their operation and and attempt to chat with them.

My next stop was the table reserved for the three drivers.  These gents also had no English but were equally as wiling to let me try to converse with them throughout lunch.  I wish I could take one day of crash course Georgian.  I could GET this language if I just had the chance.

Our afternoon excursion was to a church at the border of Georgia and Russia.    The road from the border disappeared through a narrow pass connecting the South and North Caucasus through which Catherine the Great once marched.  The church (in which a service was being held), the border, and the various conversations we had while looking out over the view (mostly about Russian literature--me mostly listening since I know practically nothing about the topic) were all enjoyable.  

We had dinner at the home of our professor's friends.  They slaughtered and cooked a sheep for us!  Quite the spread.  We dined outside in the shadow of steep slopes and towering peaks.  Great company, food, and hospitality.

Looking forward to a lie-in!  We've been up early each day this week and have stayed up too late.  Time to catch up on a little sleep.  Us old ladies are calling it a night at 11:52pm.  The rest of the group just headed out to a "club" (but in this town I'd be surprised if they find one!).

28 June 2013: Street Days

If you have ever considered what life was like for heroin addicts in Tbilisi in the 1990s, you must watch "Street Days," directed by Levan Koguashvili.  We watched this movie today during our morning lecture.  Sad and yet funny.  The Georgian police threaten the main character "Checkie"--a lovable addict--with arrest unless he will set up the son of a government minister.  Get him high, plant some drugs on him, and the cops would take over from there.  The son is no innocent; he initially came to Checkie and asked him to hook him and his other high school buddies up with some "junk" but Checkie refused.  After all, the boy is just a kid AND the son of his former classmate.  The police have him in a tight spot, however, and finally Checkie is forced to either corrupt and/or disgrace the son of his friend OR, as it turns out, kill himself.  I am sure you can guess which he chose (although it took me by surprise when he did it).  The film was depressing but VERY well made.  I highly recommend it.

Our second lecture was about public opinion in the Caucasus and featured the data (and a website with which to manipulate it) of several years' worth of research and polling in the three south Caucasus countries--Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.  A valuable tool and one that I am sure I will use as I do research for my thesis for this course.  I spent some time briefly discussing my possible topic--Georgian/Iranian relations--with our lecturer today.  I will reflect on the topic here more when I have a bit more time.

A funny side note: I expected Georgians to be dressed very formally when out and about, much like I observed years ago in Ukraine.  In fact, Georgian men and women dress very casually--jeans, tank tops, flats, etc.  Very few stiletto heels, mini skirts, and fishnet stockings worn by Ukrainian women.  So I asked Thea if I could pass as a Georgian.  She immediately said no--neither Kristin nor I could pass.  I asked her: is it my hair, my skin, my clothes?  She said no...and then, through the help of Eka, she said that `'You do not look like you have lived under a Soviet occupation.  You look too happy."  Wow! For the record, I do NOT think that Georgians look unhappy.  On the contrary, they appear (and are) very pleasant.  And yet there IS a sadness here which was reflected in "Street Days."  Humor in the face of despair--that is how the Georgians must have survived the occupation.

And now, the events of my day:

-Morning jog--in one inch of mud since it rained buckets yesterday.

-Left a tad too late for the marshrutka (mini bus) this morning so, sigh, had to take a cab!

-Had a shawarma with Kristin and a couple of the guys from our group.  We are the 29 and older club. :-)

-Walked much around Old Tbilisi, visited the Sioni church, and enjoyed a light dinner at a cute cafe.

-Attended Tbilisi's very on marionnette theatre this evening as a group.  Very creative.

-It is late and I am tired.  We leave tomorrow morning at 8am for a two-day trip to the mountains where I will likely NOT have wireless so  I may lag behind on my blog.  Not to worry! I will return.

27 June 2013: The Georgian Mafia

We had the extreme pleasure of meeting more of Thea's friends this evening.  Zaza the aging bohemian intellectual, Thea's best friend Eka, Nino the fluent English translator and her boyfriend Georgi.  And of course Thea and the best behaved child in Georgia--Liza.  Have I mentioned that I love Liza?  I just want to squeeze on her but am waiting for her permission.  So far she only whispers to her mother in our presence (as if we could understand her Georgian anyway) and blushingly hides her face when we speak to her...but she is too adorable and well-mannered for us to give up.  We shall win her over yet.

I digress.  Our little salon this evening was in Zaza's flat in Tbilisi.  His wife is an artist and he is an intellectual so their place is covered with paintings, pottery, and books.  It looks more like a funky art studio than a dwelling.  Zaza's wife was out of town but Zaza himself treated us to hospitality and ice cream.  Nino is an English translator with a passion for music.  Her name, by the way, is one of the most common Georgian names for girls.  She brought her boyfriend Georgi.  I believe Georgi lives and works in Russia but comes to visit her periodically.  Georgi does not speak English but dearly wanted to participate in our conversation, fairly bursting with the desire to answer our questions about Georgian politics and foreign affairs.  Nino obliged by translating and between the six adults we had a lively conversation (I am counting Thea out because I believe she is not interested in politics.  And really, like her, I prefer art and books to politics but how can I resist talking to a bunch of passionately gesticulating Georgians about a topic they live for?!).

