Jordan/Middle East Bucket-list

So far the list is just for Jordan - but once I get some more time to hash out things I want to see and do (and when my back is better), I'll expand :)

1. Try all of these foods and drinks
2. Partake in a two-day adventure in Petra (technically only one day)
3. Spend a "bedouin night" under the stars
4. Wine tasting at the Winemaker, the Zumot Wines’ tasting rooms just outside Amman
5. Take Arabic classes
6. Check out the Farmer's Markets of Amman
7. Dip my toes and hands into the Jordan River
8. Hike around Wadi Mujib.
9. Visit the Dana Biosphere Reserve
10. Jerash (and the market!)
11. Go east of Amman to see the "Desert Castles" (still have 2 left to see)
12. Umm Qais
13. Long Drive along King's Highway, created to help east the pilgrimage to Mecca way  back when.
14. Learn to cook Mansaf (traditional and most famous Jordanian dish)
15. Ancient Amman (including the citadel and the amphitheater)
16. See the mosaic map of the Holy Land in Madaba
17. Wadi Rum!
18. Go for a little swim in the Red Sea and the Dead Sea (technically I only dipped my feet in – too cold to swim)
19. Mount Nebo and Mount Pisgah
20. Ajlun Castle 
21. Feast my eyes on King Abdullah I's Mosque 
22. Jordan Archaeological Museum (in the citadel)
23. Take a nice relaxing swim in the Ma'in Hot Springs 
24. Walk down al-Wakalat Street and al-Rainbow street in Amman
25. Ummayad Palace (in citadel)
26. Darat al Funun 

This is the longest bucket list I have ever made!!

But I figure, I'll be back - maybe several times...

Have you been to Jordan or the Middle East??

If you think of something I should add, 

leave a comment and let me know!

اكل : Akel : Food

Today marks exactly thirty-five days 
since my arrival in Jordan!

Noted: Working from Arabic to English is extremely difficult because I dont know the Arabic alphabet and for me - I have to first find someone to transliterate a word from Arabic and then translate from the transliterated Arabic. Confusing right? This word was pretty new to me - "transliteration" but it makes sense and I like it - it makes reading Arabic easier, even though its not really Arabic anymore.

For example, the title of the post: اكل : Akel : Food

This goes from Arabic to transliterated Arabic to English.

My short lived hopes and dreams of taking Arabic classes while in Jordan were squashed with the reality of TIME. I have no time here. I came here to "recover" but like my Dad, I can't sit still.

The last couple of weeks I've been really trying to "dive" into Jordan. I only have a short time here and want to soak up as much food, culture, music, sightseeing, and tradition as I can.

I've always said the fastest way to learn about a new place/

group of people is through their food (and music). This is my 

culinary experience thus far:

Mezzes are appetizers and here in Jordan. They are a must before dinner or even as a snack during the day. They include foods such as hummus, baba ghanoush, kibbe maqliya, tabouleh, falafel, and za'tar. This list is not exhausted but are some of the most popular in the Levant (a region that generally includs Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey) and usually eaten with pita bread (a type of flat bread with a pocket)!

 

-Hummus, as many of you likely know, is a cooked/mashed chick pea base dip or spread made with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.
-Baba ghanoush is cooked eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, olive oil and various seasonings.

-Tabouleh, in addition to falafel and hummus, is another dish I had known before arriving here in Jordan. Its comprised of finely chopped tomatoes, parsley, mint, bulgur and onion. Then, seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Sometimes people will substitute couscous for the bulgur and some people add garlic. It's so fresh, light and healthy!
-Falafels are everywhere and ridiculously cheap! The deep-fried balls made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans can be found on nearly every corner for less than 50 cents.
-Za'tar, the name of my boss's dog, is a powerful blend of herbs, sesame and salt that is usually put on bread. It sort of reminds me of the italian type herbs/spices they give you before the main course at fancy restaurants.
-Kibbeh maklieh, sometimes more commonly known as fried kefta, are fried balls of beef and crushed wheat that are stuffed with spiced ground beef and pine nuts.

Kibbeh Makleih!

