ah, SoCal

What do I love about southern California the most? The ecosystems. That's right - in this concrete jungle, I'm a sucker for a butterfly on an acacia. Makes me all giddy inside.

Michele and I went to The Living Desert today, which was very cool. Michele is still gloating that she saw bighorn sheep after I told her she most likely wouldn't. All the animals were out - it was amazing. Leopards and cheetahs staring me down and all that, and meeting the lesbian goat Wendy. Cool.

Then we picked up Chinese Fast Food from Bobo's, after an argument about their definition of "healthy," and came home and saw Alias Smith and Jones for a flashback: as a child I watched that show every Sunday night. They ruined me for all men, I just realized. I expect my men to be as good as them - charismatic, charming, a little dangerous, silver-tongued, honest in spirit, full of integrity, always do the right thing, etc. etc.

It's like boys who look at a lot of porn and aren't turned on by real women. My expectations for men are so unreasonable now - because no man can be as good as either Kid Curry or Hannibal Heyes, much less both of them - and I'm wondering if I can hold the producers financially responsible?

Litigation? Oh yeah, I'm home.

in Riverside

Trader Joe's loves me - they now have organic, shade-grown Ethiopian medium-dark roast coffee. It was even brewed and served to me. Love ya back, TJ.

I'm at Michele's house, which is a great place to be (and her kitties, especially Cowvin, are very friendly - he's snuggling with me now, destroying his reputation of stand-offish shyness). Fixed up pool and everything! Though, it's a bit chilly out for swimming - which is nice. It was chilly in Oregon, too, and after being basically in a sauna for 10 weeks, it feels good.

I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee but still having a hard time waking up - could be the overcastedness.

It's a busy day, as I need to jump into my job applications (and start relentlessly hounding reference letter writers) and meetings on-campus. Plus, I'll start auditing the stats course today. I took this term last year, but the professor was really worthless and now there's a new guy, so I could learn much more.

OK, time to be productive. Or something. Yawn.

rainy Portland

I arrived! Back in the US of A. Arrived almost two days ago, two days punctuated with heavy sleeping at strange hours. This morning at 2:30 a.m. I was trying to hack into Amy and Stephen's computer (couldn't remember the password) and eating mango chicken, after crashing at 6:30 p.m. I didn't have jet lag the whole trip, and now I'm a mess. But after traveling so far, and the last 48 hours only including 3 hours of sleep, I'm ok with that.

Poor Ashton is sick, so his adorable "How can you be mad at somebody as cute as me?" looks are punctuated with some atypical whininess. Or is it because turning two isn't that far into the future?

Avery continues to amaze me - such a bright kid and generally pleasant (though a temper that is awe-inspiring ... which he hasn't treated me with this trip, yet). He's playing Lincoln Logs and dinosaurs beside me now, talking about visiting different countries and architecture. He was totally stoked when I presented him with money from every country I visited. His sweetest moment ... he had heard his dad telling his mom about me getting married, so he asked me about it and I told him about Dayton's daughters and how he'll need to be really helpful because everything will be so new for them. He was very excited to hear that Sissy is 9 - he likes older kids much. Then, later, when alone with his mom, he asked her what she did when she was nine. She didn't know the context, but she explained what she used to do and liked. Avery's already scheming and planning how to be hospitable. What an amazing 6-year-old! Now he's singing about Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, our new favorite story.

And I drove yesterday. It was not good. Traffic was great and all that, but a very tight parking structure has left permanent marks on the truck and bent out a piece on the wheel well. Ugh. Maybe Stephen can fix it, or Susan's neighbor Steve, who does body work semi-professionally. Years ago when I was living with Susan, Steve was getting off drugs and suddenly became Mr. Congeniality. One morning at 5 a.m. I got up to go somewhere and he was washing my car. "I already washed mine - twice - this morning, and I saw yours just sitting there ..." Well, maybe he'll just see the nasty scratches and dents on my truck and feel inspired at 5 a.m. on Saturday.

I am loving Amy and Stephen's new washer and dryer! And good coffee with half and half! And not feeling like I'm in a sauna every time I step outside. And talking with people and them really understanding me. And having control over what I eat. And two cute little boys always entertaining me.

So, tomorrow I'll take off to Eugene, and on to Riverside on Sunday, and start climbing up that really steep hill of academia.

last day of MEEWT

What a great last day of MEEWT. The Grand Palace here in Bangkok is AMAZING and totally fascinating. There’s this HUGE mural painted of all sorts of historical things, and like 100 buildings built at different times in the past 200 years. Saw the Emerald Buddha and a ton of cool statues and all that. Most Excellent. Also, yummy phad thai.

Transportation used on MEEWT:
Tro-tro (Ghana)
Mini bus (Jordan)
Public bus (Jordan, Egypt, Thailand)
River boat (Egypt, Thailand)
Subway/Sky Train (Egypt, Thailand)
Tour bus (Egypt, India)
Taxi (Ghana, Jordan, Egypt, India, Thailand)
private car (Jordan)
feet (Ghana, Jordan, Egypt, India, Thailand).

Mostly feet. Noticed today that I have nearly worn a hole through one heel.

And now, I believe it is time to eat my last yummy authentic Thai curry (though, I must say that most Thai food - especially at Ring of Fire - I've had in America tastes just like what I've had here) and then chill for a very early evening before getting up at 3:30 tomorrow morning.

beginnings of reflection

Wow, the last day on MEEWT. I'll head out soon to explore Bangkok, but confirming my last flights has me contemplative.

Airlines flown: Delta, KLM Dutch airlines, Emirates, Royal Jordanian, Indian Airlines, United.