Of all we discussed (and it was a great deal, I assure you!) I will summarizing a few puzzling statements they made about Georgia-Iran relations--a topic I am exploring for my paper in this class.  I initially asked if they felt the power shift from West-leaning Sakaashivili to Russia-leaning Ivanishivili would affect Georgia's relationship with Iran in any way.  Their response: no one in Georgia can speculate on Ivanishvili's policies because he has been completely silent on the topic.  They wonder: is he incompetent or is this a brilliant strategy?  The Georgian tycoon (who, they told me, made all his money illicitly in Russia) is a complete unknown, an X-factor.  

This lead, however, to another question: does Georgia's relationship with Iran, for better or worse, have significance outside of the region?  Nino, Georgi, and Eka discussed this rather intensively for a few minutes but their their answer to me, in English, was anticlimactic and, quite frankly, disappointing: no.  No, they said, the only significant aspect of Georgia's relationship with Iran is if the former allows the citizens of the latter to enter its borders and enjoy illicit Georgian pleasures, i.e. wine, women, and song.  The diplomatic, political, and commercial aspects of the relationship are neither of concern nor in any jeopardy despite Georgia's relationship with the Great Satan America and nominal support of the even worse state of Israel.  

I  am not satisfied with their answer.  Does Georgia really feel that secure next to a volatile nuclear power that despises its western patron?  I will research further and get back to you all.

Our sole lecture today was on Georgia's mafia and anti-mafia.  Fascinating lecture.  The term for mafioso in Georgian is best translated as thief-in-law, referring not to your spouse's wayward brother in Sing Sing but to the code of honor that these men enter into.  Thieves-in-law formed and were organized in their particular effective way thanks to the repressive soviet political environment.  Of undeniable importance in this process was the "gulag"--the Russian prison labor camps from which men were periodically transported to and from, leading to the development of networks and hierarchies amongst criminals.  Possibly my favorite bit about this lecture was learning about the Georgian mafia brand; these men enjoy a near-cult status in Georgia (especially, sadly, among children) and to protect that image as well as cut down on production costs, they simply keep their "brand" image as honorable but absolutely serious/dangerous as untainted as possible.  In so doing, they enjoy popular support and get results while minimizing violence.  Georgians  simply believe/believe IN them.  I wonder what this says about Georgians?  Is it a coincidence that nearly 1/3rd of the Russian mafia is staffed by Georgians?

Finally, the events of my day:

-Early morning jog after six hours of sleep. Ugh.

-Washed my hair for the first time in five days--this will not surprise anyone who knows me well.

-Arrived to the lecture on time--almost a first!

-Lecture on the Georgian mafia.  

-A mediocre lunch but good company.

-Afternoon trip to the Georgian National Museum.  My favorite exhibit was the Russian occupation exhibit where they--amazingly--mentioned Stalin's crimes against the people of Georgia.  Someone should send a memo to the folks in Gori (his hometown).

-Returned home, hung up our laundry, looked at photos with Thea and Liza.

-Light, delicious dinner.  I love Georgian food but I am thrilled Thea does not cook.  I couldn't handle a feast every night.  Lavash, salad, boiled egg: perfect.

-Our "salon" at Zaza's.  Fun!  But totally tired--and that was hours ago by now!  Time to get to sleep.

26 June 2013: Georgian hospitality

I was startled when the woman in the black dress and tight chignon began to berate the punk-style couple sitting directly to my left on the bus.  That same couple had just nicely answered my question regarding the correct stop for the Georgian Parliament building and were now being subject to a scolding.  Kristin made a guess at the cause and she turned out to be right:  the elderly Georgian woman was chastising the couple for sitting too closely and being too free with their affections.  

The babushka is not the only Georgian concerned with change in this country.  Many citizens did not like how the western-leaning Saakashvili 's pluralist policies that limit the influence of the Orthodox Church, are tolerant of homosexuals, and diminish the importance of ethnic differences within the Gerogia.  So they voted his party out of parliament.  Still others, my host Thea and her friends included, are wary of the changes that Ivanishivili's Georgian Dream Coalition have brought and may bring to pass, namely a relaxation in public law enforcement, increased power to the Orthodox Church, and increasing linkages with Russia that hint of a reunification with the eastern giant.

Regrading that last point, I must make a correction.  In my last post I referred to a civil war within the last five years here in Georgia.  Both my lectures today (at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies) and Thea's friend Eka's husband Rati brought to my attention my misunderstanding.  Knowing that the Ossetians and Abkhazians WANT to be independent of Georgia, I identified the 2008 conflict as a civil war.  Georgians, however, do not see it that way.  They view it solely as a war with Russia.  The Ossetians and Abkhazians wanted to secede, Georgia did not agree, and Russia invaded Georgia.  While there was fighting between the rebels (Ossetians and Abkhazians) and the Georgian army, the real threat was from the interfering Russians who, Georgians feel, were not stepping in out of sympathy with the rebels but in order to take advantage of the opportunity to re-annex Georgia.  Okay, so maybe you all knew that but I had been fuzzy on it.  I've been set straight.

Our lecturer at the institute today was a real character.  My favorite two quotes: 1) "Show me one country in the world who's foreign policy is value-based.  At least America claims values--other countries don't even bother."  2) "US intellectuals are Marxist but they wouldn't be if they'd grown up in the USSR."  The second made me laugh because several of my GMU professors have been self-professed Marxists (not to be confused with Marxians :-) ).

Within the same lecture I learned a bit more about Georgia's delicate relationship with Iran--a possible thesis topic for this class.  Georgia is compelled to follow the sanctions declared b the US on Iran but must (and does) get around them to maintain positive relations with its powerful neighbor.  A follow-up question is: does Georgia have a stance on the Israel-Palestine issue and if so, how does it affect its relationship with Iran?

