5/27/2010 First Week of Classes Complete

The first week of language classes are over. Today, I had my first oral vocab quiz. I failed miserably. I'm now at the point in my study that I feel I'm never going to learn this language.

These thought are what have occupied my mind in the past two days. Its frustrating to feel so incompetent because not only cannot I not hold a conversation I can barely construct a proper sentence. But I keep trying and trying and trying...I'm sure something will eventually work in my favor.

Class this week have been particularly tough but this is the class I belong in. I am rebuilding a more optimistic outlook in my ability to master this language.

I'm explored mainly two parts of the city: Rainbow Street and Wakalot Street (by where my classes are). Rainbow Street, Amman is like South Street, Philadelphia (a rather ironic coincidence given that Amman was called Philadelphia back, back, back in the day). There are various cafes, restaurants, bookshops, bars,and just about any other shop you can imagine. But when you go off the street, just like South Street, there's not much. Houses, garages, and the occasional small grocery store which boggles my mind how so many are able to stay open. Rainbow Street maintains a quality of quaintness and 'hipness'. Its by far one of the most liberal-artsy-cool places of the city; I've seen people walk by with their dogs, women scantly clad, and one solid dude with dreads.

Wakalot Street boasts western shops, including a Starbucks, and very expensive shopping. My school is the parallel street and, to our advantage, there are few cheep food options available. One of these is called Paradise. Not the Arabic word for Paradise, mind you, but the English word for paradise transliterated into Arabic letters. In Paradise, we can buy a falafel sandwich for a 1/4 of a dinar and cut the line if you turn on your charm.

Awww paradise.

Today, there is an open air market on Rainbow street that some friends and I plan to go to. There is where I plan to do most of my shopping. I'm not a big fan of expensive shops or big name stores. I think that the most real, girty, and authentically Jordanian things are found in markets like these not to mention at the best price. I loved bargaining in Italy so hopefully I'll enjoy it just as much as in Amman.

My first experience in bargaining in Amman took place two days ago in a flower shop. I was walking home and thought it would be nice bring flowers. I thought, "the first flower shop I see, I'll stop and buy a small bouquet." As that thought crossed my mind, a flower shop popped to my side. I walked in to a lovely array of flowers and 6 young men standing around the counter talking. I quickly looked to the flowers as they almost immediately stopped talking. The sudden silence was, for me, unusual so I turn to face them. 6 faces were staring back.

"Ahlan." I whispered softly.

A few jumped to action and, as I picked out the flowers I wanted, he asked how many and how much.

"hamsa...awhreen..." asked the shopkeeper.

"oh hamsa!"

I thought I had 5 dinars on me. Turned out I only 4 and they said it was ok.

So my first experience in bargaining wasn't quite like bargaining but more like...luck? coincidence? Also, as I waited for my flowers, I think one of the men may have asked me for my number but I'm really not sure. He approached me as I waited with a pen and paper mumbling something incomprehensible to me. I thought he was asking if I wanted a card with the flowers but after I said, "la...la, la." he turned back to his friend a bit embarrassed.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the Dead Sea and other biblical sites in Jordan. They say on a clear day, we can see the Gaza strip from one of our sites.

I'm really excited.