The best? Emirates, hands down. Friendly flight attendants, and best of all personalized TVs with actual good movies. (Saw Crash - very good.)

Waters touched : Yikes, I need a world map for this. Atlantic, at Cape Coast (and Kokrobite) where enslaved Africans were shipped to the Americas. The Dead Sea. The Nile. The Jordan River. The Bay of Bengal. And I know there are more ...

What I've learned:
1. It's more fun to visit places where I have friends, though it doesn't suck other places either.
2. Hotels in city centers and/or populated areas are always better for me.
3. I am unforgiving. Not vengeful, but will promptly excise from my life any who cross me.
4. I can get around anywhere, especially if I'm cool with whatever happens and am patient.
5. There is no place exotic. Every place in the world is populated by people doing activities - and both the people and the activities have more in common with people and activities I know and love than they don't have in common. Orientalism is crushed in me (a long-standing argument Sabine and I have, thanks to Edward Said).
6. I love West Africa and want to return there for long-term.
7. India and Thailand are fascinating and I want to visit again.
8. Tourist culture makes me sick.
9. Hotmail is really, really slow in most countries and yahoo is a better choice.
10. I can do laundry by hand in a bucket or hotel sink really well now.

The best things I brought:
1. A sink stopper and laundry line.
2. A sleep sack (though next time, sheets may be better).
3. Flip-flops.
4. Ben Harper and Fiona Apple on my MP3 player.
5. Suitcases with wheels and carry-on backpack with all essentials (when KLM diverts my luggage elsewhere for a week, it's helpful).
6. Guide books. Even though they were really, really heavy.
7. ATM card. I used it almost exclusively, though changing cash was good especially in Africa. Traveler's cheques - rarely a good thing nowadays.
8. A smile.
9. Digital camera, though I pretty much stopped taking pictures a week or so ago.
10. A lappa (technically I didn't bring it, but bought it at Buduburam when my luggage was diverted).

But mostly what I learned about stuff is it's all replaceable and it's not a tragedy to have forgotten something. I spent too much time and energy and money preparing for this trip, and now I know I can find acceptable toothpaste in a city everywhere, which is at worst an inconvenience and small expense away from wherever I am.

in Bangkok

How do I know that I'm in Thailand? Because there are pretty flowers and fountains and Buddha shrines everywhere - even at the gas stations. Because there are so many markets with so many interesting fruits and vegetables and other things I don't know (including all pieces of the pig - the face, the feet, etc.). Because when I went to the 7-11 down the street, the fountain drinks were Coke and Green Tea with Pomegranate. Because all the dogs and cats are much fatter than the humans - and pacifists.

The best thing I bought today? Three notebooks that say on the front: My name is "Delight." And on the back: I am a pretty girl. I had a student seven years ago named Delight Aukon; she's one of the few still in school there - must be a senior this year. And she usually was a delight, in a very quiet, almost stoic way; she was little for her age and quite slow with learning - she was pre-literate in 6th grade when I got her but then with a new reading program we got, she moved ahead leaps and bounds and I loved to see the glow of pride on her face. She was extremely mature about all non-school things and I always trusted her judgment. Anyway, I miss her and the other kids and I'm happy to have a reason to send a note.

Second best thing: a wallet with a map of Africa on it, so when I'm talking about Liberia and people don't know where it is, I can show them the money, so to speak. And all this for only $3. I love bargains!

Everything went great today with travel - and the hotel in Chennai only charged me for three nights when they could have charged me for four. See? Money flows. I gave lots of tips and money came back to me. All good with check-in, and while security asked if I had an ornamental dagger in my checked bag (I do), they didn't take it as they did from Ahmed when he tried a couple years ago.

Indian Airlines is no Emirates though, that I'll say. No personal TV and 57 channels of radio? No footrest? No friendly flight attendants? It's all good; I made it across the Andaman Sea. And I feel like such the savvy traveler - I declined the taxi drivers inside the Bangkok airport and got a good one outside for 1/3 the price. And I do love being an American sometimes - no visa necessary here. And I'm staying at a great place - Asha Guest House. Great central location, but as soon as you enter the gate it's peaceful and quiet; no private bathroom, but everything's very clean and less than $10 a night. And thank Krishna for the books here - I'll exchange the awful Henry James novel I have for Catfish and Mandala, which a friend raves about.

So, it looks like George Weah is winning the Liberian election. He's a former footballer who is wildly popular with the youth. Hopefully he will provide the stability and lead the reconciliation necessary.

Tomorrow is for exploring Bangkok - looks like a fabulous transportation system.

And then on to the US. Unbelievable.

bobble head breasts

Indians do this interesting nodding thing that I can only describe as like a bobble-head. And I can't always tell the difference between yes bobble and no bobble. Usually no is a hand gesture instead, this "so-so" kind of gesture we make - maybe a bobble-hand. I like it - I used it on the persistent taxi offers earlier and it was quite effective. I hate talking to them.

I'd like to think that the guys in the restaurant like me so much because of my charming personality. But it's not - I'm a phenomenal tipper here - like 30% or so. I figure it's like $1 to me and a lot to them, so it's nice to be generous. Hey, it's Ramadan.

Look at Hindu goddesses - they have the most incredible breasts, and have for centuries. I was checking out 11th century goddesses and their breasts are ... well, they're pornographic. And I thought this ideal was created for plastic surgery, because I have never seen real breasts look anything like them. BTW, the male endowment on the nekkid Hindu gods - minimal. All endowment to female chests. Interesting dispersion.

hot asphalt on bare feet

OK, I have like no pictures of India because all the cool places - such as the Hindu temples and ashrams - do not allow photos. Oh well.