Another "appetizer" or smaller meal is Al-Rashoof Soup which consists of coarse wheat flour, yogurt and lentils. I was told this is often times served before/with Mansaf.

Found this soup at Souq el Sodfeh (سوق الصدفة) Farmers Market in Jabal al-Weibdeh

Al-Kabseh (also written Kabsa), which Jordanians tell me is a Saudi dish, is red rice with chicken, vegitables, and lots of spices (cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg). Apparently, Mandi is a type of Kabseh so I guess I have tried this type of dish after all. Mandi has probably been my favorite food so far - not including the mezzes! The word "mandi" comes from the Arabic word nada, meaning "dew" which reflects the moist 'dewy' texture of the meat (chicken or lamb) which is cooked special in a tandoor (a cylindrical clay or metal oven). In addition to the meat, there is a redish rice and, yup, a bunch of spices with a delicious red chili sauce to pour on top.

Another common food, both in Jordan, the Levant, and the US, is shish-kebab! Or taouk-kebab if it's chicken and kofta-kebab if it's lamb. Often times you will find that you can order a platter that has all three of these (beef, chicken and lamb) as well as kefta. Kefta. Is. Amazing. It's ground beef or lamb mixed with mixed with cumin, paprika, minced onion, coriander, mint leaves, and parsley. Sometimes people will add cinnamon, cayenne pepper - but it's optional.

Photo credit: Frédérique Voisin-Demery/Flickr

When I think of Maqloobeh I think of pineapple upside down cake but for dinner, and not sweet. You throw tons of chicken, rice, veggies, baharat spice and a few other goodies in a pot being careful as to not stir it while it cooks. After everything is done - you flip the pot over so its sort of like a layered casserole. Sadly when I tried this dish it was at a buffet and wasn't prepared as beautifully as it should of/could of been.  

Manakish, quick, delicious, found on the street everywhere, and in my opinion, quite similar to pizza. Ok, not really but they are shaped the same and sort of look the same. Its pretty much baked flat dough with toppings but no sauce. Toppings include za'atar, cheese (usually one called kashkaval), minced lamb, chili, spinach, fried eggplant and more.
 As they say, save the best for last. Mansaf is by far the most beloved traditional dish in all of Jordan. you haven't tasted Jordanian cuisine until you've tasted mansaf.  lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice    served on a large platter with a layer of flatbread (markook or shrak) topped with rice and then meat, garnished with almonds and pine nuts, and then sauce poured over all

The next dishes that are on my "to eat" list (yes, I have one of those) are: Mlokhiye, Konafa, M'askhen, and Bamyeh!

But of course, no meal is complete without argeeleh (shisha) and limon wa nana (mint, sugar, and lemonade blended).

My first limon wa nana :)

Do you have a favorite Jordanian or Levantine food?

Did I miss any good ones?

Country Profile: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Motto:

الله، الوطن، الملك
Allah - Al-Waṭan - Al-Malik 

God - Country - The King

History

The history of Jordan is too dense and too long to cover in what I was hoping to be a handful of succinct paragraphs. Know that what I write here is by no means an exhausted and fully descriptive history of what is now known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. See the bottom of this post for some suggestions on Middle Eastern and Jordanian reads.

Pre-colonization

According to archaeologists, there have been inhabitants in this region as far back as the Paleolithic period (or 500000 - 17000 BC). Three kingdoms sprouted out during the Iron Age (c. 1200-332 BCE) and next was the rise of the Nabatean kingdom who's capital was Petra (in the south of present day Jordan). From approximately 661 until 750 CE the Arab-Islamic Umayyad Empire, which was the first Muslim dynasty, took over Jordan and were succeeded by the Abbasids (750-1258). Jordan was ruled by various powers and empires until finally the the Ottomans, who captured and ruled major parts of the Arab World from 1516-1918 CE.

After World War I, the Ottoman Empire was broken up and similarly to what happened in Africa - random white guys as part of the The Council of the League of Nations redrew lines on a map and called it the Middle East.