Finally, a brief summary of the events of my day:

-Morning jog.  Hot this morning!

-Breakfast with our lovely hosts.  We love them!

-Direct bus to the front of the parliament building, whereupon we met with the group and walked to the NGO.

-Lecture at the NGO.

-Bus to a delicious restaurant where I ate much delicious food.  Too much!

-Bus to Gori, Stalin's birth place and home to the Stalin museum.  Wow!  Now that was a piece of work.  Absolutely no mention of Stalin's nefarious deeds, only glory to his name.  Amazing!  Rati told us that many Georgians simply view his actions as the necessary course to eliminate enemies of the state.  I honestly can't imagine that many Georgians view him in this glorified light but the matrons at the Stalin museum certainly do.  The whole museum was a cultural experience in itself. 

-Trip up to Gori's medieval castle.  I always love a castle.

-Ride back to Tbilisi.

-Meet up with Thea, Liza, Eka and Rati.  We traveled to Georgia's original capital--Mskheta.  Yes, it is as difficult to say as it looks.  GORGEOUS town, however, notable for its 11th century cathedral (which we toured) and its darling monetary up atop a neighboring hill (which we did not tour).  We were in GREAT company.  As an English teacher and former tour guide, Rati was able to explain many things to us in impeccable English.  They treated us to a delicious dinner in an outdoor restaurant.  Lovely!!

-1:03am--finishing and going to bed!

25 June 2013: All you ever wanted to know about Stalin

Which of the following about Joseph Stalin is true:

1)   He was Georgian.

2) He was a poet.

3) He was handsome as a young man.

4) I almost met his grandson today.

5) All of the above.

If you guessed number FIVE...you were right!  While on the bus retuning from the American Councils, where we take our lectures, we met a sweet young Georgian girl who attends a music conservatory high school.  One of her classmates is--you guessed it--Bubba Stalin who is studying to become an orchestral conductor! 

Okay, I may be a bit unclear about his first name but the rest is all true.  Can you imagine knowing...let alone admitting to actually being...the son of a dictator who murdered millions?  For some reason I have a hard time bending my mind around this one.  But than again, this is Georgia, and its history as a nation is being formed as we speak.  I do not mean that it is a new nation but one in flux.  It has gone from a failed state to a flourishing one in less than two decades.  It's most recent civil war was only five years ago.  It has undergone only one democratic electoral transition.

Contemporary Georgian politics 101 in a nutshell: the current government is run by a mysterious billionaire with Russian roots named Ivanishvili.  He is head of the new Georgian Dream Coalition which, according to my host Thea, only exists to criticize the current--and widely loathed--President Saakashvili.  It would seem that Saakashvili's greatest crime was to clean up Georgia's corrupt law enforcement mechanism and put the mafia behind bars.  After admittedly horrible videos of the prisoners' human rights abuses in said prisons were leaked Saakashvili, whose star had been falling, lost much of the public support.  Thea is emphatic:  he may not be perfect but prior to Saakashvilli and his Rose Revolution, the city's infrastructure was crumbling and its services were nil.  Constant gas, electricity, and water were only fond but distant memories for Tbilisians.  

This bit of Georgia's recent history, the languages of the Caucasus, and much much more were the topics of my lectures today.  I also sat down with the director of the American Councils and asked him to guide my research for the final paper in this class.  Considering my interests and area focus, he suggested I look into 1) the lack of conflict between Georgian and the largely (?) Muslim Georgian territory of Ajaria; 2) ethnic Georgians stuck in Turkey when that country annexed part of Georgia; 3) Egyptian Coptic Arab Spring/Syrian refugees in Georgia; and 4) geopolitical and economic relations between Georgia and Iran.  More on all or some of these later as I begin some initial research.  We are meant to have dinner tomorrow with Thea's best friend Eka's professor husband who is likely to be a good source of information.

Finally, a list of other activities/events of this day:

-Much hilarity with Kristin; she is the perfect roommate and travel companion.

-Early morning jogging in the hippodrome with the neighbor old men club and their dogs.

-Navigation to/from American Councils without guidance.

-A mediocre lunch but fine company.

-A wonderful evening with Thea abd Liza driving to Lake Ku on the outskirts of Tbilisi where Tbilisians go to play.  Unlike any of the residents of Arab countries I've studied closely, Georgians appear to really appreciate nature.  I see people out walking for pleasure often and very little trash.  Why is it that some people care for their surroundings and others do not?

-Another 500 lbs of cheese bread for dinner.  They are going to have to ROLL me off the plane!

-An hour of herbal tea, picture viewing and music sharing with Kristin, Thea, and Liza.  Thea does not speak much English but she is putting in a noble effort.  

24 June: Nastya has returned

Dear friends!  I invite you once again to join me on a journey.  This travelogue will be reflective, per the requirement for my course, but will certainly be less emotional than my record of our adventures last summer in Amman. 

I am tasked with looking into the actual and possible affects of globalization on Georgia.  I spoke a little about this today with two young Georgians who accompanied us on our tour today.  Katie (surely she has a Georgian name but this is how she introduced herself to me) assured me that many Georgians fear globalization, primarily the degradation of Georgia's unique culture.  The country is small--and getting smaller (if Abkhazia has its way)--and Georgians view their culture almost as an endangered species.  In answer to my question, she listed various traditions that seem threatened by the influence of the outside world, namely those having to do with the roles of and freedoms for women.  