It was a grueling 5-6 hour city bus tour this morning - on a very old bus that seemed to run due to the grace of the numerous Hindu deities honored by stickers on the front window.

A cool thing about staying at a cheap hotel is that I get hooked up with cheap tours with all Indians. There have been no foreigners on either tour. People are friendly but not pushy, usually. They all got fruit, and I was clearly drooling as I watched them eat their mango, papaya, pineapple, citrus, and other things I couldn't even identify. I just kept thinking of all the travel warnings I ever got about not eating street fruit without peeling it myself, and I just couldn't do it. But this guy insisted I try this citrus thing - and fortunately I didn't like it much. Especially not with all the chili powder they pour on all the fruit. And now I have sticky handprints on my pants from a 2-year-old who ate his mango and then used my body as balance during the busride.

All the temples and ashrams also require bare feet, hence today's title. We also went to this totally cool snake park. I mean, not really cool for the snakes, as the cages were pretty small and icky, but it was so awesome to see all these snakes close-up. And reptiles, too - they had many different kinds of crocodiles. India has amazing biodiversity - almost everything there was native to India. And I got a postcard of the four common venomous snakes for Jeffrie - because she hates them so much and wants to get over her fear.

The weather is actually quite nice here - I meant, it's hot and humid as hell, but it's not raining.

People keep telling me it's raining in California, very hard. What's going on? I don't see anything when I search for it.

Wow, I keep getting email invitations to apply to law schools - and these are pretty good ones, too. They are even waiving the application fee. I don't want to regret that I didn't go to law school, but I don't want to spend three years getting heavily in debt and then having to work my ass off and not have a life forever.

OK, I think I'll walk over to the museum now and then crash for the rest of the evening (and probably be back here again) and prepare for a very early morning - off to Bangkok!

today in Pondicherry

Strangest thing I did today: Walked ten blocks barefoot through Pondicherry city streets, into an ashram, and eventually to a technicolor Ganesh Temple with a friendly live elephant out front. (The barefoot - not my idea. The tour guide insisted before we got out of the bus.)

Strangest thing I said today (to Rajev, who followed me all day and bought me lunch): "So, my guidebook says that Assam [where he's from, in northern India] is famous for tea and eroto-spiritual Tantric cults. You're familiar with Tantra?" [Let's just say if this weren't "Dayton Place" as Roberta dubbed it, your heroine would be getting lots of action.]

Strangest, most paranoid, thing I thought today: "This crushing headache could very well be cerebral malaria and I could be dead before the next sunrise. OR, this could be the first sign of a nervous system virus like Becky's [a Brit I met in Ghana] boyfriend got last time he went to India." [Um, nope, I was just hungry and thirsty. But I've been so scared off India that I wouldn't even take ice in my pomegranate juice and made them swear on their favorite Hindu deity that they did not put water in it. And the nervous system virus thing really scares me because it completely changed his personality.]

On that, I like India and it's nothing like I expected. Chennai and Pondicherry and the area in-between are sane, people are sane, and maybe I'll even emerge from this country without serious intestinal disorder.

Today's excursion was a really good one and I'm glad I went. The tour guide had a freaky similarity to Egyptian Sammy, but I just ignored him and surfed along and it was all good. Everybody else got upset with him and there was lots of shouting - in both Tamil and Hindi - and I looked at the pretty flowers and butterflies. Just the drive there was worth the 275 Rupees (about $6.50) - the scenery was amazingly beautiful. We drove along the Bay of Bengal and the tropical vegetation made my homesick for West Africa. And poor people seem to live pretty much the same everywhere - just the thatching on the mud huts is different here from Ghana.

And then we got to Auroville, and that was totally awesome. It's a planned city-in-progress revolving around search for universal truth, peace, and love. Though we're in Hindu-land, it's deliberately NOT religious. And I am so fed up with religion now that something based strictly on spirituality rather than religiosity rings rather melodiously.

There are churches here in Chennai everywhere (and televangelists), and Hindu shrines/temples, and mosques (though I don't see many, I sure hear the calls to prayer), and Buddhist temples. It's a melting pot beyond the cliche. And the travel information guy was cute when he said, "Happy Christmas." "Excuse me?" "Are you Christian? Is Christmas on the 25th of this month?" "Are you Hindu? Then, happy whatever temple festival they were having yesterday."

His intent was to be welcoming and accepting and conversational (so he could slip me his personal email address and phone number, hoping we'll "chat"), and in Jordan people weren't pushy. But if there were one thing I could change about West Africa, it would be the whole god thing. What the hell kind of name is "Thankgod"? Or Joseph (my non-husband)'s youngest son is named "Bless Lord." And these are pretty mainstream people. I need to figure out a better strategy for handling the Christian pushiness there without getting all bristly and defensive. I still am proud of myself for the retort to Dayton's pastors, "Well, I will respectfully disagree with your opinion that being born-again Christian is the only right way. Because I believe in love and acceptance of others more than I believe in any book or religious creed, and I'm pretty darn sure that I'm not wrong." [OK, I meant religious acceptance there, not idiot acceptance, clearly, because idiots like the pastors should not be accepted.]

Hey, another good reason to get back to Riverside soon - I can still catch the window on some fellowship applications for next year. That would be so awesome to have at least some income to allow me to just focus on research and then on writing. I can't wait to get back and get to work! Don't get me wrong - I have been so blessed to have this opportunity to go places I've always wanted to. But now I know what I want to do to let me do this kind of traveling again with purpose. And now I really know it's a small world after all.

Welcome to India, here's your monsoon

Rain, rain, rain. Seven people dead. This is Chennai with an early monsoon season, and I'm coughing up the extra $8 a night for A/C.