Colonialization

In 1922, Transjordan took shape and was recognized as a state under British "supervision". At this point, Britain also had mandates over Palestine and Iraq while France was given the mandate over Syria and Lebanon. Abdullah I was made Emir (title of various Muslim [usually Arab] rulers) and the country was split into three administrative districts (north, central and south). Slowly the British mandate began to loosen and the period between the two world wars became sort of like a consolidation and institutionalization in Transjordan. On March 22, 1946, Abdullah negotiated the Anglo-Transjordanian Treaty that ended the British mandate and allowed for full independence for Transjordan. Shortly after on March 25th, Abdullah I was proclaimed king and officially changed the name from the Emirate of Transjordan to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan which was shortened in Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949.

"A women's history can never be divorced from a nation's history of confrontation 

and struggles, especially in colonial contexts where women have been held prisoners to 

both the colonizer and the colonized, each of whom sought control oft er the other thought 

the control of women. The colonizer drew upon his Enlightenment universal ideal of female 

liberation as a means for subverting and dehumanizing the local male while the latter, the 

proverbial colonized and oppressed 'local' male, strove to control the female veiled body as 

means for holding on to tradition in the face of the modernizing efforts of the colonizer. " 

 - Salam Al-Mahadin in "Jordanian women in education: 

politics, pedagogy and gender discourses" (2004, p. 25)

Post-Colonialization 

In 1948, the British terminated their mandate over Palestine (which had been experiencing an influx of Jewish immigrants since the 1920s) and the Jews immediately proclaimed the independence of the state of Israel. The Arab Legion (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Iraq) defended the Arabs of Palestine but lost. In the end, Jordan was left with the West Bank, over half a million refugees (whom received immediate citizenship) and the state of Israel remained. In 1951 King Abdullah I was assassinated and was succeeded by his eldest son, King Tala who only ruled for less than a year before his son, King Hussein took over in 1952.

Jordan saw another massive incoming of refugees in 1967 as a result of the Six-Day War. Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq fought against Israel who during the war took control of East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Prior to this (in 1966) Jordan had a Palestinian refugee population of 700,000 - afterwards it increased by another 300,000. Subsequently, there was the Jordanian Civil War (aka Black September) that started in September of 1970 and ended in July of 1971. It was fought between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Jordanian Armed Forces. Over the next decades the country experienced a couple of attempted military coups (all unsuccessful), several riots (usually over increased prices), numerous boycotted elections, a suicide bombing attack (leaving 60 dead) in 2005, and a handful of PMs appointed by the King.

Currently, Jordan is home to almost 1 million Syrian refugees in addition to 2 million Palestinian refugees, all of whom are fleeing either occupation or civil war in their country. Yes, it's true, the resurgence of Islamic militancy in the region does present a bit of a security threat in Jordan, particularly Amman. But as we have seen with the recent attacks in Paris, this heightened threat is worldwide.

"Traditional boundaries were separated in place of colonial distinctions, while strategic support of different ethnic and religious groups created imbalances and patterns of destructive behavior that continue to rock the region. Without this legitimacy and with often conflicting goals, the instability and conflict plaguing the region has led to the displacing of millions of people both within national borders as IDPs and outside as refugees." - Will Clifton in "Jordan’s Refugee Crisis and Regional Implications" (2015, p. 2)

Government   

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is officially classified as a constitutional monarchy that is comprised of an Executive branch, a Legislative branch and a Judicial branch, just like the US. Under the Executive branch you find the Chief of State who is the King himself, the head of the government (aka the Prime Minister) and the cabinet. This monarchy is hereditary, the PM is appointed by the King and the cabinet is appointed by the PM "in consultation with" the King. The Legislative branch is made up of the Senate (aka the House of Notables) which has 60 seats - all of which are appointed by the King and have 4 year terms. There is a Chamber of Deputies (aka House of Representatives) that has 150 seats of which 108 are directly elected by vote - 15 of these seats are reserved for women! Gee 10%, how thoughtful! I wonder if they realize women are 50% of the population? According to my co-worker, in the past there was actually more women but because "they talk too much" - the public decided not to vote as many in this time around. But hey, I can't say much coming from the United States of America -- it isn't much better there. Lastly, there is the highest court (aka the Supreme Court) which consists of 7 judges under the Judicial branch. The chief justice is appointed by the King and the other judges are nominated by the Higher Judicial Council and approved by the King.