One aspect of Georgian culture that appears to be alive and well is the Georgian National Ballet which we were extremely blessed to see in rehearsal today.  Seeing these amazing dancers perform in their "natural" element (i.e. workout attire) strengthened for me the connection between "regular" Georgians and their strong sense of culture.  Each dance number was performed directly after each other with the non-dancers of any given number standing/stretching/practicing along the sides and joining in seamlessly when  it became their turn.  

The performance was astonishing!  I have never seen anything quite like it and certainly never so close.  We were sitting against the wall with our backs to the mirror where the audience normally would be (only many feet back in the concert hall).  The dancers came within inches of us, as did their knives which they flung about and into the very floor of the studio.  The performance moved me to tears and I hope I will discover a way to insert a clip into this account.

Finally, in list format, these are the other events of my first official day in the George Mason University GLOA 710 course:

-Jogging with my roommate and dear friend Kristin this morning along the nearby overgrown Hippodrome at 7:30am after a 12 (!!) hr sleep.

-Breakfast of Muesli, bread and cheese with my dear host family Thea and seven-year-old Liza.

-Public transport to the site of our course lectures (at the American Councils).

-Time consuming visits to the bank and cell phone shops so as to accommodate everyone's various money changing and cell phone needs.  I bought a local phone.

-Lunch (tasty but overpriced) with our group to include: kabobs, dumplings, cheesy bread.

-A lengthy but interesting tour of Old Tbilisi's architecture.  Our guide literally took us into the clothing line-strewn courtyards of quaint buildings where Georgians live!  Despite the quaintness of their city, Tbilisians look more Western than Oriental.  While I have not been to Ukraine in over 10 years I would judge Tbilisi to be far more Western than Zhitomr, Ukraine.  The people may live in shabby soviet-era buildings but appear European in every other respect.  I look forward to digging deeper and learning more about them as a people.

-Dinner at the home of our professor.

-Public transport back to our host's apartment without a local escort.  We did it!

21 Aug: The End

The end! Can you believe it?  We leave tomorrow morning.  A driver (NOT Ahmad...another man I met while going to the Turkish Bath) will hopefully pick us up at 3:45am tomorrow morning (ugh).  Our flight leaves at 6:20am.  I dislike arriving early to the airport and much prefer walking onto the plane just as they are about to close the doors...but that plan does not work so well when you have three small children.  And my parents.  They like to be at the airport 2 hrs before any flight.  Who knows, as well, how fast or slow the system will be at the Amman airport.  Better to arrive early.

I am very happy with my last "morning outing" in Amman.  We went to the King Abdullah Mosque--the bright blue one featured in here on my blog.  I had never been inside before, and although the outside is far more stunning than the inside, it was still a pleasant experience.  Finding the main entrance involved some wandering about in search of SOMEONE; no one mans the back or sides, let me tell you that right off.  We did, eventually, find the right gate and the woman who hands out the black robes with hoods necessary for my mother and me to enter. 

Modestly attired, we went into and explored the main room of the mosque.  It is a wide open carpeted space--the girls' first exposure to carpet in three months.  They loved it.  I insisted that they whisper but did let them sashay around the room, which they did with great glee.

Eventually, we made it back outside and down to the gift shop.  The girls began to batter each other almost immediately with the miniature flags of Jordan the shop owner handed them.  After confiscating the flags, I confined each girl to a chair on opposite ends of the gift shop.  This is the second day in a row I've done that--just confining them to a spot in public if they misbehave.  I use time out at home all the time but hardly ever in public.  It backfired on me when I tried it at Mecca Mall (as you may recall); it worked today, however.  Oh, they weren't happy about it, but they did just sit there.  Even when I wandered out of view, they remained sitting in their spots.  I wish they would just behave while in public but if not, it is good to know that I might succeed in putting them in time out even in a public place.

We returned for an enjoyable lunch at our hotel and the girls have been in quiet time for the last 1.5 hrs.  Time to get Yumi up.  Nate came home early so he could spend time with us on this, our last day.  I am all packed--I just finished packing up our in-flight activity bag.  I am nervous about the flight tomorrow but have confidence based on our flight here; it wasn't fun, by any means, but other than the fact that Mayumi threw a huge tantrum in the Amman customs hall, everything else went all right.  The girls did not sleep until the last hour of the 14 hour journey, but they did alright.  This time will be much better--I am sure of it.

Finally--a few thoughts:

Things I will miss (about this summer):

-The chance to study and speak Arabic daily, even if I had less of a chance to learn/speak than I thought I would.

-The girls’ exposure and daily progress in Arabic.  Both Yumi AND Emi can make their needs known in Arabic.  I am blown away, particularly by Emi, as Yumi was already speaking Arabic before we arrived.

-Easy access to shawarma.

-A few people we have met here: Nisreen, Erapie, Mohaned, a few others.

-Being abroad in general, even if we missed certain services only available to us in the U.S. (counseling for Yumi’s behavior, Emi’s pediatrician, etc.).

-Jasmine bushes EVERYWHERE.

-Constant variety.

-Evenings with Nate (once we put the girls to bed, we are “stuck” in our bedroom together.  During the school year, I am studying/preparing joy school lesssons/etc. for half the evening and only spend the second half with him.  Here, we’ve spent long evenings together and I will miss that).

Things I will NOT miss:

-Living in a hotel—everything about it.

-Not having a high chair (why didn’t we buy one??)

-Eating out nearly every day.

-Eating in the hotel every meal for one month when I only have teeny refrigerator and microwave at my disposal.