How many Indian waiters does it take to get a bottle of mineral water? Five, and an hour. But I think that was my fault for starting off by asking for recommendations for food - soon, everybody was involved and arguing over whether I REALLY wanted masala tea with that yummy chicken dish. (Dammit - I did not travel thousands of miles to be denied my chai! So I got my way ... and I think I'll go get another cup soon.)

Let's just say that I had THE best Indian food ever just now. That may sound like a "duh" to y'all, me being in India and all, but in my travel experience the real, local food doesn't always live up to expectations (such as Italian pizza). This exceeded my expectations - YUM!

So, I slept until 2:00 pm because I didn't get to the hotel and all until after 5 a.m. I have a nasty headache from the weird sleep schedule, but I think it'll clear up soon. It looks like the rain has cleared for a bit, too, so I will go venture out soon. I'm in a great part of town I think, conveniently located and near everything, but it doesn't look too crazy-crowded.

Tomorrow I'm going to Pondicherry and I know I'm crazy. It's at least three hours each way in a non-A/C bus, but I've always heard about Pondicherry and Siva (Susan's roommate) who's from Chennai highly recommends it. And then the next day I'll do a city tour and maybe hang out at the Theosophical Society, depending on weather. And then I'm gone.

The most important time will be the wandering around I do alone now - that's how I get a feel for a place.

Thankgod

That is the name of the gentleman I just spent my Dubai time with - seriously, his name is Thankgod. How could I make this stuff up??

When I left the heavenly business center/internet cafe, the West African guy I referred to earlier was out there with his friend. This time I knew he would greet me, so before I passed I greeted him first, met them briefly, then walked away. I hung out in duty-free for a brief time before I thought, I can spend the next four hours reading a book and finishing it and having to buy a new book here (I was tempted by Alexander McCall Smith's other series), or I can go back upstairs and hang out with some Nigerian footballers.

That was the clincher, that they're Nigerian. I have a huge prejudice against Nigerians. So I went back upstairs and that's where I've been. Sometimes I amuse myself, the people I strike up conversations with.

But it was enlightening and entertaining and comfortable. Enlightening because I started off with, "Why you West African guys gotta do that whole 'hello' thing after we walk past?" And they (Thankgod and Vitalias) laughed, embarrassed, and 'fessed up - it's about not knowing the person and not knowing the reaction and not wanting to be shot down. And they told me what they had said about me after they saw me the first time, their conversation. It was somewhat edited for content, but what is it about West African men loving my walk? I swear, I got complimented for my walk so many times in Ghana - men there like a woman knowing where she's going and what she's doing and they don't want no stinkin' victim.

And something else I love about West African men is that they can be really explicit about wanting to screw your brains out and make you see Jesus and fireworks, but defusing that while saving face for everybody is easy for me. And West African men are capable of thinking with both heads simultaneously. Thankgod's debaucherous intentions for me were evident and I could see him eyeing me and picturing me in his hotel bed, but we had great political discussions (especially when he raised his eyes up above my chest, but apparently he thinks my breasts are pretty interested in the Liberian election too).

The best thing they said about me is that I'm "simple." I have never been called that before in my life, and I like it. They just meant that I am friendly and open and don't have a lot of hangups with getting to know people and don't make complications unnecessarily. Which is a load of bunk and they're totally wrong of course, but I like that I can present myself that way. Entertaining.

And comfortable, because I was born on the wrong continent and I think I was supposed to be West African - my personality fits right in there more so. But I do have to figure out a better strategy for dealing with the whole jesus thing. I just smile and look away, as they mention Jesus Christ, God, blah blah blah, 37 times a minute. I appreciate people's faith and would never pick a fight about it, but ease up a little already, ok? But what on earth could I really expect of a man named Thankgod?

I wonder if I could change my flight to Chennai for one to Accra ... Good grief I want to be there more than anywhere else. Sigh. Next year, next year.

Oh, Thankgod and Vitalias are on the national Nigerian football team and are traveling to Kuwait. Nigeria is already out of the World Cup, but Ghana qualified. Footballers always entertain me for their self-confidence.

Oh, and good news - just got booking confirmation from my first choice of lodging in Bangkok - good location, cheap, a restaurant run by renowned Thai chef, and the shared bathrooms will make me really eager to get back to the US.

in Dubai

Ah - Stephen posted a comment! I never guessed. See, you sound just like my friends other places - that's funny. And wow! Stephen's reading! haha - Man, I really wish I could upload pictures onto the blog; it would make it all so much more interesting. (BTW, Stephen voted for Bush. So anything he says we take with several grains of salt - haha)

I'm in the Dubai airport which will always be associated with cleanliness heaven to me. This is where I stopped on my way out of Accra, and the clean, quiet veneer was a refreshing change for me. I'm here for 5 hours, and I have found the most awesome "business center" ever - it's not cheap to use internet here, but for $5/hour in my own personal office with pretty doors, that's a nice place to hang out. Ah, I'm so easily pleased.

I'm such a bad blogger - I never post just the unusual things because they stop being unusual to me once I experience them. For instance, security checks in the Middle East at airports - there are separate lines for men and women, and the women go into a curtained little room where a woman or two uses the wand - we don't step through the metal detectors. I understand about men not wanding women (haha), but I still haven't figured it all out. And soon, I'm out of the Middle East.

So, I was sitting on the airplane getting ready to get off and was really missing West Africa. Just random thoughts like that - you know, ME-think. And I look up and there's some African guy smiling down at me. And walking in here I got one of those West African guy "hellos" (waiting until I walk past to see if I'll turn back). Man, I can't wait to go back. Not for the pick-ups or anything, but just the way I feel so comfortable there. I don't want to remember it as perfect because then I'll be disappointed when I return, but in some ways it's fantastic for me.