So from the looks of this research...the King has his hands in everything. Their national anthem is even called "As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" which translates to "Long Live the King of Jordan", not too dissimilar to Britain's "God Save the Queen".

This is last years Christmas card from the Royal family.
The young man in the back left will be the next King.

After the 2010 elections, democracy was said to "still be far off". There was only 53% voter turn out in this election which is just enough to make it credible. Many called for a boycott of the 2013 Parliamentary elections to show that the citizens demand democracy. This article is written by a Jordanian political activists goes into detail on why he states that "Jordan's constitution is weighted in favor of King Abdullah's regime." Despite all of this, USAID and others believe that Jordan is slowly transitioning from a monarchy to democracy, due to both internal and external pressure.

According to Transparency International, Jordan is ranked 55/175 (175 is total number of countries) and scored a 49/100 (0=extremely corrupt/100=clean). TI uses their own index drawing on corruption-related data from expert and business surveys carried out by a variety of independent and reputable institutions to determine their ratings.

Since arriving here I haven't experienced all that much "corruption" as opposed to when I was in Cameroon. However, I am learning more about this thing they call wasta which many insists is not corruption... I'm skeptical. Once I learn more, I will write about this "wasta" thing which from what I can gather, is giving people money who do you favors who may later give you money when you do them a favor. It's more complicated than that, but I'm not totally aware of it yet.

 

Economy

According to the World Bank (of whom I'm not a fan but will resort to their data as I am far to lazy to collect and analyze my own), Jordan is classified as an "upper middle income" country with a total GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of $5,422 per capita. To put this in perspective - the US is almost $55,000 per capita while Senegal is only $1,061 per capita. GDP per capita, in simple terms, is pretty much what the average amount of money a person makes in the country. Economists take the total income of a country (plain old GDP) and divide by the number of inhabitants. You can see how this number is totally off. How many people do you know who work in the US and don't make $55,000 and make way more?

Although Jordan's economy is among the smallest in the Middle East it is rated as one of the top 10 most competitive economies in MENA (Middle East and North Africa). But sadly, Jordan doesn't really have any natural resources of their own and their government relies heavily on foreign assistance.

66.4% of their GDP comes from services, 29.8% from industry and a small 3.8% from agriculture. Their agricultural products include citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, strawberries, stone fruits (like peaches or plums) and a few others. Their industries include tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizers, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals and more.

According to the Jordan Economic Monitor (part of the World Bank), Jordan's economy is continuing to recover from the Arab Spring spillovers which include Egypt's gas disruptions, the neighboring Syrian and Iraqi conflicts and associated security incidents. Only 15% of their population falls below the poverty line and life expectancy is 74 years.

Looking past monetary figures (because we know this only paints parts of the picture), many professionals also use the Human Development Index (HDI). More recently experts have developed the Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index, the Gender Development Index (GDI), the Gender Inequality Index (GII), and the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) which use a variety of means to attempt to determine what their title says. See the photos below for details on how they come up with these rankings and where Jordan ranks.

(Zoom in to read)

Culture

In terms of "ethnic groups", one may say Jordan is quite monolithic with 98% (this is debated - I've seen 97% too) being Arab and only 2% being Circassian, Assyrian, Chechen, Mandaean, Turkemen and Armenian. Approximately 97% are Muslim (predominantly Sunni) and just over 2% are Christian. There are also reports of Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and others but a very small almost unquantifiable amount.

Don't forget this info graphic.
It puts things into perspective.

Looking the majority "Arab" population doesn't quite do justice for the small but various number of Bedouin tribes in the country. The name "bedouin" comes form the Arabic word badawi - which means "desert dweller". Traditionally, they live in tents and move from place to place in the desert, looking for food and water for their herds of camels, sheep and goats. Bedouins mainly live in the Arabian and Syrian deserts, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and the Sahara Desert. Total, they are about 4 million and share their lands with other cultural and religious groups. Like many others in Jordan, the majority speaks Arabic and practices Islam.