-Taking taxis everywhere.

-Sandy parks and the lack of parks in general.

-Using laundry services out of the home.

-No place to put a screaming child.

-Whatever it is about this summer—if anything—that has contributed the to excessively bad behavior of my girls.

Undecided: 

-The hotel: I will miss the staff and there IS something nice about someone doing the cleaning for you almost daily.

-No kitchen: I am sick of eating out (or eating PB&J each meal during Ramadan), BUT there is something nice about not needing to cook all of the time.

-Afternoon outings: at home, I always find afternoons before dinner to be a conflicting time.  I want to go on outings but a lot of factors discourage it: 1) none of our friends like afternoon outings much 2) traffic is heavier 3) dinner DOES have to be made sometime...  HERE, our afternoon outings have been both painful (it takes at least an hour to get the girls out the door AND everyone is starving or tired when we get home) AND necessary (I just cannot stay inside the hotel room with these girls for more than an hour without going crazy).  Painful as they have been, I have secretly liked the excuse to have multiple outings a day.

-The burning need to be out of the hotel: I have hauled myself and the girls out of the hotel at least two times each day this entire summer because 1) we cannot stay cooped up together for long 2) we often actually NEED something (water, laundry, whatever) and 3) we are here to learn Arabic and MUST get out to be exposed to it.  Thus, in spite of the difficulty, we get out and about.  I will miss that but will be relieved to no longer feel compelled to be out every second of the day. 

There was a point toward the beginning (okay, and in the middle) of this summer when I wondered if I would honestly be able to say I was glad we came.  I pictured myself, back home, unable to face friends as they eagerly asked about our adventures.  I would be constantly fighting back tears due to the fact that I had had, in fact, a terrible summer.

I am happy to say that I AM glad we came.  Some aspects have been bitterly hard.  I do not need to rehash them now.  I am ready for the worse of them to be over with.  It IS time for us to move on from living in a hotel.  If someone were to offer us two choices: 1) continue to stay in Amman but in a hotel or 2) go back to Herndon for the rest of our lives—I’d choose the latter.  At this point.  I am SO done with living in a hotel. But if someone were to offer us the chance to stay here but in a house, I’d happily stay (that is, if I didn’t have a Master’s degree to finish).  I LOVE Amman.  I do NOT love living in a hotel.

So there you have it!  Our summer in Amman.  This has been my personal journal that I chose to share online with whoever cared to read it.  At times, it may have been too personal.  It has often been whining and negative.  Often repetitive.  Thank you to those who have followed along and offered insight.  And even if you have not been in touch but still were reading along, thank you for keeping us all in mind.

Ma’salaama (With peace),

Jamila

20 Aug: Tour of the bakery

20 Aug

Our second-to-last day in Amman!  We met up briefly with my parents this morning for breakfast--in the hotel restaurant! Yay!--before they left to drop off the rental car.  The girls had been difficult from our early wake-up (6:00am-thanks, Aya) so I confined them to two different places in the hotel room and demanded that they sit there quietly.  And they did!  Of course, I gave them books and blocks but it was a blessed break.  Of course, I wish desperately that they would just behave nicely when allowed to play freely together BUT it is reassuring to know that if I need them to stop their caterwauling I can just simply insist that they "take a break" and they will.  While they were taking this needed break, I packed up!  Crazy, but it is true; I packed up our two large duffles, leaving Nate only most of our clothes (they are all dirty anyway and we won't need them during the three weeks he will remain here) and his own toiletries.  We are headed home.

My parents returned from the rental car agency and we left for Rainbow Street--the first time in a month!  Thanks to Eid, nearly everything was closed BUT the fatayir place, The Good Book Shop (yay!), and a gelato place.  We enjoyed all three.  The girls were predictably overwrought and cranky on the taxi ride home but I got them down for naps within minutes of returning.  

During naptime I took my mother off on adventure.  We hopped a bus down to 'Abdali and to the Salah id-Din bakery to check out the ka'ek sandwich making process.  My mother writes a travel column, frequently about food, and wanted to highlight the process.   We watched and chatted with the young men who make the 4-5,000 rolls by hand that they sell DAILY.  We saw the box of wood shavings in which they place raw whole eggs and bake for 7 hours.  We were the first in line to receive today's first offerings of delicious, sesame coved ka'ek straight out of the oven and to make our own ka'ek, cream cheese, baked egg, salt, and za'taar sandwiches.  It was fun to interview these guys who run the join and get an inside view of the operation. Fun to act as translator for my mom's 400 questions.  All in all, a great little adventure.

This evening: we met up with Nate and Erapie downtown for a last dinner at Hashem's.  To be honest, we had wanted to eat at the family restaurant Al Quds for some Jordanian food BUT, of course, it was closed.  Eid.  Hashem's did not disappoint, even if it was nearly deserted.  It was, at least, open, and we  enjoyed our last meal of hummus, fuul, and falafel.  It was all too much for the girls, I guess, because they were just wrecks at the end.  Embarrassing and disappointing me right and left with their behavior.  Time to get them home.