Hm ... none of the places I've contacted about housing in Bangkok has replied to me. This is mildly alarming. Only very mildly right now - and worst case scenario I just arrive and find a place. It's not like India, where I arrive at 3 a.m. - I get into Bangkok at like 3 p.m., so things should be good.

OK, I'm off now to finish Children of the Arbat, which is making me have some serious flashbacks to my time living in Moscow (Russia), and if my stomach weren't so upset I'd indulge in a latte because I can here. Emirates is totally the best airlines ever (I particularly like the movie choices and the TV at every seat), but they serve way too much food and it's pretty good and I hate to waste it.

And for those of you on the edge of your seat about Liberian elections like I am (they were held yesterday), here's an article. Unfortunately, results won't be known for probably two weeks, and a run-off election will probably be required, and refugees could not vote. I want to be there. But I'll be in Riverside, and that's ... well, that's different.

Petra checked off the list

OK, I went to Petra. It was cool. Rose red city - huge temples and tombs and other amazing things carved into rock cliffs. A long huge chasm to walk down which is from plate shifting and the huge rocks being rent apart.

Clearly, I was underimpressed with Petra. Oh, it was fine. But the stench of camel piss got old. And all the guys shouting "Ride a camel?" "Donkey ride?" Ok, yeah, it was a really long walk around, but I think anyone who can't walk it shouldn't see it. OK, that's not fair, but couldn't I go to one cool thing to see without having to constantly say, "No thank you"?

UGH. Touristed out.

That said, there are of course magnificent things about traveling. The best is meeting people. People and situations - things are faster, more intense - and that's my style fo' shizzle. I like a new country every week. I just don't like the tourism culture. It's not even the tourists who've bugged me this trip (I almost pushed French tourists off the temples north of Mexico City because they were so horrible), it's the tourism workers who don't listen to "no" and who will let you deface monuments for enough baksheesh.

Tomorrow - to India. Arriving at 3 am sucks but it'll all be good.

Oh, comments. I love comments! OK, last anonymous - doesn't know about my botanical obsessions. And I'd be an obsessive birdwatcher if I were any good at it. Slowly, slowly, my talents improve there. But I can annoy most people because I always have to stop and stare at interesting plants. So my annoyances aren't limited to my soapboxing. :-) Yes, thanks Roberta, the trip's off anyway for other reasons which is probably all for the best. And Jen, that's funny because I was thinking that the other day. And I was thinking, but I'll see my friends regularly once I get back, but who the hell am I kidding? I'll be so busy you won't see much more of me unless you tempt with a Templo foody-call. heehee, gail, those stickers remind me of Bowman Bucks/Lau Loot we did that time. You know, we are cool teachers! And I found the rock - it was tucked in a different pocket. Salt still on it and everything. Anyway, I'd be happy to go back to the Dead Sea with you someday - you can run around getting Biblical and I'll hang out poolside after my daily salty float.

OK, I'm putting off packing and going to bed. Tomorrow will be early.

goodbye to Mahmoud

Mahmoud came down to Amman today, bringing my backpack I'd left behind, and we hung out. Walking to King Abdullah I Mosque, a very cool blue-mosaic-domed one, we ran into the National Gallery of Fine Arts (which I'd seen before while wandering about lost with my suitcase). It's very neat - two buildings full of modern-ish art with a big water-wise garden in between. My favorite was a red Turkish painting with Ottoman script and imbedded pictures from a story; Mahmoud's was a very disturbing one by a Benin artist called "Refugee Baby's Bottle" which was mixed-media and included a decapitated doll's head on a bottle. Then I asked the guy working the front desk his favorite and he took me around to those, then called the guy across the street to show us his favorites. In Jordan, it's all about connections ... but sometimes the connections are pretty easy to make.

The mosque was closed to me (only open to non-Muslims earlier in the day) so we cruised on up to the Citadel and saw cool Ummayad palace and museum.

We then went back to the bus station and his bus was to leave immediately. It was really sad to say goodbye to him - for almost a month now I've talked to him almost daily and seen him regularly. Suddenly I'll never see him again? Very sad. I've been blessed with the best Jordanian holiday ever, and now it's almost over.

Tomorrow to Petra. It's this incredible Nabatean (pre-Roman) hidden city carved into cliffs. Everybody says I must go there. I'm bummed because it's expensive ... the bus I wanted to take doesn't operate anymore, and every other tour overnights in Petra which I don't want to do - I just want the drive there (2-3 hours), a few hours there, and then back to pack and sleep well before an early Wednesday departure. Anyway, some guy called me early this morning (I was up until almost 2 a.m. watching "A Beautiful Mind") and offered me a really good deal to taxi me there. It's still not cheap, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, right?

I met a woman this morning, from England, who might go with me there tomorrow, so that would even decrease costs more. She's been there numerous times before but says it's so amazing. Either way, I need to just do it and not regret it.

Speaking of that ... I'm looking at airfare for Ghana in December and I'm having a hard time justifying the cost, but maybe it would be a reward for me for going back so early and getting a job? It's just soooo expensive. And I worry that if I wait any longer that it will get even more expensive. I'm just not sure of holiday schedules for schools and which district will employ me ... sigh. I can kind of justify it because that would give me about a month or two to work on my prospectus and it would be great to touch base with the education people at camp and see if my plan is feasible. Schools will be closed then, but everybody lives on camp and I can just show up at their houses. In fact ... I wonder if I could make it a tax-deductible trip?? Hm .... required for research ... Maybe Roberta knows this answer.