Map of where Bedouins are found

One thing I found particularly interesting is the 'classification' of Bedouins which depends on what animal species are the basis of their livelihood. First and most prestigious are the camel nomads, then come the sheep and goat nomads. Although many have 'transitioned' into a more modern style of life, many have remained nomadic but one thing that transcends lifestyle choices is their pride in their culture. Bedouins have their own music, dance, chanted poetry, and more.

Bedouin tribes and locations in Jordan

Military

The Jordanian Armed Forces, abbreviated as JAF, has an air-force, an army and a navy and/or coast guard (I found contradicting info) They are all under the control of the Commander-in-Chief who is none other than, the King himself. The main objectives are to: 1. Protect the Kingdom of Jordan borders from any invasion; 2. Protect the people inside the Kingdom and their rights; and 3. Protect the King of Jordan.

Jordan is the country with the 8th highest level of militarization according to the 2014 Global Military Index. Israel takes the cake on the most militarized country in the world, but to be fair, pretty much all countries Middle Eastern countries are highly militarized - with the exception of Qatar and Tunisia. This rating is created by looking at: Military expenditures as percentage of GDP; Military expenditures in relation to health spending; Military and paramilitary personnel in relation to population; Military reserves in relation to population; Military and paramilitary personnel in relation to physicians; and Heavy weapons in relation to population.

Recently, a Jordanian police captain killed five people (read the article) including two Americans. Also in October, Russia and Jordan decided to team up together to fight ISIS in the region. Another things - ISIS aka ISIL aka the Islamic State is called Da'esh here.

 

Geography

Nestled in the western middle of the Middle East (haha), Jordan borders Iraq, Israel, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. It's about the size of Maine (tiny bit smaller) and is a landlocked country. Although Jordan is home to the Dead Sea, the Red Sea, the Jordan River (where Jesus was apparently baptized) and some springs, the country often suffers water shortages that have been worsening with the influx of refugees.

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth sitting below sea level, at 1,378 feet (420 meters)! The highest point Jabal Umm al Dami at 6082 feet (1854 meter) and right near the southern boarder of Saudi.

The country is comprised of 12 governorates (like regions): 'Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Al'Asimah, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba (FYI, "Al" is "The" in Arabic). Every governorate has a capital which has the same name as the govenorate - except for      Al Balqa whos capital is Salt. Ma'an, or so I'm told, is dangerous.

The 12 governorates of Jordan

The weather stays sunny here in Jordan, and according to this article, in one year Jordan sees over 310 days of sunshine! There are four seasons here but they are not extreme as they can get in some places, especially where I grew up in Wisconsin. In the winter months (December and January) temperatures can dip below freezing (and stay there for a little bit) and in the summer it gets quite hot, sometimes over 100F (38C) degrees, as it is a "desert". But the country is large and has a variety of elevations and climates so remember that this varies. For example in Amman right now (end of November) we are seeing a range of highs in the low to high 60s (once in a while dipping above 70 and below 60) while in the Dead Sea (only a couple hours away) its 70s and 80s most of the week.

Like almost ever corner of the world, desertification, drought and over-hunting have damaged the natural landscape. The Gulf of Aqaba has some of the best marine life in the Middle East and its coral reefs are "unmatched". 

 

Extra Information and Resources

This list is by no means exhausted.
It is my reference list for the information in this post (unless otherwise cited) and my reading list for continuing my learning on the region.

Colonial Effects: The Making of a National Identity in Jordan
History of Jordan
BBC Timeline
UNHCR
The World Factbook 
Building Democracy in Jordan: Women's Political Participation, Political Party Life and Democratic Elections

10 Things I Learned From a Hospital Bed in Paris

 

In no particular order...

 

1. Be nice to nurses - They are the people you have the most contact with during your stay in a hospital. Their job is hard and they don't get nearly enough credit for the sh#t they put up with, literally sh#t. They can make your visit enjoyable and plesant or a living hell. Luckily I'm on the good side of all my nurses. Among some of them, I even gained the nick-name "la petite Antonia" - I kinda like it :) [no joke: as I'm writing this, I asked for a coffee and room service is closed so the nurse just surprised me with one from the machine!!]