And so we did.  They were in bed by 7:30pm.  Time to hang out with Nate and to contemplate the future.  Nate is facing two opportunities: 1) accept a job offer in Doha beginning 2013 or 2) accept a job offer in Bagdad for one year and then begin a series of two-three year posts in the middle east.  The first option is strictly a two-three year post and we (his family) may accompany him.  The Bagdad post of the latter option is unaccompanied BUT after doing this "dirty job" he will have his pick up back to back posts in the middle east.  We prefer to live in the middle east indefinitely rather than for a limited two-three period, but having Nate gone for one year to Bagdad is obviously unpleasant.  On top of that, I am conflicted about the whole idea of being an expat government employee family in the middle east.  I used to think it was such a great idea but I am less enthused now, and not for what one might think of as "normal" reasons.  Do I want to live in the middle east if I cannot live like a local? Do I want to live in a region--and a lifestyle--that is unsustainable?  Our entire lives will depend solely on the existence of and access to OIL.  Not that we live off the grid back at home, but somehow it feels more sustainable.  Do I want to commit to a region that does not have open green space on which my children can run and play?  

These are troublesomecg questions considering Nate and I married each other with the expectation of living and raising our children as expats in the middle east.  And of course there are many reasons why I DO want to continue along that path.  But it is just not as easy of a decision now as it once was.  I just keep reminding myself that we have fasted and prayed about this and do not feel BADLY about proceeding forward down the path that will lead to a career in the middle east (i.e. the Bagdad job).  I feel lots if anxiety about it but do not feel it is wrong....I think.  Ugh!  Time to go to bed.

19 Aug: The fourth wonder of my world

18 Aug

By the time we left this morning, the plan had changed fifteen times.  What finally happened is that my parents, Nate, the girls, Erapie AND I all piled into a van and drove to Petra.  Thanks to a wrong turn, traffic, and a stop at the famous Karak castle, it took over six hours to get there.  Good news is that Aya slept part of the way and that Erapie was on hand to help.  And we arrived at Petra safely.  

We checked into the same hotel at which I'd made reservations for my parents.  My friends Sally and Tim will be happy to learn that our hotel is owned by the same people (and bears the same name) as the hotel at which we stayed together back in 2005.  At this time of year it is complete empty.  Good thing, since I wanted two rooms on the spot--one for me, Nate, and the big girls, and one for Erapie and the Chub.  

My parents made their own plans so the rest of us found a restaurant that would serve us before sundown (yes, it is STILL Ramadan but it ends tomorrow).  A plate of chicken and hummus later we headed back to the hotel.  Erapie took Aya off to her room (bless her) and we have been bumming around here.  The girls are tucked into their bed and watching Princess and the Frog (in Arabic!).  Thank goodness for portable DVD players.  Although we have been staying in a hotel all summer, we've not all been in the same room.  I have no idea if we are going to get any sleep.  I suspect we will be up multiple times in the night.

I am excited to see Petra tomorrow.  This will be my fourth (?) visit and I am still thrilled.  I doubt we will stay long--the girls will tire easily.  What we will have to decide is if we (Ayer fam and Erapie) are going to return by car or by bus--and which bus.  My parents said they would let us have the car and they would return by bus, but I feel like they should take it.  We can't all just come back together because they will likely want to stay longer than us.  And if they had the car they'd want to take some side trips that we don't want to take with the girls.  We should just insist they take the car and try to catch a bus.

18 Aug: Hilanatumikome and the Last Crusade

18 Aug

By the time we left this morning, the plan had changed fifteen times.  What finally happened is that my parents, Nate, the girls, Erapie AND I all piled into a van and drove to Petra.  Thanks to a wrong turn, traffic, and a stop at the famous Karak castle, it took over six hours to get there.  Good news is that Aya slept part of the way and that Erapie was on hand to help.  And we arrived at Petra safely.  

We checked into the same hotel at which I'd made reservations for my parents.  My friends Sally and Tim will be happy to learn that our hotel is owned by the same people (and bears the same name) as the hotel at which we stayed together back in 2005.  At this time of year it is complete empty.  Good thing, since I wanted two rooms on the spot--one for me, Nate, and the big girls, and one for Erapie and the Chub.  

My parents made their own plans so the rest of us found a restaurant that would serve us before sundown (yes, it is STILL Ramadan but it ends tomorrow).  A plate of chicken and hummus later we headed back to the hotel.  Erapie took Aya off to her room (bless her) and we have been bumming around here.  The girls are tucked into their bed and watching Princess and the Frog (in Arabic!).  Thank goodness for portable DVD players.  Although we have been staying in a hotel all summer, we've not all been in the same room.  I have no idea if we are going to get any sleep.  I suspect we will be up multiple times in the night.

I am excited to see Petra tomorrow.  This will be my fourth (?) visit and I am still thrilled.  I doubt we will stay long--the girls will tire easily.  What we will have to decide is if we (Ayer fam and Erapie) are going to return by car or by bus--and which bus.  My parents said they would let us have the car and they would return by bus, but I feel like they should take it.  We can't all just come back together because they will likely want to stay longer than us.  And if they had the car they'd want to take some side trips that we don't want to take with the girls.  We should just insist they take the car and try to catch a bus.

16 Aug: Grandma Glo and Papa Ro

16 Aug

They are here!  My parents arrived at 9am this morning at the Queen Alia International Airport.  It is now 4:29pm and it has been nonstop fun.  Here's the story:

 Nisreen and her cousin picked me and Emi/Yumi up at 8:15am this morning.  Erapie had planned to watch the girls for me but was caught up with a previous engagement.  Alas--I knew my parents would be thrilled to see the girls sooner than later.  Considering Nisreen's generous offer to drive us, bringing the girls was not so bad.  Riding in any conveyance along side them, not strapped into carseats, is not exactly fun, but at least in Nisreen's car we had a little room to move.  

