So guess the first thing I need to talk about is the fact the Jay Harris has returned! He’s the guy who is in charge of the whole thing. Between writing the first sentence and this sentence, I discussed with my roommate Sean Rao about how Jay Harris returning is like a living in a dream because it’s been over a month since he left.

This weekend we went to Al-Azraq, which is half-way between Amman and Iraq. About ten years ago, this big spring out there was pumped dry because the demand of water was so high, resulting in a ecological disaster. So now there trying to pump water back. So we went there, were “truly” appalled by how much water wasn’t there, and then went to a Wildlife reserve with Ostrich. It was a very interesting trip but Lunch kind of gave it a bad name. We went to this place which according to my guidebook is where all the Saudis go to get drunk because it’s illegal in Saudi Arabia and just over the border. But the food at his place had been made a couple days before and had just been warmed up in the microwave and put in those buffet style metal trays with the flames underneath. It was 8JD! ($11!).

The next day we went to Jerash, a Greek turned Roman turned Islamic city which is really famous. We only had an hour and a half there, so we didn’t see all that much but it was really interesting. They had a reinactment of a roman battle and all the “soldiers” were out on the side of the Hippodrome so me and Duff Ullah went to ask for pictures, and ended up being invited to lunch at someones house. I think what I’m going to miss the most about Jordan is that the people are so friendly! You talk to a person and introduce yourself and they will remember you forever.

On Sunday, I took care of all my gift shopping in the old part of Amman where they sell all of the traditional clothing and stuff. I had to buy a suitcase to take back a lot of the stuff I have acquired being here. We were walking around and Faud saw this place where they were selling Ihrams which are what the men are supposed to wear on the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). So he was going to buy 24 for all the men at his mosque in Florida, but ended up being able to buy 12 because it took up a whole new suitcase which we had to go buy. But the reason I’m talking about this is because while we were waiting for them to bring all of the Ihrams out, Faud told the guy who he was buying them from that he had a nice cellphone cover, so then the guy took it off his phone and handed to him to keep. The people are so nice!