2. Paris isn't that bad. Yea sure I haven't technically seen Paris yet, but I'm definitely surrounded by Parisian and they are so nice. My entire life (aka since I started learning French in 2009) I've been afraid of going to France, especially Paris, because I thought they would just hate me for butchering their language. Truthfully, I was petrified and this was another major reason I always went to West Africa. Turns out some of them actually think my "American accent" is cute! This just goes to show, you never really know a place until you go there and experience it for yourself.

3. Even the lowest quality of food in France is amazing. I don't know if it's the fresh squeezed OJ every morning, the 5 course dinners, the cheese, the variety and selection or the charming smile of Isham, the man who brings me nearly every meal - but whatever it is, I have never been disappointed in the quality of food I've received and in fact more often than not - I'm quite impressed.

4. Whatever you choose to wear, a hospital gown or jeans, always wear a smile. Smiles are like yawns -- they are contagious. Smiles put people at ease, they make others more comfortable in the moment. Smiles make people feel good and if used correctly and strategically, they can change a persons day and/or outlook. Many people don't like the idea of "fake it till you make it" but I think that if you smile, even if it's a fake and forced smile, you attract positivity in your life and people will generally treat you with more kindness.

5. It could be worse. This news hit me really hard. In fact, I'm still swallowing it all. I have a Fellowship that was setting me up for exactly what I wanted to do in Senegal - language learning (French and Wolof), an academic internship and research on women and their changing roles in the society - and suddenly, withing hours, I felt it all slipping away from me. I cried, I joked about "toughing it out" and skipping my flight, I sobbed, I prayed for a different diagnosis and/or a different treatment plan. But this is my reality: I have spondylodiscitis, I have spinal tuberculosis, I have an abscess growing on my spine. These combined have all started to cause scoliosis and deterioration of my disks. But I am alive, I am not paralyzed, and I will get better and I will live a long and happy life. I will get back to Senegal ASAP. I cannot go on to do the work I want to do if I'm not healthy so I need to take care of myself first.

6. I will never travel without travel insurance again. We've all done it, went abroad without insurance... or maybe it was just me? Either way, I've lived and traveled for extended periods of time without any travel or medical insurance. Heck, I even lived in the US for a solid 5 years without health insurance. After the gravity and urgency of this experience, I will never again, if I can help it, be foolish enough to live without insurance again. Literally, I could be un-diagnosed, with excruciating pain, paralyzed and still in Senegal. Because I had insurance, I was able to seek proper care in Senegal without financial fear, be timely medically evacuated and now I am receiving treatment at the best hospital in France. All covered. Not to mention, my sister is on her way as part of the "family reunion" benefits. Thank you Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), thank you!

7. You are not a prisoner - you are a patient - and as a patient you must have patience. It took me 4 1/2 days to realize that I was allowed to leave my room when I wanted. I know, this may sound stupid but I have never been hospitalized as an adult and no one had mentioned it to me so I spent all my time in my room. Finally I started to explore the hospital taking walks around the garden and drinking coffee in the cafe. One day I was even permitted wine... wine is fine - because its France!

8. News continues even when there is no new news. It plays on loops. To surround myself with as much French as possible, I have the television on nearly 24/7 (except when sleeping). For many this would get old, the repetition of it - but for me, it's useful because the second time I hear the segment or interview, I'm able to check my comprehension from the first time and pick up more things which I missed the first time.

9. There is always work to be done. I don't understand how people get "bored". One can only be truly bored if they aren't putting in an effort to relieve their boredom. There is an entire world of infinite knowledge - and with the internet - this world is at our fingertips! There are thousands of books to read, classes to take online for free, endless news sources and always things to research and learn about. I feel like there is so much for me to do here!!

And the most important...

10. Family and friends are irreplaceable. Getting MRI results showing a possibly paralyzing infection on your spine - being evacuated from a country you fell in love with to hospital - all alone - in a city that you've never been to - in a country where you don't know anyone - all withing 36 hours - can be quite isolating. But greater than the feelings of sadness and loneliness were the feelings of love and support pouring in from my friends and family all over the world. Even the most "independent feminist" needs family and friends. I guess I don't have to worry about the "what if" situations - but I honestly can't fathom going through this experience without the family and friends I have (virtually) by my side. I am so grateful to live with modern technology that allows me to instantly Facetime my Dad, cousin, boyfriend and Aunt; Skype those who haven't 'wised up' and purchased an apple product; and receive thoughtful and encouraging Facebook messages and emails everyday from people who are thinking of me and praying for my rehabilitation. Every time I needed something, or rather someone, I was able to turn to my friends and family. And for that, I am forever grateful.