Forty-five minutes later we arrived.  Thirty minutes and three bags of popcorn later, my parents emerged from customs. Yay!  It is always so fun to meet people at the airport.  This is my third time meeting my parents at airports in the middle east, actually.  First time in 1999, meeting my dad in Tel Aviv.  Second time in 2004, meeting my mom in Cairo.  And now in 2012, meeting them both in Amman.  I guess you know where to go if you want to find me. :-)

The girls were tired and wiggly by the time we reached the hotel again, but were actually behaving very well.  We got my parents' room sorted out--located on our very same floor--and then set off for a walk to the Al Bayrouni Street commercial complex.  I introduced my parents to our friends there and picked up a few supplies.  The Chub, tired from missing her morning nap, zonked out in the stroller.  

We returned to my room and got lunch underway.  Mayumi returned from camp with Nate at around 1pm.  I had been nervous about her arrival onto the seen; would she be nice or difficult? It could go either way.  Al hamdulileh she was great!  My dad focused on Emi, sitting with her at the table and playing blocks/eating with her.  My mom focused in Yumi and the two of them ate around the coffee table.  I think the girls both felt they were getting the attention they wanted and did not need to compete with each other.  I had honesty expected mayhem and crying so was thrilled to see how everyone enjoyed their time together.  Nate did not have class today so he was, unusually, here to have lunch with us.  While my dad played with Yumi and Emi, and Aya entertained herself with a cookie cutter and a milk bottle, us remaining three adults were actually able to get in a good conversation.  Have I mentioned how amazed I am at how well it all went?

Everyone went down for naps without complaint.  Nate was on hand to babysit so while my mom took a nap across the hall in their room, my dad and I took off for downtown.  I get my interest in history and antiquities from my father so it is not surprising he was game for a visit to the roman amphitheater.  We tried to catch a cab but after two rejections ("Downtown? A this hour? Are you crazy?") we had no alternative but to catch the bus.  Perfectly fine with us.  It took nearly 30 minutes to lumber downtown in the bus but we had a great chat along the way.  My parents came via Beirut, Dubai, and Muscat (Oman), so my father caught me up on their adventure of this last week.  

We jumped off the bus and walked the remaining 20 minutes or so down to the Roman Amphitheatre.  We stayed only briefly but I know he was perfectly happy with the experience.  It was now nearly 4pm and time to get back to check on the girls and my mom.  At my dad's request, I called Nate to ask him to wake my mom by knocking on their door.  She did not want to end up napping too long.  As the two big girls were up, Nate took then over to her room and that is where I found the when we returned.  That is where they are still; I hear no screaming so apparently all is going well!  

This evening: The good times continued.  I eventually went to check in on the girls and all truly was well.  We all spent time together in different combinations between our two rooms for the next two hours.  Very enjoyable.  Then, cute Nate took over command and I left for an evening out with my parents!  What fun.  We took the bus downtown (again) and headed straight to Hashem restaurant, the tasty and popular joint across the street from my old hostel from summer 2006.  The restaurant was more full than I'd ever seen it before; where the chairs and tables usually spill out into the alley between the two buildings and down to the street, tonight the tables filled up the sidewalks intersecting the alley on both sides.  Somehow the restaurant staff found us another table and we joined all the other Jordanians waiting to break their fasts.  There we all sat, waiting for the sun to set.  As the first strains of the call to prayer echoed off of the hills bordering downtown, everyone dove in to their bowls of hummus, fuul, and falafel.  

We ate and chatted for over an hour.  Fun.  Next in the agenda: shopping.  Problem was, most shops had closed prior to sunset for Iftar and would not reopen until 9:00pm.  We hung about, chatting and drinking juice cocktails.  We visited a few shops that had remained opened but nothing really struck my mom's fancy.  At about 9:30pm we hoped in a cab and slogged our way through serious traffic back to our hotel.  Everyone was asleep by the time I snuck into our hotel room at 10:30pm.

What a great day!  I am so proud of how well the girls behaved and thrilled to have my parents here.  

15 Aug: Jordanian fashionista wanabe

15 Aug

Oh joy! My last “regular” morning before my parents arrive and it was a great one.  Another early start (we both woke even before Aya’s 6:00am dulcet tones) but we made good use of it.  Nate took Yumi off to camp and I relished in the relative peace that comes from the absence of either Yumi or Emi.  When they are together, it is like a mine field.  Any moment, an explosion.  I got the two younger girls ready, put Aya down for a nap, and did what may be my last home-exercise workout EVER.  I knew, going into this experience, that I would not likely be able to workout at a gym this summer.  I expected home workouts to be difficult—and they have been.  For lots of reasons.  Let’s just say I am a highly motivated person but this has tested my resolve.  I am happy to say, however, that I have had a morning date with Tony Horton six days a week this entire summer.  The workouts were often interrupted and were rarely more than 30 minutes but still.  Still!  I did it. Today may be my last as I will definitely not be working out Thursday through Sunday, and we leave on Wednesday.  I think.

I took a little extra time getting ready this morning.  I have not appeared in many photos this summer and there is a reason—I think I look terrible most of the time.  I did not bring any hair styling implements or products so my hair has either been a drooping mop or piled up on my head.  Once my signature white eyeliner ran out I stopped wearing much makeup.  And my clothing?  Ha.  As I’ve mentioned before, I only brought two pair of pants and four tops.  I always, ALWAYS look grubby.  Today, however, in light of my recent scrub down, I felt compelled to do myself up a little. Nisreen will be delighted.  She has cautiously mentioned before that she thinks I’d look “great” in make-up. :-)  She, incidentally, is beautiful, and is always carefully made-up.  This is normal among Arab girls, particularly if they wear the headscarf.  As Nisreen put it, one feels compelled to accentuate one’s facial features with make-up when your head and hair are covered.