Man, I hope the internet isn't costing me here; and if it is, I hope it's reasonable. I just keep asking the hotel desk guy to log it on again and again. Oh well.

I'm procrastinating going back out in the heat - I need to walk to the post office to mail off the last postcards to Avery and Ashton (before I lose them like I did several others), and oh, conveniently, the telephone call center is right next door. And since it's Ramadan, I don't know how late everything's open, so I need to go soon.

Oh, at the bus station after leaving Mahmoud, I bought an orange soda and asked for a straw. This lady said, "You're going to eat?!" Incredulous and borderline rude, and said, "Yes, I'm going to drink." The guy working there yelled at her to leave me alone (or something such). Hey. Just because everybody else is fasting - not even drinking water - doesn't mean I am. I'm not like chowing and slurping in front of people - I hid behind a pillar with my Mirinda soda and sucked it up quickly. I'm hot, I'm thirsty, I'm hungry - leave me the hell alone. It was a weird moment.

OK, enough procrastination. This 4-year-old kid is staring at me and giving me the creeps.

In the Holy Land

Touch me, I'm holy!

Today was a very good day of sightseeing -

First, we went to the site where Jesus was baptized and there are the ruins of all these very old churches. It's a whole new touristy area, which was actually quite nice as they took us on a little bus and walking tour of some different things in the area - and I got to touch the JORDAN RIVER!! This whole area was landmined before because it's right by the West Bank disputed area of Israel-Jordan. So, I kept on the paths.

Then we went to THE DEAD SEA. That was totally cool and I'd like to go back to a spa there or something someday. I didn't want to swim/float though - I'm really not feeling well and didn't feel like the hassle. So, I stuck my arm in, and I still can't get all the salts off. And, I stole a rock. That's my thing; I have rocks I've collected from different places. (Oh wait - I may have lost it - it's not in my pocket. Oh well.) The rocks along the side of the Sea are totally covered in salts, it's wild. And, the lowest elevation on earth. Cool, huh? I didn't see a sign saying that, so no corresponding picture to frame with me at the equator, me at Arctic Circle, etc., but I know I was there.

Then to Mt. Nebo, where Moses died after he saw the Promised Land. Also very cool - very old church with incredible mosaics. I'm thinking those Byzantines are my kind of people - I LOVE the mosaics. I was thinking I'd like to start it as a hobby, but don't know if I have the artistry and patience. But it could be quite fun especially if others wanted to do it too (hint, Jenny and Michele).

Then, a quick stop at Madaba and the very old church there with an incredible mosaic of all the sites in the Christian world. It's only partially intact now because it's 1500 years old! But really cool. And, I'm not able to add links here for some reason, but check out: http://www.bibarch.com/ArchaeologicalSites/Madaba.htm

So, for those Bible fans of you out there, extra credit for finding where those places are listed in the Bible. I'm afraid you might not win the contest though, because I told Dayton and Washington (a friend from the camp) about it and they're probably already on the case. (I just got email from Washington and God is mentioned 37 times. I'm not sure how much he does it to bug me, but I think not much if at all. He also said I'm the only white woman he ever saw in his entire life who gave out her address to people like I did - which I found a very interesting comment. First of all, he's the only person I gave it to unsolicited - I hired him for the school and I have tremendous respect for him and I want to keep in touch with him about education issues. But also, by training originally he's an engineer, and if the plans happen that Dayton and I have of Liberia reconstruction, we need him. And I trust him - and he is the only Liberian I ever met who was always EARLY to appointments. Anyway, I thought it a strange comment because I was hardly separated from Black people there because I am white. I'm freaking engaged to a Liberian and have incredibly close relationships with others. Washington probably doesn't know that because I knew him only professionally. But still, it was odd.)

So, one day at Petra and one day to chill with Mahmoud, and then I'm outta here. And on to countries where they eat during daylight!

the universe provides

Jenny, that's a great idea! I was thinking about suggesting that ... probably I'll go to Paris August next year - hopefully I can teach summer school as well. Anyone else want to join us for a few weeks frolicking in France? An apartment? Hell, we get enough folks together we could rent a castle! :-)

I'm still below maximum energy today - walking is quite a strain. Maybe that's because everything in Amman is uphill. Both ways. Went wandering around - trying to find the bus that goes to Petra. After walking well more than a mile (500 meters, my ass) I arrived to find they do not go to Petra. I checked prices for excursions at different places and they're so expensive.

Anyway, long story short, I'm going to the Dead Sea and Madaba and Mt. Nebo (where Moses saw the Promised Land) and Bethany (where Jesus was baptized) tomorrow for a reasonable price in a shared taxi. I had reached the point of not even wanting anymore because of the $$. Maybe Petra will happen the same way.

And I was walking around looking for different things and they often just appeared (such as a place to make phone calls to Africa for a more reasonable price - unfortunately also bad connection, but I still like hearing my sweetie's voice). But then what's funny is that when I caught a ball kicked over a compound wall and threw it back - is that it's a circle. Things are provided for me and I am an instrument of providing for others as well.

I might go to Hashem tonight - only THE best hummus in the entire world. I called Ahmed and Tami and might hook up with them though sounds like Tami's sick. I'm also on a knafe search - none anywhere near here, unfortunately. Though, probably that's good for me. The universe provides, but maybe it's also telling me I've had enough cheese/shredded wheat drenched in sugar syrup for awhile.

What will I be happiest about when I get back to the US? Washing machines. Templo. Cheap calling cards to call Africa more regularly. Lots of things to do that need to be done and don't just feel self-indulgent.