View of Paris from the 5th floor suite (a nurse snuck me up for the view)

View of the Eiffle Tower from my hospital room

Mangiy ci loxo yàlla!

Mangiy ci loxo yàlla

A phrase I mentioned in my last post.

Meaning, "I am in God's hand"

Before updating everyone on my the unexpected reality of my current state, I'd like to delve into the last couple weeks of settling into Dakar, my host family and my classes. 

All of the Francophone African countries I will be able to work in once I improve my French a bit more!
This is really motivating for me - French opens a whole new world of possibilities.

La grande mosquée ver le cornish à Dakar

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A couple of weeks ago, I took a day and a half break from the bustling city of Dakar to head south along la petite cote (the little coast). I ended up in a small coastal village called Yene Gueje. Gueje is beach in Wolof. It was just a short stay here but somewhere I will hopefully be going back to often. 

If you look along the southern coast, you will find Rusfique and much further down Toubab Dialao
Yene is so small its not even on the map but it's nearly exactly half way between the two along the straight road.

For the first time I was hearing "Toubab! Toubab!" around every corner. I knew this term, as it serves as the term for "foreigner" in Senegal. One interesting thing I've found in my travels throughout Afirca is that nearly every country/region notoriously has a term for foreigners... East Africa is muzungo, Nigeria is oyibo or nsara, sometimes its just the simple white man or if you're lucky white man woman, Ghananias will call us oburoni and in Francophone Cameroon I heard la blanche. One thing I want you all to realize is this list is far from exhausted. But this term I was constantly hearing, toubab, was a token of where I had traveled to, outside of the city. The time in Yene Gueje was even more proof of why it was so imperative that I learn Wolof as many people I encountered only spoke Wolof leaving me unable to communicate. In my late afternoon search for Cafe Touba (discussed later in the post), I was directed to one family's compound. I entered with the traditional "salaam alaykoum" greeting and was given a place to sit as I waited for the coffee, they needed to brew it but insisted I waited for it. This gave me time to chat with the family and get a better idea of Yene Gueje. I was invited back for dinner but due to a wicket rainstorm I was confined to the hostile until the morning.

Dakar is crawling with toubabs so it was a nice change of pace to step outside of the capital and see Senegal through a different lens.

The path to the beach just steps from the hostel

In the distance you can see a building, the hostel was right next to it.

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After living in small town after small city after small town, the one thing I love about Dakar is there is always something to do. We have "half days" on Wednesday so my friend Issa and I took a trip down to the Plateau (centre ville) for a small art show. I had no expectations going in - but it was nice to just do something new and fun. Here are just two small pieces of the show:

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"Mermoz - 2ème Porte - en face du caz et proche de la mosquee" - these are the directions I give people, usually taxi drivers or friends, who are trying to locate where I live. Mermoz is the quartier, or neighborhood, in Dakar where I live -but its so big you have to narrow it down which is why I say 2ème porte, translating to "second door" or "second entrance". I can always get out of the cab here but if I dont feel like walking I continue to describe exactly where it is I life - across from the 'caz' which is this strange fenced in field with a random cement thing in the middle. And in case they dont know that land marker, I tell them the mosque, because every one knows the mosque.

My terrace - the 'roof' of my house and right near my bedroom

2ème port, Mermoz, my new home.

For the first couple of weeks I would spend my evenings taking short walks in different directions around my quartier trying to get my barrings down and learn some short cuts. I found the closest cafe touba** provider, someone who sells vegetables, another woman just a few houses down who makes the most delicious variety of juices, bottling them in different sizes to buy from 25cfa to 1,000cfa (5 cents to 2$). I've become familiar with neighbors and greet them everyday when I pass. I have had many attaaya* lessons offered and will likely take them up on the offer. I've also discovered a short cut directly to the VPN, another major street I live by which now saves me over 30min of walking. I take the kar rapids every day, I've been learning the varies routes of the tatas and have taken more ndiaga ndiayes around the city. I'm feeling improvement with my Wolof as I've learned about "contractions" which is how nearly everyone speaks. I always start my conversations in Wolof and switch to French when I cant go any further. The teranga*** I've heard so much about has become palpable.