Looking rather nice, if I may say so, I slung Aya onto my front, took Emi’s hand, and headed down to Queen Alia’ Street.  There, we caught a bus!  Yes, I figured on this, my last “normal” day, we would go downtown by bus.  I had imagined myself taking the bus everywhere this summer but quickly realized the agony involved would make any outing completely not worth it.  Not that riding the bus itself is painful, but taking/relying on public transportation with three small girls...ugh.  Not having Mayumi, though, made all the difference.  Emi just quietly and nicely entertained herself while we waited ten minutes for the bus to arrive.  Uncomplainingly she sat on my lap, wedged in on three sides by the seat in front, the man on our left, and Aya at her back.  She just bounced on my lap and quietly sang “The Wheels on the Bus...”  Darling.  Aya, also squished between Emi and me, was a bit more wiggly, but was entertained by the man sitting behind me.  All in all, it was great—great to hop on a bus like the good old days.  And all for half a dinar.

The bus downtown doesn’t actually go all the way downtown.  This would normally be another factor pointing away from public transportation.  We had to walk at least fifteen additional minutes before we were at the main souq.  Emi was, once again, Emi the Good.  She just held my finger and skipped along side me.

The point of this visit was to scout out good clothing stores to which I can take my mother.  She, too, loves Arab clothing styles, and wants to stock up.  I want to take her shopping in the souq but wanted to identify a couple of good stores in advance.  It was a good excuse, anyway, to come downtown.  Oh, and when I told Nate I was going to scout out stores for my mother, he raised an eyebrow.  “Just for your mother, eh?”  Ha.  I am sure I will end up with a few more tunics when I take her shopping but today was truly just a fact-finding mission.  I DID find some great stores.  I love how Arab women dress and look forward to trying out their look a little when I get back. While I do not intend to cover my head with a higaab (head scarf), I do love their long fitted tunics worn (usually) over fitted pants or jeans.  I have a modest collection of these tunics at home and have since added to my collection.  Maybe I'll post a picture of one of my purchases on Facebook.

Emi was a peach!  We ended up at the juice stand where we chatting with our friends who run the place and drank our freshly squeezed orange juice.  Found a taxi in a snap and sat in traffic for 20 minutes.  Nate dropped Yumi off at the hotel shortly after we returned and we had lunch.  Lunch, naps—all clockwork. So far, a GREAT day.

This afternoon: Both Erapie and Nisreen arrived late but at the same time.  I left an awake Yumi to play with Erapie while Emi and Aya slept.  To my surprise, Nisreen’s cousin was also waiting for me down in the lobby. I was wary, at first, at his request to sit in on our lesson; when I had a lesson with Nisreen late one evening in the hotel courtyard the hotel owner’s son had requested the same thing...and then sat and smoked and talked on his phone the whole time while sitting at our table.  Annoying.  I was wary with her cousin but felt embarrassed later when he revealed his true reason for wanting to show up at our lesson—to offer me a ride to the airport tomorrow to pick up my parents.  It seems Nisreen has been telling him all about me/us the last month and he wants to help me out since Nisreen and I have become such great friends.  Very kind.  We had a great lesson, with her cousin only piping in when called on.  Really, a very nice guy.  As I have said before, I feel blessed to have found Nisreen.  Our lessons and friendship have been an excellent (and much needed!) aspect to our last month in Amman.  The cost of lessons and babysitting has completely eaten up Nate’s government per diem, but as far as I am concerned it has been well worth it.  I hope he agrees...

Nate, too, had been studying in the hotel courtyard.  He and I went upstairs to relieve Erapie.  Once again, we found three happy girls.  Yay! This time they were doing crafts. The Chub was standing on the coffee table and raised her arms in glee the moment we walked in the door.  Love that Chub.

Dinner: bran cereal (not tasty), hummus and bread (yummy).  Based on yesterday’s success with the post-dinner outing, I decided to try it again.  This time I took everyone and gave Nate an extra hour of study.  We went back to Abu Manal’s to pay (I forgot my money yesterday) and to buy fruits, diapers, and nail clippers.  We chatted with the toy store owner’s wife (usually his son watches over the shop).  We lingered about as we usually do.  The people who work and linger about there must think we are pretty bizarre.  This is what they are saying: “One day, this American family started showing up nearly every day and loitering for about an hour.  They visit every shop, usually make some kind of purchase, and linger some more.  Their kids are highly amusing, often crying, usually pretty grubby looking.  And remember that day the youngest one’s diaper exploded and her parents were on their hands and knees, using an entire package of wipes to clean up the baby and stroller?”

Back at the hotel we had another seamless pre-bed period!  Smoothies, scripture study, prayer and then (drum roll please)....microwave popcorn with some movie time.  Oh, the girls were in heaven.  Everyone in bed by 8pm.  Perfect.

My parents come tomorrow! Yumi will be at camp but I will take Aya and Emi with me to the airport.  I had planned on letting Erapie watch them while she babysits another set of kids from church, but now that I have car transport I think I’ll bring them.  Let’s just hope that Aya does NOT wake at the crack of dawn again, considering she will NOT get a morning nap today.  But whenever she wakes, I have reason to hope it will still be a great day. Yay...hope!  A marvelous way to end this summer.