I recently got email from a couple of former students - one thanking me for the GRE prep course I taught last summer (though I doubt the benefit of what I did there) and one from my last year at Sierra - Amanda - who still always insists "ur still my favorite teacher." It's sweet and the timing is great as I look to embark on teaching again.

musing out my reasons

So, I am offically returning to the US on October 18th. Which requires that I really understand my reasons for returning months early.

The primary reason is my desire to do my dissertation research at the refugee camp next fall. That requires me to get back to UCR and finish coursework, take exams, write my dissertation prospectus - which will require a tremendous amount of reading. So, the sooner I get started on all that, the more likely it is that I will be able to. It's still a crazy idea - two terms to take full courseload AND written and oral exams. But I'm a crazy girl, so it might work. PLUS, I would like to take the quantitative research sequence with the guy currently teaching it at UCR, so if I get back soon I can start auditing this term and slide into the next two terms.

Also, needed for that is money, so the sooner I get back and can get a job, the better for the savings. I also really need to improve my French if I want to work in West Africa, so a month in Paris next summer would be beneficial - and also costs $$.

The trip as I planned it originally was great (schooling and volunteering predominantly) but with changes it became too touristy - and I make a lousy tourist. So, enough with the sightseeing and resort hotels - I'm chomping at the bit to be surrounded by tomes and be pushed by deadlines.

And there are the other reasons. I don't know that Dayton and the girls will join me this year in the US - it takes 6 months to get a visa, which I cannot apply for until after an established job to show support - and if I'm back at the camp next September we should just wait until after that. I'm trying to be an adult about it, but when the patience was doled out, clearly I was off running around looking at pretty birds and flowers instead. At least Dayton is an adult about it, even if I'm not. But, either way, thinking of supporting a family is lots more money than I survive on usually.

I feel the dread that a school year brings on me, with behavior issues and papers to grade and staff meetings and all that. But I also love teaching and it brings me alive, so it won't hurt to do another year of it. And it's for good reasons.

I'm so grateful for Jordan - I love this place. Not like I want to live here forever probably, but it's a restful and rejuvenating and refreshing place. Or maybe I just totally lucked out because Mahmoud was here and he made it that way for me.

OK, time to enjoy my last days of Jordan and vacation ...

oh, and another thing

I'm emailing with my wonderful travel agents at airtreks.com in SF - and I may be back in Portland as early as October 18th. WOW. (OK, maybe I'll be sorry someday that I rushed through - but the baksheesh overload and low energy are making me just want to go "home" to Michele, Susan, Amy/Stephen. I want a paycheck and I want to read everything ever written on Liberian education and I want to put my suitcases away for a short while.)

Jenny, warn 'em at Templo that the prodigal Mexican is coming home.

Baksheesh overload

I am SO happy to be back in Jordan and to get out of Egypt. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the pyramids and sphinx and all that, but I am so over Egypt.

Since last time I posted, I realized that I must have a St. Christopher's Medallion branded on my aura - my traveling is always blessed. Because if the worst that happens to me is that I have to eat at McDonald's, I'll be ok. After I posted, I went for a walk in Cairo downtown, and everybody was too happy to tell me (unsolicited) which way was downtown and museum. I KNOW where those things are and I was deliberately going the other direction - but it made me realize how bad tourists have ruined things there. People not interested in knowing Egypt or Egyptians, but just some piles of rocks.

Anyway, one of the folks was the botanical director for the museum, and he was fun to chat with. Then I took up the challenge of a lifetime: to ride home during rush hour the first day of Ramadan on the subway and buses. Let's just say that I got closer to Egyptians than I ever really wanted to. the subway was actually great - clean and efficient and well-labeled, and a women's car at the front (I was the only foreigner). Then I actually rode public buses - some guy helped me out with the first one, then I attached myself to a young woman who helped me with the second, and the whole bus helped me with the third.

I'm glad I did it - just to prove that not all foreigners are idiots and removed from Egypt. But it was exhausting.

the next day I went to Sakkara and Memphis, which was pretty cool - to see THE oldest pyramid in the world, where the Pharoahs used to live, cool tombs, etc. But the creepy baksheeshing really maxed out. Everybody wanting money for doing their job - the taxi driver had to give it to the tourist cops, and guards who opened doors for me to tombs expected it and then actually complained when I gave too little in their minds. It was upsetting, and I had to say about 30 times to pushy "guides" - "I just want to be alone." I walked out in to the desert a bit to have a better perspective, and they actually followed me on camels and donkeys, insisting I couldn't walk back alone? ARGH.

The next day I had planned to go into town again, but I was so burnt out and met new friends at breakfast (from Holland) who insisted I spend the day recharging with them poolside. I felt ridiculous - here I am in EGYPT and I'm sitting at a hotel?? But it was good because I've got painful stomach and low energy because I can't sleep through the night because it hurts so bad at times. I'll be ok - this is something I had before in the US and the doctor couldn't figure it out at all, but it passes eventually. I'm just so excited to be back in Jordan and "civilization."

OH, I was going to go to make reservations to go places in my few days here ... but it may be too late now. Oh well. Tomorrow. I want to go to Petra and the Dead Sea, but honestly I'm so maxed out on tourism now that I'd be happier kicking back with Mahmoud and doing absolutely nothing. So, I'll call him. He's like 2-3 hours away, but we'll definitely hook up because he has a bag of my stuff.

It's almost dark I think, so maybe I'll be able to go find a falafel stand. Damn Ramadan. How are the infidels supposed to eat when everything is closed every day??

Egypt: Would you like fries with that?