*Cafe Touba = a spiced coffee drink flavored with grains of selim (a Guinea pepper which is made from the dried fruit of Xylopia aethiopica and known as djar in Wolof) and sometimes cloves. The addition of djar is the most important factor differentiating this coffee from regular/plain coffee. This imported spice and others are mixed and roasted with coffee beans, then ground into powder. It's then prepared like drip coffee and served throughout the day at nearly every corner shop and by young men carrying a large container of it and walking on the streets. Usually mixed with lots of sugar and the only coffee I drink without milk! Its delightful!!

**Attaaya = in my opinion, this is the cornerstone of Senegalese culture and the essence of terange. People can and do simply, and with great pleasure, pass the entire day with their friends and family doing nothing but drinking attaaya and spending time together. Traditionally, there are three servings: The first, is a little bitter and quite strong, the second is sweeter and mint is added while the third is very sweet but isnt not very strong because the same green tea leaves are used to prepare all three servings. This is a guaranteed way to bring people together and just enjoy the company of one another. In the US, we always have to be "doing something" - going out to a bar, or drinking or getting ready to go out and do something. Here in Senegal, on the contrary, the slow preparation and serving of attaya is enough as it is an art for of its own. I hope to write more about this process in the future once I become a master attaaya maker.

***Terange = literally means hospitality in Wolof. Here, hospitality is more than an art and culture - it's a way of life. If you pass by someone's house and they are preparing to eat, you know you will be invited in. Teranga is a beautiful combination of acceptance, friendship, tolerance and tradition.

Making ataaya on the beach in Yoff

Yoff beach as a storm rolls in

Jorr showing off her card tricks.

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Last week Thursday my host sister Bijeux and her son Samba went back to Italy where they have been living and working for years. It was Samba's vacation and they were back for about 2 1/2 months. As a little token of of my appreciation for them and as a small send off gift, toggaloon naa sama waakër ndekki bu amerik (I cooked my family an 'American breakfast') comprised of French toast with honey and scrambled eggs with veggies and spiced sausage. They loved it (or at least thats what they said).

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I'm already knocking off items from my bucket list. Went to see Cheikh Lo in celebration of his 60th birthday with a couple of friends on Saturday night! Check out this interesting interview with him here. (FYI it's in French but you can google translate it if you want)

Really blurry, but this is what an iPhone 4 gets you.

This is his new hit, Degg Gui LIVE!:

Here is the official music video:

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Senegal, where greetings and salutations last longer 

and are more important than the actual conversation.

A place where you ask how someone's family is even if you don't know them.

 In just about 5 weeks, I settled in wonderfully without hardly any road blocks.

My fondness for Senegal and Dakar came quickly,

almost as swiftly as I left. 

 

This 'honeymoon' and seemingly love-struck state I was in ended within seconds as I was faced with the reality of my health. I've been suffering from chronic back pain since the New Year, with weeks/days of relief but the pain always came back. The last three weeks in Senegal have been nearly impossible to enjoy as every movement hurt and it was a struggle just to get up in the morning. After receiving the results of my MRI, I was medically evacuated to Paris and I'm currently at the American Hospital of Paris. But fear not, I am in high spirits, thanks to family and friends who have been beyond supportive and I have a wonderful team of doctors (neurologists, internists, neurosurgeons, rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, etc) who are getting to the bottom of it! Additionally, on the bright side, I'm in Paris (never been here before!), I'm speaking French with all the nurses and listening to French news all day long. The food is great and everyone is really sweet. Send some positive vibes my way, hoping this passes quickly.

Was moved to first class for my flights, sat in the VIP lounge and had myself a
nice cheese platter with champagne before landing in Paris.

Dinaa dellu Senegal tout suite, inshallah

I am going back to Senegal right away, God willing