So I'm in Egypt! I was just at the Egyptian Museum which was FANTASTIC. OK, so the labeling and exhibits suck technically speaking, but just to wander around and see and feel the vibe of everything - WONDERFUL!! Like everything I ever expected plus so much more. The statues, the tombs, the hieroglyphs, just everything!

And now here's a little internet cafe, so everything is good. I was supposed to meet the Iraqi boys at noon, but I think we all got confused somehow and I couldn't find them in the crowds.

Let's see, what else? OK, I arrived on Friday - after the friendliest encounter with Jordanian officers ever. At passport control as I left, they were just giddy with joy to meet me. I got in to Cairo late and had to wait long time at airport to get cleared. Met Tami and Ahmed and Becker from Louisiana (yes, Katrina has wrecked their lives) though Ahmed originally from Jordan, where they're staying a couple months. And met Omar, Farris, and Yehair - the Iraqi boys. Everybody very friendly and we have gotten along very nicely.

Saturday we went to the pyramids at Giza. YES! THE pyramids and THE Sphinx!!!! Took pics, crawled around a bit, etc. Excellent! Then we went to papyrus museum place and a flower essence shop to smell different concoctions. Tourist traps; we were not interested. The flower shop guy was a sexist pig and I pushed his buttons.

This is also when I began to notice that Sammy, our guide, was less than perfect. He didn't guide at all, didn't allow sufficient time, etc. Also told me things like there's no bus from my hotel into the city. I asked several times, he kept telling me that. Which I just sensed was BS. See, the problem is my hotel is WAY out of town - nearer to the pyramids than to Cairo - and a taxi to town is like $6 each way, which adds up! Plus, that's if you don't get screwed over. So, I didn't believe little Sammy so went for a walk that evening. There is NOTHING around our hotel - it's walled off and surrounded by no businesses like shops or anything. And internet there costs like $1/minute! Anyway, so I saw LOTS of buses - the ones like in Ghana, small vans. And I knew he was full of it.

OK, Monday we went to the Citadel, some cool old mosques and hung out just a little, then to Khan al-Khalili bazaar. This is when things with Sammy became more unpleasant. He wanted us to go to this tourist trap thing and most of us showed no interest to pay $20 for it. He got grumpier and grumpier, saying it was up to us which was clearly not really the case. He kept insisting we follow "the program" which meant 5 minutes when we needed much more, and he dropped us off places that weren't really open yet.

So, Ahmed, Tami, Becker (he's 4) and I spent most of the day hanging out and went some cool places - coffee shops and falafel and bargaining for deals. It was a good day once we ditched the program.

Yesterday was the Sammy clincher. We went to Alexandria - yes, THE Alexandria. It was BEYOND cool to walk where Cleopatra used to walk! We went to an old fort, some crappy aquarium thing, saw the new Alexandria library, etc. Then he took us to a restaurant where they wanted to charge us like $19/kilogram (almost $10/pound) to eat fish there! Everybody was like HELL NO, so we walked - plus it was all just sketchy with the Sammy-kickback and how they wouldn't give us a menu, kept changing prices, etc.

So Sammy, still pretending to be a nice guy, took us one other restaurant - clearly a tourist trap again. Then he started to show his frustration with us when we refused that one also. All we wanted was where the real people eat. And Tami and I are the only non-Arabs, and none of us is stupid. So he said how about the City Centre, and I looked in my Lonely Planet guidebook at City Centre and saw lots of different options, and we all agreed that was a good idea - to go downtown.

But no. "City Centre" is a mall outside town. When I pitched a mini-fit he said that Alexandria doesn't have a city center, that this is the only one. Which is when Omar got on board with the "That's bullshit," but as Ahmed said, we just wanted the day to be over. We went into the food court of the mall where the options were Pizza Hut, McDonald's, KFC, and the like. I kid you not. It was like I died and went to hell, except there was no country music soundtrack.

I don't eat that crap in the US, much less in the Middle East, where food is yummy and healthy and cheap! AND to add insult to injury, this is the last day before Ramadan, so it was my last chance to eat Egyptian food - Egyptians are all fasting during the day, and because my hotel is so far from town I won't be out that late alone in order to eat in the city (all restaurants are closed during the day), and I'll be only eating at the hotel now, which only really has western food.

If I hadn't been with the rest of the group, I would have been really pissed, but instead we laughed a lot and it just was realized as a crazy time. My peeps are cool. But Ahmed and Tami and Becker left this morning with some others, and I lost the Iraqi boys today, so I'm on my own for the next few days (or until Omar calls my hotel again tonight).

But it's all good. I was going to take the mini-buses to the subway to the Museum today, but I was running late so ended up with a taxi. The hotel folks tried to jack me around there too and I was refusing to be bullshitted into paying for their really expensive limousine service, so the head guy just led me out to a taxi to get rid of me and shut me up.

And this is how I met Mostafa, who is already great. We instantly clicked and when I told him about the Alexandria trip yesterday he laughed so hard and was so appreciative to laugh that he's my homeboy now. He brought me to town for a reasonable price and will pick me up if I call, and tomorrow we're going to Saqqara and Memphis for some real ruins and cool stuff. And he'll charge me less than half the limo rate.

I might try to do the subway-bus thing though today, just to see if I can. The only problem is then I have to leave town soon, because everybody will start rushing home early because it's Ramadan and everything close early.

But, that might be ok. I'm already kinda tired from the power tour of the museum I did, and it might be nice to have late afternoon-evening to chill at the hotel pool and read this stupid Ken Kesey book that I brought and will not take to one more country.

OK, so I'm off now to do some power touring of this area of town. And I'm having a great time alone - doing things at my pace instead of Sammy's - that is GREAT.

So, off for more adventures!! :-)